Free electric blankets from Octopus Energy

How can an electric blanket help with my energy bills?

Octopus Energy realised that some customers were paying to heat their entire homes, even if they lived alone. They did some calculations and found out that where heating a whole home costs around £4 a day, an energy-efficient electric blanket can heat a person for just 2-4p an hour. This means an electric blanket is a vastly more cost-effective way to stay warm: particularly for people with mobility issues, for example, and those who spend a lot of time in one spot. Or those with medical issues that mean they feel the cold more, or are more prone to illness.

Modern electric blankets, used according to their instructions, are safe and energy efficient. Last Winter, Octopus Energy used their purchasing power to buy 7,000, and offered them for free to customers they identified would benefit most when they filled in their financial assistance tool.

Octopus Energy have been really trying to target people who need a blanket most: so they haven’t offered one to every customer, and they've tried to keep it to one per home so that they can support as many people as possible.

They ran some analysis on customers who got an electric blanket and found that they saved up to 10-20% on their bills on average in the Winter months after getting their blanket. Over a year, that’s a massive £300 saving.

If you can afford it, please consider buying one yourself.

We know everyone's worried about bills right now, but some people are struggling much more than others. Octopus Energy only have 10,000 blankets to give away, and need to prioritise customers who'll benefit most: older people, and those with mobility issues or other medical conditions that mean they're more impacted by the cold.

These blankets start at around £40 and can save you £300 or more, so they're really worth the investment. If you can consider buying one yourself, please do – there might be someone else out there who truly can't afford to buy one.

Octopus Energy blankets are from Dreamland or Cosi but you can also find blankets in many other places, such as Amazon, Curry's, Argos or Dunelm.

How should I use my electric blanket to keep warm?

Electric blankets cost around 2-4p/hr to run at their maximum setting so are a cost effective way to keep yourself warm.

Tips to get the most out of your electric blanket

• Use this as a throw over your body to keep you warm, rather than as a mattress topper.
• Heat the blanket up at the highest setting for a few minutes and then reduce the setting down to a medium setting for longer use.
• Do not fold the blanket as this may impair the heating functionality.
• The blanket works differently to a heated mattress topper.
• The heat may appear 'patchy' to the touch but the blanket works by creating a halo of heat around you and is working effectively.
• Position the connector of the blanket at your feet and keep it unobstructed to avoid overheating.
• Make sure children are not left unobserved with the blanket.
• For any troubleshooting with the blanket please contact:
  Dreamland: customerservice@imetec.co.uk
  Cosi: help@cosihome.com

Safety information

Please be aware of Fire Brigade guidance around the safe use of blankets, and that to prevent mould, it's recommended to keep homes above 15 degrees celsius.

These should not be used by children under 3 years old.

Please read the full safety guidance from the London Fire Brigade.

To read the original article from Octopus Energy, please click here.

To find out more about additional support available to older adults in North Tyneside, call 0191 280 8484 or email enquiries@ageuknorthtyneside.org.uk.