Taxpayers’ Bulb bailout cost plunges after Octopus supply deal with government
The cost to taxpayers of rescuing the biggest residential energy supplier to collapse during the recent industry crisis has plunged – a rare glimmer of good news after two years of turmoil.
Sky News has learnt that the latest figures sourced from insiders suggest that the demise of Bulb, which became insolvent in November 2021, will have been far less costly than forecast.
According to industry figures close to the situation, the bill to taxpayers between the timing of Bulb’s special administration and its takeover by Octopus Energy in December totalled £1.45bn.
However, executives close to the buyer are now said to believe that the government is expected to make a profit of up to £1.2bn on the supply of energy to Bulb between the date of the takeover and the end of March.
This unexpected windfall for the state has been caused by the difference between the wholesale prices paid by the government – which have plunged in recent months – and the fixed price, set at the level of the current industry cap, paid by Octopus to obtain that energy.
Sources said that dynamic was likely to reduce the overall cost of the Bulb bailout to several hundred million pounds, although the ultimate figure remains subject to change.
On a per customer basis, that would make the Bulb rescue cheaper than some of the supplier of last resort (SOLR) deals struck with Ofgem, the energy regulator, during the last two years.
Octopus Energy was appointed to take on Bulb, the first energy supplier to be put under ‘special administration’
Bulb, with more than 1.5m customers, was by far the largest residential energy player to collapse as wholesale prices soared.
At the time, it was the UK’s seventh-biggest gas and electricity supplier.
The reduced taxpayer bill may be relevant in the context of judicial reviews lodged by rival energy suppliers including Centrica, the owner of British Gas, which alleged that the sale of Bulb to Octopus Energy had been unfairly handled.
A three-day hearing has been scheduled to hear the suppliers’ challenged beginning on 28 February.
On Thursday, Centrica sparked a new political row when it reported record annual profits of over £3bn.
In December, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) said it had been advised by Bulb’s special administrator to set an upper limit for the post-takeover funding facility of £4.5bn.
“The £4.5bn figure represents an estimated upper limit of the support based on forecasted energy costs during the period until 31 March 2023, which reflects the current volatility in global energy prices, BEIS said at the time.
Greg Jackson is Octopus Energy’s chief executive
“The extent of government support could be lower than £4.5bn, depending on energy prices this winter.”
The £4.5bn estimate was in addition to the estimated £1.45bn pre-sale cost to taxpayers, but the government’s fiscal watchdog – the Office for Budget Responsibility – went even further, suggesting that the Bulb bailout could ultimately cost the public purse as much as £6.5bn.
In a more recent statement provided to Sky News, a government spokesman said: “The sale of Bulb to Octopus Energy concluded on 20 December 2022 and the transfer of customers is now in progress. Ensuring that we get the best outcome for Bulb’s customers and the British taxpayer remains our priority.
“We worked with Special Administrators to ensure fair and open competition to give Bulb’s 1.5 million customers much needed reassurance, while providing best value for taxpayers.
“The government will provide the remaining funding necessary to ensure that the special administration is wound up in a way that protects customers’ energy supply. We will recoup these costs at a later date.”
As part of the sale to Octopus, it is said to have agreed to pay between £100m and £200m to take on Bulb’s customer base, with a separate profit-share agreement giving the government a return for several years on earnings from Bulb customers.
An Octopus Energy spokesperson said: “Octopus always said this is a fair deal and good value for taxpayers.
“It’s becoming increasingly clear how good a deal the government have got.”
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The average two-year mortgage rate has fallen below 5% for the first time since the Liz Truss mini-budget.
The interest rate charged on a typical two-year fixed mortgage deal is now 4.99%, according to financial information company Moneyfacts.
It means there are more expensive and also cheaper two-year mortgage products on the market, but the average has fallen to a near three-year low.
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Not since September 2022 has the average been at this level, before former prime minister Liz Truss announced her so-called mini-budget.
The programme of unfunded spending and tax cuts, done without the commentary of independent watchdog the Office for Budget Responsibility, led to a steep rise in the cost of government borrowing and necessitated an intervention by monetary regulator the Bank of England to prevent a collapse of pension funds.
It was also a key reason mortgage costs rose as high as they did – up to 6% for a typical two-year deal in the weeks after the mini-budget.
Why?
The mortgage borrowing rate dropped on Wednesday as the base interest rate – set by the Bank of England – was cut last week to 4%. The reduction made borrowing less expensive, as signs of a struggling economy were evident to the rate-setting central bankers and despite inflation forecast to rise further.
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Bank of England cuts interest rate
It’s that expectation of elevated price rises that has stopped mortgage rates from falling further. The Bank had raised interest rates and has kept them comparatively high as inflation is anticipated to rise faster due to poor harvests and increased employer costs, making goods more expensive.
The group behind the figures, Moneyfacts, said “While the cost of borrowing is still well above the rock-bottom rates of the years immediately preceding that fiscal event, this milestone shows lenders are competing more aggressively for business.”
In turn, mortgage providers are reluctant to offer cheaper products.
A further cut to the base interest rate is expected before the end of 2025, according to London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) data. Traders currently bet the rate will be brought to 3.75% in December.
This expectation can influence what rates lenders offer.
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