A welcome reward could offset some or all of the cost of leaving your energy tariff. But you must qualify, use the correct referral route and compare the ongoing bill. A £100 prize loses its shine if the tariff costs you more than that extra over the year.
“I cannot switch. I am tied into my tariff.”
That is a familiar concern when someone starts looking at cheaper electricity for a home battery or an EV. An exit fee can feel like a locked door, even when a different tariff would better suit the household.
Before ruling out a move, check two things: whether the fee actually applies, and whether your prospective supplier offers a reward for joining through a referral.
Several energy brands offer bill credit or shopping vouchers to eligible new customers. The existing customer who introduces you usually receives a reward too. It is worth knowing about before you sign up: taking the wrong route can mean missing out.
Come on down: ten rewards worth checking
The amounts below are for the person switching, not the combined reward shared with their friend. Equal amounts are not ranked by value or tariff quality. Sainsbury’s Energy is a brand supplied by E.ON Next, so ten brands does not mean ten separate supply companies.
| Energy brand | Your reward | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Fuse Energy | £100 account credit | Published reward during a live referral campaign. Enter the code during direct sign-up; credit follows the first qualifying bill payment. Confirm the campaign is active. |
| EDF | £75 bill credit | Boosted offer from 14 September to 6 October 2026. The referrer receives £100. Referral and payment conditions apply. |
| ScottishPower | £60 dual fuel; £30 single fuel | Bill credit after at least 28 days on supply following a qualifying referral. |
| Octopus Energy | £50 bill credit | Use an existing customer's referral link and meet the scheme's payment and eligibility conditions. |
| So Energy | £50 bill credit | Use the referral link when joining. The published scheme credits both accounts once the switch completes and supply starts. |
| Good Energy | £50 account credit | Use the unique referral link; credit follows the new customer's first cleared Direct Debit. |
| Utility Warehouse | £50 bill credit | New homeowners taking at least two qualifying services. Gas and electricity together count as one bundle service; required services must be live for the second bill. |
| E.ON Next | £50 voucher or bill credit | The supplier determines the reward form. Use the referral route and check the offer shown, successful supply and first Direct Debit requirements. |
| British Gas | £50 Amazon gift card dual fuel; £25 single fuel | A gift card, not money off your energy bill. The qualifying contract must remain active for at least 90 days; delivery can take up to three months. |
| Sainsbury’s Energy | £30 voucher or bill credit | The supplier determines the reward form. Referral, supply and first successful monthly Direct Debit conditions apply. |
Offers can change or be withdrawn. Check the live referral offer and full terms before signing up, including any exclusions for particular tariffs, previous customers, comparison-site purchases or other promotions. The figure on our board is not a guarantee of eligibility.
Does that mean they pay your exit fee?
A referral reward and an exit-fee refund are different things. Your previous supplier can still charge a valid exit fee. The new supplier's credit or voucher arrives separately, once its conditions are met.
For a simple illustration, suppose you owe a £50 exit fee and qualify for £75 in bill credit. The reward exceeds the fee by £25, before considering the difference in tariff costs. You still need to pay the £50 when it is due, and wait for the credit.
A shopping voucher needs a different judgement. A £50 Amazon gift card might be useful if it replaces spending you would have made anyway, but it does not pay your electricity bill or settle the old supplier's charge.
Utility Warehouse also advertises a separate offer covering up to £400 of early termination fees with at least three qualifying services. That has its own conditions, including keeping the required services for 12 months. Do not assume it can be combined with other rewards; check the full bundle cost and promotion terms first.
You may not need to pay an exit fee at all
For domestic fixed energy contracts, you can switch within the final 49 days without an exit fee. Check your contract end date before paying to leave early. Standard variable tariffs generally have no exit fee, but confirm your own terms.
Also check whether the charge is quoted per fuel. A £50 electricity fee plus a £50 gas fee means £100 to leave both. If only the electricity tariff needs changing, compare that option separately rather than assuming both fuels must move.
The real prize is a better annual bill
I would rather see a homeowner choose the right tariff without a welcome reward than the wrong tariff with a generous one.
At 3,000 kWh of annual electricity use, a unit rate just 2p/kWh higher costs £60 more a year. A standing charge 10p a day higher adds another £36.50. Together, that is £96.50—enough to wipe out much of a £100 reward. These are illustrative differences, not a comparison between the suppliers above.
Compare the expected cost over the contract period using your own consumption. Subtract any reward you realistically value and qualify for, then add the exit fees. Remember that the welcome reward is usually a one-off; the tariff keeps charging you.
Why this matters for solar and home batteries
A new solar-and-battery system can change when you buy electricity. Solar can reduce daytime imports; a suitable battery can store solar generation or electricity bought during a cheaper charging window for later use.
That makes a tariff review worthwhile. Compare the overnight rate, charging window, daytime rate, standing charge and any compatible export arrangement. Check usable battery capacity, charging and discharge power, and storage losses. A battery reduces expensive imports only when it has enough energy and output power to cover the household's demand.
Some of the lowest advertised overnight rates require an EV. A home battery alone does not make you eligible for every EV tariff. Check that point before building a savings forecast around a headline price.
Our solar and battery tariff guide explains the wider comparison. You can also read why a correctly sized battery can make daytime rates matter much less and whether a battery can save money without solar panels.
Before you press “switch”
- Check your current contract: end date, exit fees per fuel and whether the final 49-day window applies.
- Get a complete postcode quote: use your annual consumption and realistic day/night split.
- Confirm eligibility: especially EV requirements, communicating smart meters and compatible equipment.
- Check the reward route: obtain a valid referral from someone eligible to refer you, and confirm your chosen tariff qualifies before completing sign-up.
- Keep the terms: save the offer, deadline, referral confirmation and payment conditions.
Do not let an exit fee end the conversation before you have done the sums. There may be a reward that helps you move—or a fee-free switching date closer than you think. Just make sure the ongoing savings deserve the applause.
Sources and offer dates
Each brand's published referral information is linked in the table. We also checked UW's separate early termination fee offer, its claim and retention conditions, and Ofgem's domestic switching guidance.
Published and checked 2 October 2026. EDF's boosted reward ends 6 October 2026; do not assume that amount remains available afterwards. Independent TomSolar commentary. This article uses supplier information links, not referral codes. Figures are reward examples, not a ranking of tariff value.
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