Printable bills tracker + complaint letter templates
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A printable kit: a household bills and contract-end tracker, a fill-in complaint letter for energy or broadband providers, the escalation steps to the ombudsman, and an annual review checklist.
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The main energy switch bonuses in the UK are supplier referral schemes, which pay account credit rather than cash (Octopus Energy gives £50 to you and the friend who referred you when you switch a home through their link), and cashback paid by cashback or comparison sites. Either is a small extra. A tariff that costs more over a year can easily wipe out a £50 bonus, so compare the estimated annual cost for your usage first and only then look for a bonus on the deal you've already chosen.
Key takeaways
- Referral credit: Octopus says a home referral earns £50 each, added once you've fully switched and your first monthly Direct Debit has been taken, typically about four weeks after joining.
- Route matters: Octopus only pays referral credit if you sign up through the referral link on its own website, not through a switching site.
- Cost first: the Ofgem price cap limits unit rates and standing charges on variable tariffs, not your total bill, so compare annual costs for your usage.
- Your rights: Ofgem says switches should take 5 working days (or the new supplier pays you £40), and you can cancel within 14 days.
Types of energy switch bonus
| Type | Who pays it | What you get | Main catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supplier referral scheme | The new supplier | Credit on your energy account (Octopus: £50 for a home) | Only via the referrer's link; paid weeks after you switch |
| Cashback site | The cashback site, from its commission | Cashback once the switch is confirmed | Can take months to confirm and can be declined; read the offer's terms |
| Comparison site reward | The comparison site | Whatever that site advertises | Usually rules out a supplier's own referral credit |
You normally can't stack these. Octopus, for example, says it only pays referral credit when you join directly through its website, because it already pays the switching sites for customers who come through them.
How the Octopus referral credit works
- An existing customer shares their personal link, which looks like share.octopus.energy/adjective-noun-number.
- You open the link and get a quote and sign up on Octopus's own website.
- Octopus switches your supply. Once you're on supply and your first monthly Direct Debit has been taken, it adds £50 to both accounts (£75 each for a business or charity).
- Octopus says this typically takes around four weeks from joining, longer if your switch is delayed. The credit shows in your account's balance history.
The credit reduces what you owe Octopus; it isn't paid to your bank. Treat a referral link from a stranger with care: only ever enter your details on the supplier's own website.
Check these before you chase a bonus
- Your current tariff: fixed or variable, end date, unit rates, standing charges and annual usage in kWh. Your bill or app shows them.
- Exit fees: leaving a fix early can cost more than any bonus. Suppliers can't charge exit fees in the last 49 days of a fixed deal.
- Annual cost: compare the new tariff's estimated yearly cost for your usage with what you pay now. Ofgem says the best option may be with your current supplier.
- Debts: Ofgem says you can switch if you've owed money for less than 28 days, or owe up to £500 on a prepayment meter. Owed for longer? Repay first.
- The price cap timing: Ofgem announces the cap every three months. The level for 1 January to 31 March 2027 is due by 25 November 2026, so a variable tariff's rates may change from January. See is it worth switching energy now? for the current cap.
Your rights when you switch
- The new supplier arranges the switch, using your postcode, current supplier, tariff name, unit rate and annual usage.
- Switches should be completed within 5 working days. If not, Ofgem says the new supplier must pay you £40 automatically.
- You can cancel a switch within 14 days if you change your mind.
- If you're switched by mistake, you could get £40 and the old supplier has 21 working days to switch you back.
Step-by-step instructions are in how to switch energy and broadband, and our guide to UK cashback sites covers how cashback works and when it gets declined.
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Frequently asked questions
How much is the Octopus Energy referral bonus?
Octopus says that if you switch a home using an existing customer's referral link, you both get £50 of energy credit (£75 each for a business or charity account).
When do I get the Octopus referral credit?
Once you're on supply and your first month's Direct Debit has been taken. Octopus says this typically takes around four weeks from joining, longer if the switch is delayed.
Can I get a referral bonus if I switch through a comparison site?
Not with Octopus. It says the referral credit is only paid when you sign up through the referral link directly on its website.
Is a switching bonus worth it?
Only if the tariff is already right for you. Compare the estimated annual cost for your usage and any exit fees first, because a pricier tariff can cost more than the bonus is worth.
Sources
Official sources this article relies on, checked October 26, 2026. Rules and prices change, so confirm details at the source.
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