Octopus Cosy - UK tariff guide (2026)
Reviewed by the eCycling Central editorial team on May 2026
Octopus Cosy is a Heat-pump time-of-use tariff from Octopus Energy. It's designed for Heat pump owners + battery storage owners.
Rates (2026)
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Off-peak rate | 12-15p / kWh |
| Peak rate | 35-50p / kWh |
| Off-peak window | 04:00-07:00 + 13:00-16:00 + 22:00-00:00 |
| Standing charge | varies by region (typically 50-65p/day) |
| Estimated annual savings vs standard tariff | £200-500/year |
Who this tariff is for
Heat pump owners + battery storage owners.
How to maximise savings
The Octopus Cosy pays off when you can shift load INTO the off-peak window. Practical ways to do this:
- Plug-and-play battery storage - charge during off-peak (e.g. 04:00), discharge during peak. See our plug-and-play batteries UK guide for the products that work with this.
- EV smart charging - schedule your EV to charge only during the off-peak window via your charger's app or via Octopus Intelligent Go's automated scheduling.
- Heat pump scheduling - pre-heat the house during off-peak hours, coast through peak. Particularly powerful with the Octopus Cosy tariff if you have a heat pump.
- Dishwasher / washing machine timers - built-in delay timers on modern appliances let you start them at off-peak hours.
How to switch to Octopus Cosy
- Visit Octopus Energy's website and check eligibility (some tariffs require a smart meter or specific equipment)
- Most providers complete the switch within 5-10 working days
- No exit fees on most modern tariffs (verify before switching)
- SMETS2 smart meter required for half-hourly billing on most TOU tariffs
Common combinations
- Octopus Cosy + plug-and-play battery - charge battery off-peak, discharge during peak. Average £125-£300 additional annual saving vs the tariff alone.
- Octopus Cosy + EV smart charger - schedule overnight charging. EV owners save £400-£800/year on this combo vs Standard Variable Tariff.
- Octopus Cosy + heat pump + battery - full-stack low-carbon home setup. Average £700-£1,500/year savings vs gas heating + standard electricity.
Related guides
Sources
- Octopus Energy published tariff page (most recent rates)
- Ofgem Time-of-Use Tariff Database
- Energy UK consumer trends report (2026)
Octopus Cosy UK Tariff Guide (2026): Rates, Savings, Who It's For: framework + alternatives + FAQs (2026-05-20)
Practical 5-step process
- Confirm device condition + age. Working post-2018 device → trade-in route. Older or broken → recycling route. Compare via Trade-In Best Price Finder before committing to recycling.
- Sanitise the device. Sign out of cloud services (iCloud, Google, Microsoft, Samsung). Factory reset via Settings menu. For sensitive data: certified ITAD provider with NIST data sanitisation standard sanitisation - see Hard Drive Destruction Cost Calculator.
- Find a compliant disposal route. Manufacturer take-back (free for like-for-like purchases under EU WEEE / UK WEEE / select US state laws), retailer drop-off (free at most major retailers), or certified local recycler. Use our Recycling Locator for nearby options.
- Document the disposal. Get a Certificate of Destruction for any data-bearing device (free template via our GDPR Data Erasure Certificate Generator). Keep for 3-7 years depending on data classification.
- Verify the downstream certification chain. Reputable recyclers partner with R2v3 / R2 vs e-Stewards / ISO 14001 certified processors. Ask which standard the downstream processor holds before drop-off.
Why this matters legally
Skipping compliant disposal has measurable penalty exposure:
- EU WEEE Directive 2012/19/EU + UK WEEE Regulations 2013: producer + waste-generator liability. Penalties typically £5,000-£50,000 per incident under environmental enforcement.
- US state what is e-waste laws: 25 states have mandatory laws as of 2026. Penalties range $1,500-$25,000 per incident (California Universal Waste Rule, New York Electronic Equipment Recycling and Reuse Act).
- EPA RCRA 40 CFR Part 273: federal Universal Waste Rule covers e-waste. Up to $76,764 per day per violation as of 2026.
- UK GDPR + EU GDPR Art 32: personal data on disposed devices triggers liability if not properly sanitised. Penalties up to £17.5M or 4% global turnover.
Check your specific risk via E-Waste Fines Checker.
Three common consumer mistakes
- Putting electronics in general waste. Most jurisdictions explicitly ban this; municipal collection rejects loads at the kerb.
- Trusting "free pickup" without verifying certification. Some scrap collectors export to non-OECD countries (violates e-Stewards + Basel Convention). Always ask for R2v3 or e-Stewards certificate before handing over devices.
- Wiping data via factory reset only on SSDs. Factory reset on SSD does NOT cryptographically erase - drive may still have recoverable data. Use NIST 800-88 Purge for SSDs.
Frequently asked questions
Is electronics recycling always free? For consumer drop-off and mail-in: yes, free at point of use under producer-pays framework. Exceptions: bulk appliance pickup ($25-$50), CRT TVs/monitors ($19-$50), oversized batteries.
Will the recycler resell my data? Reputable recyclers either (a) wipe to NIST 800-88 standard before any onward sale, or (b) physically destroy data-bearing media before reuse path. Ask which method applies before drop-off.
What happens if my device still has value? Don't recycle - trade in first. Even a 5-year-old smartphone often fetches £25-£80 trade-in vs $0 recycling. Compare via Trade-In Best Price Finder.
Related guides + tools
---
Framework verified against EU WEEE Directive 2012/19/EU + UK WEEE Regulations 2013 + EPA RCRA 40 CFR Part 273 + US state e-waste laws + NIST SP 800-88 Rev 1 as of 2026-05-20. Operated by Defining Style Limited (UK Companies House 10572391, ICO Registration ZA711914). Rules update annually - verify current penalties on enforcement-authority sites before relying on figures.
