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Ovo to raise awareness of switching in social housing

Independent supplier Ovo Energy is launching an energy scheme in partnership with a social housing provider to raise awareness and encourage its residents to switch.

Energy SW, launched in partnership with Advantage SW, will offer 75,000 households owned by members of the social housing provider competitive tariffs and smart meters.

The funds from the supply of energy will be used by the scheme to help raise awareness amongst the applicable residents that they can switch and save money, Ovo said.

Advantage SW said 75 per cent of its residents do not switch fuel supplier, often remaining on higher standard variable tariffs.

Advantage SW said some of its residents “don’t seem to know” that they could save money on their energy bills by switching.

This is the fourth partnership with a local authority Ovo has formed, but this is the first to specifically target social housing residents.

Ovo Energy’s senior partnerships manager Reg Platt said: “Advantage SW has direct relationships with many of the large housing providers in the south west. By working with them we believe that we can educate more residents on the benefits of switching, hopefully to the new Advantage SW brand, which will have a positive impact on fuel poverty for social housing providers.”

Advantage SW chairman Martyn Gimber said: “Of course none of us can compel residents to change supplier, but we hope that by providing greater visibility of fairer energy tariffs and encouraging switching, we can increase the number of households that save money on their fuel bills.