Cosy Octopus
Three cheap windows a day designed around when a heat pump should run, with an expensive early evening.
PowerGuide is reader-supported. We may earn a commission from links on this page. It never affects our rankings or what we recommend. Learn more
Who it suits
- Heat pump homes that can pre-heat before the evening peak
- Homes with a hot water cylinder that can be heated in the cheap windows
Who it is not for
- Gas-heated homes: the peak rate makes it worse than the cap
- Heat pumps with no controls to shift heating away from 16:00 to 19:00
Rates by region
Inc VAT, from the Octopus API on 2026-09-28. Enter a postcode to highlight your region.
| Region | 00:00–04:00 | 04:00–07:00 | 07:00–13:00 | 13:00–16:00 | 16:00–19:00 | 19:00–22:00 | 22:00–00:00 | Standing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern England (A) | 26.67p | 13.09p | 26.67p | 13.09p | 40.01p | 26.67p | 13.09p | 52.19p/day |
| East Midlands (B) | 25.32p | 12.42p | 25.32p | 12.42p | 37.98p | 25.32p | 12.42p | 51.06p/day |
| London (C) | 26.63p | 13.07p | 26.63p | 13.07p | 39.95p | 26.63p | 13.07p | 42.42p/day |
| Merseyside and North Wales (D) | 28.01p | 13.75p | 28.01p | 13.75p | 42.03p | 28.01p | 13.75p | 68.00p/day |
| West Midlands (E) | 25.56p | 12.54p | 25.56p | 12.54p | 38.34p | 25.56p | 12.54p | 57.35p/day |
| North East England (F) | 25.46p | 12.50p | 25.46p | 12.50p | 38.20p | 25.46p | 12.50p | 61.52p/day |
| North West England (G) | 26.42p | 12.96p | 26.42p | 12.96p | 39.64p | 26.42p | 12.96p | 44.93p/day |
| Southern England (H) | 26.72p | 13.11p | 26.72p | 13.11p | 40.08p | 26.72p | 13.11p | 47.71p/day |
| South East England (J) | 26.98p | 13.24p | 26.98p | 13.24p | 40.48p | 26.98p | 13.24p | 52.76p/day |
| South Wales (K) | 26.63p | 13.07p | 26.63p | 13.07p | 39.95p | 26.63p | 13.07p | 54.86p/day |
| South West England (L) | 26.70p | 13.10p | 26.70p | 13.10p | 40.06p | 26.70p | 13.10p | 56.34p/day |
| Yorkshire (M) | 25.51p | 12.52p | 25.51p | 12.52p | 38.27p | 25.51p | 12.52p | 61.74p/day |
| South Scotland (N) | 26.09p | 12.80p | 26.09p | 12.80p | 39.14p | 26.09p | 12.80p | 62.83p/day |
| North Scotland (P) | 26.76p | 13.13p | 26.76p | 13.13p | 40.14p | 26.76p | 13.13p | 56.29p/day |
What you need
- A smart meter sending half-hourly readings
- A heat pump (Octopus asks for it)
Against the rivals
| Tariff | Off-peak | Window | Peak | Needs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cosy Octopus | 13.24p (region J; enter a postcode above for yours) | your region's table above | 40.48p | see requirements |
| E.ON Next Next Pumped | Not published | 22:00 to 06:00 (super off-peak); 06:00 to 16:00 and 19:00 to 22:00 (off-peak) | Not published | A heat pump or electric boiler, a smart meter with half-hourly readings, monthly Direct Debit; 12-month fix, no exit feeRates are regional and only given in a postcode quote. |
| British Gas Heat Power | Not published | 13:00 to 16:00 and 00:00 to 07:00 | Not published | British Gas electricity supply; works with any heat pump, electric heating, EV or batteryPublished as 50% off your tariff's unit rate in the cheap hours, paid as a weekly bill credit. |
Rival rates read from each supplier's page on the date shown in the assumptions box; where a supplier prices by region the range is given, and where the page gives no figure we say so rather than estimate one.
Assumptions
- Octopus rates
- Octopus Energy public API, all 14 regions, direct debit, inc VAT, snapshot 2026-09-28 (Octopus API)
- Rival rates
- Read from each supplier's page, latest 2026-09-24
- Not modelled
- Dual-fuel discounts, prepayment rates, business tariffs
Rates checked 20 September 2026. Check them again before you commit to anything.
Run the numbers
Measured in real UK homes: bottom quartile 2.55, median 2.78, top quartile 3.05. A datasheet SCOP of 4+ is a laboratory figure.
Break-even SPF at these prices: 2.38. A heat-pump tariff (e.g. Cosy Octopus) lowers the effective electricity price and moves this in the heat pump's favour.
Enter a postcode for your region's electricity rates. Cosy Octopus rates for your region.
Questions
- Does Cosy Octopus make a heat pump cheaper than gas?
- It narrows the gap. Whether it closes it depends on your region's rates and how much heating you can move into the cheap windows. The heat pump running cost calculator takes your region's Cosy rates as its default once you enter a postcode.
- What happens between 16:00 and 19:00 on Cosy?
- That is the peak band, well above the price cap. A heat pump that has pre-heated the house can idle through it; one that cannot will pay for it.