Referral programme

Reviewed May 2026: checked against Octopus referral help and Citizens Advice switching guidance. Exact credit timing can vary if the switch, first Direct Debit or account setup is delayed.

Quick answers before you use a referral link

How much is the Octopus referral credit?

Octopus currently says a home-energy referral gives the new customer and the referring customer £50 each in energy account credit.

When does the credit appear?

It is added after the new customer has fully switched and the first month's Direct Debit has been taken. Octopus says it usually takes around four weeks from joining, though delays can make it longer.

Should the referral decide your tariff?

No. Use the referral only after checking the tariff, smart-meter needs, exit fees and whether your EV, solar, heat-pump or Economy 7 setup changes the comparison.

Sources: Octopus referral help for credit amount and timing, Citizens Advice for switching checks such as fixed-tariff exit fees, meter fit and supplier comparison.

The basics

Octopus Energy runs an official refer-a-friend programme. Existing customers get a unique referral link they can share. If a new home energy customer switches through that link, Octopus says both accounts receive £50 energy credit.

The credit is not a voucher, cashback offer or discount code to redeem later. It is added to the Octopus energy account balance and then reduces future bills. Octopus currently says home referrals are worth £50 each, while business or charity account referrals are treated separately.

What happens when you click a referral link

When you click a referral link, including the one on this site, it opens the Octopus signup flow with the referral attached to the visit. You still need to enter your address, choose a tariff and complete the normal checks. The referral link does not choose the tariff for you.

My referral identifier is solemn-boat-668. If you are ready to switch online, the least fiddly route is to start from the referral link and complete the signup without switching to a comparison site or a separate Octopus tab halfway through.

What to check before you switch

A referral credit is useful, but it should not be the main reason to choose a tariff. Before signing up, check whether you are on a fixed deal with exit fees, whether you need a smart meter for the tariff you want and whether an EV, solar, heat-pump or Economy 7 setup changes the comparison.

If you are still deciding, start with the tariff guides, the postcode comparison tool or the Octopus review before using any referral link.

How long the switch takes

Switching is no longer best described as a fixed two or three week wait. Citizens Advice says you can ask to switch as soon as possible after agreeing a new contract, which could take up to five working days, or you can switch five working days after the 14-day cooling-off period ends. The right route depends on the date you choose and whether anything needs to be corrected during the switch.

Your new supplier normally handles the transfer from the old supplier. You should still keep a note of the signup date, the planned switch date and meter readings around the handover, especially if your meter has multiple registers or export readings.

When the credit appears

The referral credit does not appear instantly. Octopus says it can add the £50 once the new customer has fully switched over and their first month's Direct Debit has been successfully taken. Octopus also says this typically takes around four weeks from when the new customer joins, although it can take longer if the switch is delayed.

1. You start from a valid referral link and submit the switch request.
2. The switch completes on the agreed date.
3. Your first Direct Debit is taken successfully.
4. The £50 credit is added to your Octopus account automatically.

You should be able to see the credit in your Octopus account balance history once it lands. If your account is already in credit, the referral amount simply increases that balance and is used against future energy charges.

What the £50 is, and what it is not

• It is energy account credit. It reduces future charges on your Octopus account.
• It is not a separate cash payment. Treat it as bill credit, not money paid to your bank.
• It is not a voucher. There should be no separate voucher code to redeem after switching.
• It does not replace tariff checking. A suitable tariff matters more than a one-off credit.

What can stop the referral working

Most referral problems come from the signup path, not from the credit itself. These are the main traps to avoid.

If you forgot to use the link

Contact Octopus support promptly and ask whether they can help. Give them the referral code (solemn-boat-668) and explain what happened. I would not rely on this as a guaranteed safety net, because the cleanest evidence is still a switch that started from the referral link.

Why this site has a referral link

The referral link is how this site can justify the time spent keeping guides, tools and explainers updated. That does not mean every reader should switch. If Octopus is not the right fit for your meter, tariff needs or household setup, the sensible answer is to wait or choose something else.

If the site has helped you decide Octopus is a good fit, using Matt's referral link is a simple way to get the same £50 new-customer credit and support the work here. If you prefer to use a friend's link instead, the practical outcome for you should be the same.

Sources checked: Octopus referral help and Citizens Advice switching guidance.