Santander no longer paying cashback for Octopus Gas & Electricity, Hopefully being resolved?

Richchad

I normally get 2% cashback from Santander with my Octopus direct debit.

However Octopus have recently changed their direct debit payment method which means it no longer acceptable to Santander.

When I questioned it with Santander this is what they said...

Octopus Energy are now using GC to manage their direct debits.
As the bank uses the Merchant Category Code to work out cashback, Go Cardless are not energy providers and
unfortunately this means cashback is not applicable.

Has anyone found a work around for this as it helped to offset the £4 fee applied to my Santander 123 account?

NeverendingDMP

Oh no I didn't know this was happening. I must check mine to see if I'm affected. If so I'm £4 a month down. Aaarrgh.

flaneurs_lobster

Since Octopus have 25% of the domestic energy supply market you'd hope that Santander will find a workaround for this change. This will likely effect a good few of their customers. 

QrizB

If Santander don't find a way to fix this, there's going to be a CASS switch in my near future.

TheBanker

When did this take effect? 

I got my expected cashback on 2 April (on an Edge account if it makes any difference) which included my Octopus Direct Debit paid out on 19 March.  The entry on my statement just says Octopus, but when I look at the DD it's name has changed to GC Re Octopus Energy Operations. It's still the same DD though, it shows a start date of April 2023 (which is when I opened the Edge account and moved this DD to start generating cashback).

Richchad said:

When I questioned it with Santander this is what they said...

Octopus Energy are now using GC to manage their direct debits.
As the bank uses the Merchant Category Code to work out cashback, Go Cardless are not energy providers and
unfortunately this means cashback is not applicable.

I am afraid this reply is wrong. Merchant Category Codes are for card payments, not Direct Debits. Direct Debits are identified using the Originator Identification Number which is unique to each company. So this change could cause an issue, if Go Cardless are using one OIN for Octopus and their other clients.

Santander's website still shows Octopus as eligible - https://www.santander.co.uk/landing/current-accounts/edge-current-account-cashback-search

So my question is, has anyone actually got any missing cashback to report? If you have, what are the relevent dates (Direct Debit and Cashback payment), and do you have an Edge or 123 account?

qsk

I received 2% Octopus cashback in my 123 Lite in April for March payment.

QrizB

TheBanker said:

... when I look at the DD it's name has changed to GC Re Octopus Energy Operations. It's still the same DD though, it shows a start date of April 2023

My DD (on my 1-2-3 account) is to GC etc. but the start date is showing as March 2025.

TheBanker said:

So my question is, has anyone actually got any missing cashback to report? If you have, what are the relevent dates (Direct Debit and Cashback payment), and do you have an Edge or 123 account?

My March energy payment was before that date, so will have been on the old DD. March cashback was as expected.

My new DD went out earlier this week but my cashback won't be paid for another fortnight.

Guess I'll find out then!

glennevis

The link for 123 account holders is also still showing Octopus Energy as eligible for 2% cashback:

https://www.santander.co.uk/landing/current-accounts/current-account-cashback-search

goatfaced

Just checked and I still make more than the fee so will probably stay unless anyone suggests a better option. 

Richchad

TheBanker said:

When did this take effect? 

I got my expected cashback on 2 April (on an Edge account if it makes any difference) which included my Octopus Direct Debit paid out on 19 March.  The entry on my statement just says Octopus, but when I look at the DD it's name has changed to GC Re Octopus Energy Operations. It's still the same DD though, it shows a start date of April 2023 (which is when I opened the Edge account and moved this DD to start generating cashback).


So my question is, has anyone actually got any missing cashback to report? If you have, what are the relevent dates (Direct Debit and Cashback payment), and do you have an Edge or 123 account?

Interesting, my direct debit £181 was paid 1st April 2025 but today 13th April I have my other cashbacks but not for energy, and this is the first direct debit taken with the new Octopus payment method with Go Cardless...

I have a 123 Account and asked about Edge and was told it would have the same problem..

This is what they quoted to me from T&Cs..

5.3  Santander 1I2I3 Current Account Eligible Originators Classification Listing ©
You can only earn cashback through Direct Debit payments to companies categorised in the Santander 1I2I3 Current Account Eligible
Originators Classification listing ©  such as water, electricity, gas or communications suppliers, or council tax issuing institutions. We’ve
built this list by using the BACS OIN* Codes table. This table lists all companies, including major providers of these services, which
issue Direct Debit transfers in the UK. We’ve made every effort to make sure the classification and categorisation is accurate. Your
cashback payments will be based on the categorisation that we’ve made and the details are in the Santander 1I2I3 Eligible Originators
Classification Listing © .
*Originator Identification Number (OIN - also known as Service User Number (SUN)) is a unique six digit number given to each
organisation or service user who is authorised to use the Direct Debit Scheme.

BACS OIN* Codes table is more like you Originator Identification Number you mention??

I have raised a complaint to Santander and sent them a screenshot of their cashback calculator with the new new Octopus supplier name and it shows 2% is payable.

Will wait to see what reply I get....

molerat

I had this a few years back with another supplier using GC but Santander eventually added it to their list.  Front line CS won't really have a clue though.