Energy suppliers offering free gifts, rewards and credit

Last reviewed: 30 September 2026

Switching energy suppliers is usually about one thing: paying less for your gas and electricity. But increasingly, that decision comes with something else attached. Suppliers now regularly offer rewards, referral bonuses, loyalty perks and the occasional straight-up gift, partly to say thank you to customers who stick around, and partly to tempt new ones through the door.

Some of this is genuinely useful. Free coffees, cinema tickets, retail vouchers, points schemes, energy account credit, it's all become a normal part of the picture, and most major suppliers now run some version of it. A handful even build entire apps and reward tiers around it, treating loyalty almost like a subscription perk rather than an occasional freebie.

But the thing to remember before any of that sways you: a reward is only ever a bonus on top of a tariff, it's never a substitute for one. A great perk attached to a mediocre deal is still a mediocre deal. The tariff itself, the unit rates, the standing charges, the annual cost, is what actually determines whether you're getting good value. Everything else is decoration.

So here's what's actually on offer right now from the major suppliers, what each reward is genuinely worth in practice, and a simple way to work out whether any of it should factor into your decision at all.

Which suppliers offer rewards? 

Supplier incentives change constantly, so it's always wise to check with the supplier directly to see what's currently available. They are mostly featured in a dedicated rewards section of your online account or app. Currently, the awards offered by major suppliers include:

• Octopus Energy — Octoplus: A free rewards programme for customers with a smart meter. It combines paid "Saving Sessions" (earn credit for cutting usage during peak demand), occasional free-electricity windows, a monthly prize draw, and a rotating set of partner perks, recent examples include a weekly Monday scratchcard with a chance to win a hot drink at Greggs, 2-for-£10 ODEON cinema tickets (Mon–Thu), and a National Trust family day pass for 6,000 Octopoints.
• British Gas — Membership: A free loyalty scheme covering discounts on boiler servicing and Hive products and regular prize draws.
• OVO Energy — Beyond: A free rewards programme offering perks such as free hours of electricity in summer and ticket access to venues including OVO Hydro and OVO Arena Wembley. 
• Sainsbury's Energy: Runs on Nectar points rather than cash rewards, customers earn bonus Nectar points for switching and up to triple Nectar points on in-store Sainsbury's shopping for the life of the tariff.

What rewards are typically offered?

Not all supplier incentives are equal.

Direct account credit: This is usually the most valuable reward because the value is guaranteed and immediately reduces your energy bill. Most of the major suppliers' referral schemes work this way.

Gift cards and vouchers: These can offer good value if you regularly shop with participating retailers. However, their value is limited if you wouldn't normally spend money there.

Loyalty points: Loyalty schemes can be useful, but many customers overestimate their value. Small rewards collected over a year often amount to less than expected.

Discounts and perks: Cinema tickets, coffees and family days out can provide genuine savings, but only if you actively use them.

Competitions and prize draws: These are typically the least valuable incentives, since there's no guarantee of receiving anything, even a well-funded scheme like British Gas's giveaway only pays out to a fraction of entrants.

Should rewards influence your switch?

While these perks sound appealing, it's worth putting them in perspective. They can be a useful bonus, but their value is often lower than many customers realise.

For example, Sainsbury's Energy currently offers 2,000–4,000 Nectar points per fuel for switching. At the standard Nectar valuation of around 0.5p per point, that's roughly £10–£40, a genuine saving, but a modest one next to the tariff price itself. Octopus's Octoplus programme can be worth more to customers who actively engage with it: Octopus states members had access to over £300 of rewards across a year, equivalent to roughly 17% of a typical bill, though that figure assumes consistent use of Saving Sessions and partner perks, not just passive sign-up.

By comparison, the difference between energy tariffs can often amount to hundreds of pounds over the course of a year. The gap between a competitive fixed deal and a Standard Variable Tariff can easily exceed £200 per year. This is why it is important to compare the overall cost of a tariff first and view rewards as an additional benefit rather than the main reason for switching. 

Rewards are a good bonus and sound exciting, but they should never be the main reason for choosing an energy supplier. Best value comes from staying on a competitive energy tariff rather than chasing short-term gifts or incentives. 

How to calculate if a reward is actually worth it

Before a loyalty reward influences your decision, work through this simple calculation:

Step 1: Find the annual cost of the tariff. This depends on your estimated usage, so use a recent bill or an online estimate to work it out.

Step 2: Find the annual cost of the cheapest comparable tariff. Use a comparison tool or check Switchcraft to see what is available for your postcode and usage.

Step 3: Calculate the difference. If the tariff with rewards costs £180 more per year than the cheapest alternative, the reward needs to be worth more than £180 to make it worthwhile. A £20 Nectar points balance does not clear that bar.

Step 4: Be honest about the reward value. If the reward is a loyalty programme you will rarely use, its real value to you is close to zero. If it is direct account credit, it is worth face value.

The most important number is always the annual cost. Everything else is secondary.

Common mistakes when comparing supplier rewards

Before choosing a supplier based on rewards, avoid these common mistakes:

• Looking at the reward before comparing tariff costs
• Ignoring standing charges and unit rates
• Assuming loyalty is always rewarded
• Overestimating how often you'll use supplier perks
• Choosing a reward that has little practical value to you
• Failing to read the terms and conditions

A reward only has value if you genuinely use it.

Referral schemes explained 

Many suppliers offer referral rewards, a way to earn credit by recommending your supplier to friends or family. Both the existing customer and the new customer typically receive a reward once the referred customer switches successfully and their first payment is taken.

Referral schemes are one of the more straightforward ways to earn tangible value from your energy supplier. Unlike loyalty programmes where value depends on whether you use perks, referral rewards are usually direct account credit, money off your bill. 

Referral offers in 2026: 

How to make the most of referral schemes

The referral link is usually available in your online account or supplier app. Share it with friends or family who are thinking about switching, both of you benefit when they make the move.

A few things to be aware of:

• Most schemes only pay out once the new customer's switch is complete and their first payment has been taken, usually four to six weeks after signing up
• Some schemes have a limit on how many referrals you can make, check the terms
• The reward only makes sense if your friend is switching to a genuinely competitive deal. Referring someone to an expensive tariff for a £50 reward does them no favours

New customer incentives

Most major energy suppliers do not currently offer new customer sign-up incentives such as gift cards or vouchers on a regular basis. This was more common in 2020 and 2021, when the market was more competitive and suppliers used welcome gifts, Amazon vouchers, smart speakers, bill credits, to attract new customers.

The 2021-2023 energy crisis changed this. As wholesale prices soared and margins tightened, most suppliers pulled new customer incentives entirely. Some have returned in a limited form as the market has stabilised, but they remain the exception rather than the rule.

If a supplier is currently offering a new customer incentive, it is worth pausing to ask why. Incentives are most commonly offered when a tariff is not the most competitive on price. Always compare the full annual cost before being swayed by a welcome offer.

Never sit on the wrong tariff waiting for a reward

Some customers stay with the same supplier for loyalty rewards while staying on expensive tariffs without realising it. It is always important to compare unit rates, standing charges, exit fees, customer service ratings and annual cost. 

Automatic switching services like Switchcraft monitor the market and move you to a better deal when one becomes available. This can help reduce the risk of overpaying, while you don’t sit on an expensive tariff waiting for a reward that may not be worth the cost difference. Don’t forget, an expensive deal can just be gift wrapped to make it attractive. 

Frequently asked questions

Do energy supplier rewards actually save me money?

Sometimes, but usually not as much as switching to a cheaper tariff would. A reward is only worth something if you'd genuinely use it, and even the better schemes are worth far less over a year than the gap between a competitive tariff and an expensive one.

Which energy supplier has the best rewards scheme?

This depends on what you'd actually use. Octopus's Octoplus is one of the more actively promoted schemes and can be worth more to customers who engage with it regularly, but a scheme's headline value only matters if you'd realistically redeem it.

Do I need a smart meter to get supplier rewards?

For some schemes, yes. Octoplus, for example, requires a smart meter to join. Others, like referral schemes or Nectar points, don't have that requirement, so check the terms for the specific reward.

How do referral schemes work?

You share a personal link or code with someone who's switching. Once they complete the switch and their first payment is taken, usually four to six weeks later, both of you receive the reward, which is typically account credit.

Should I choose a supplier because of its rewards scheme?

No. Compare the tariff cost first: unit rates, standing charges and the annual total. A reward should only tip the balance between two otherwise similar deals, not be the reason you pick a more expensive one.

Do supplier rewards schemes change often?

Yes. Rewards, referral amounts and partner perks are updated regularly by suppliers, sometimes without much notice, so always check the current offer directly with the supplier before relying on a figure you've seen elsewhere, including in this article.