Are Prepayment customers being excluded by the new energy challengers?

Energyinsider

Uswitch/ Which? recently announced their supplier of the year awards (Octopus/Pure planet) and neither of their choices seem to openly supply prepayment customers, and this goes unmentioned in the reviews... 

Looks like prepayment customers are once again being forgotten about and excluded from the best deals.

Surely in these tough times especially, organisations should not be allowed to discriminate against the most vulnerable in our society?

Check out  wearecitizensadvice.org.U.K./paying-for-energy-with-a-prepayment-meter-still-isn’t-working-well-enough

MWT

Octopus fully support Pre-Payment both for switching and as an option for existing customers:

Their tariff listings also show pre-pay tariffs, so not sure why you feel they do not supply prepay customers..?

bristolleedsfan

MWT said:

Octopus fully support Pre-Payment both for switching and as an option for existing customers:

Their tariff listings also show pre-pay tariffs, so not sure why you feel they do not supply prepay customers..?

Octopus do not support Smart Meter Prepayment ( top up using  App, online) thus it is not true that they fully support Pre-Payment

https://octopus.energy/help-and-faqs/categories/prepayment/prepayment-meters

https://octopus.energy/help-and-faqs/categories/prepayment/prepayment-where-to-top-up/

Energyinsider

MWT said:

Octopus fully support Pre-Payment both for switching and as an option for existing customers:

Their tariff listings also show pre-pay tariffs, so not sure why you feel they do not supply prepay customers..?

Try switching to them via a comparison website or get a quote as a prepayment customer. They ask you to email them, purposefully making it harder for prepayment customers to switch.

All customers should be treated equally especially as prepayment customers would benefit most from choice and innovation. Can you show me another major supplier that requires you to email them to switch rather than sign up online?

bristolleedsfan

Energyinsider said:

MWT said:

Octopus fully support Pre-Payment both for switching and as an option for existing customers:

Their tariff listings also show pre-pay tariffs, so not sure why you feel they do not supply prepay customers..?

Try switching to them via a comparison website or get a quote as a prepayment customer. They ask you to email them, purposefully making it harder for prepayment customers to switch.

Plenty of people have commented on Facebook as a compliment to Octopus Energy over period of time, informed by Octopus agents that Octopus are not competitive for Prepayment meters, most the energy companies charge about same price for Prepayment, apparent cheaper exception being Bulb

Energyinsider

Plenty of people have commented on Facebook as a compliment to Octopis Energy over period of time, informed by Octopus agents that Octopus are not competitive for Prepayment meters, most the energy companies charge about same price for Prepayment, apparent cheaper exception being Bulb

Thanks that’s really interesting. Where have they been saying that? 

Tbh to me this highlights that Octopus doesn’t want to have anything to do with prepay members, make it hard to switch and tell customers they shouldn’t because of their poor tariff.

Wonder how much more they charge their prepay customers than credit, just don’t think it’s very inclusive.

It’s not just Octopus though. 

Pure planet, Igloo, So energy and Avro don’t seem to offer a prepayment tariff either

bristolleedsfan

Energyinsider said:

Plenty of people have commented on Facebook as a compliment to Octopis Energy over period of time, informed by Octopus agents that Octopus are not competitive for Prepayment meters, most the energy companies charge about same price for Prepayment, apparent cheaper exception being Bulb

Thanks that’s really interesting. Where have they been saying that? 

Over a period of time people commented on Octopus sponsored facebook pages they were told Octopus not competitive for pre-payment, if someone asks for a quote and gets told we are not competitive people are pleased about apparent honesty

Over a period of time I have come across numerous people keen to switch traditional pre-payment to Octopus, I have give them my relevant Account info so they can say I recommended them, all were very keen to move away from existing supplier only once has that resulted in a referral signup and that was someone who posted on Octopus sponsored facebook page asking for a referral code

People will have switched prepayment meter to Octopus, equally plenty switch prepayment with express intention of changing to credit meter paying by direct debit which is Octopus stated preference in screenshot posted second post on this thread

bristolleedsfan

Energyinsider said:

Wonder how much more they charge their prepay customers than credit, just don’t think it’s very inclusive.

Prepayment rates seemingly not changed since April 2020, whereas Octopus most popular tariff 12 Month fixed direct from its website has seen apparent brutal Standing Charge increases this month plus increase in kwh rate for new customers which is also affecting those due to renew, pre-payment is actually cheaper, someone may come on and say Octopus variable rate is cheaper than 12 month fixed, as I said I am comparing Octopus stated to be "most popular" Tariff

North West Region
Octopus 12M Fixed February 2021 v1  ( Direct from Octopus Website)
Electricity  Unit rate: 16.80 p/kWh  Standing charge: 23.50 p/day
Gas  Unit rate: 2.93 p/kWhStanding charge: 26.06 p/day

Flexible Octopus WHD Key and Card April 2020 v1
Electricity Unit rate: 14.75 p/kWh Standing charge: 23.50 p/day
Gas  Unit rate: 2.85 p/kWh   Standing charge: 26.06 p/day

MWT

Energyinsider said:

Wonder how much more they charge their prepay customers than credit, just don’t think it’s very inclusive.

No need to wonder, the tariffs are published on their website.

Here are the Eastern region variable tariffs for credit and prepay...

bristolleedsfan

Energyinsider said:

MWT said:

Octopus fully support Pre-Payment both for switching and as an option for existing customers:

Their tariff listings also show pre-pay tariffs, so not sure why you feel they do not supply prepay customers..?

All customers should be treated equally especially as prepayment customers would benefit most from choice and innovation. Can you show me another major supplier that requires you to email them to switch rather than sign up online?

 Interestingly no apparent reply to this ......

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/78113739/#Comment_78113739

"Can you show me another major supplier that requires you to email them to switch rather than sign up online?"

Energyinsider

Wow, that’s a good tariff for prepay. I’m actually with Octopus so rate them, just don’t see why people with prepay meters can’t sign up online. This was highlighted as an issue by citizens advice and I tried to link the article in my original post. Think it’s a fair question.

Pure planet, Igloo, So energy and Avro also should be supplying prepay members but don’t think that’s possible in any way with them.