Shell Energy referral code 2026: what happened, and what to do now

Affiliate disclosure: this guide links to our tested Octopus Energy and E.ON Next referral links. If you use one, both you and I get the reward described (£50 Octopus bill credit, or a £50 E.ON Next voucher). It never changes the price you pay.

If you're searching for a Shell Energy referral code, here's the thing you need to know first: Shell Energy no longer supplies home gas and electricity in the UK. Its home energy business was sold to Octopus Energy, and every former Shell Energy household was moved across to Octopus by March 2024. So there's no live Shell Energy home-energy referral scheme to join, because the supplier itself no longer exists in that form.

That sounds like bad news if you came here for a code, and it isn't: if you were a Shell Energy customer you are now an Octopus customer, and Octopus runs one of the most generous referral schemes in UK energy.

What happened to Shell Energy?

Shell sold its UK home energy arm to Octopus Energy:

• 1 December 2023: the purchase of Shell Energy Retail completed, bringing Shell's 1.3 million home energy customers in the UK and Germany into Octopus. That is Octopus's own figure and it spans both countries, so the UK share of it is smaller.
• 28 March 2024: Octopus finished migrating all former Shell Energy Retail accounts onto its own systems, moving balances, billing history and direct debits across. Octopus published the details on its Shell Energy customer information page (opens in new tab).

If you were with Shell Energy for your gas or electricity, you didn't need to do anything: the switch happened automatically, and you'll have received a welcome email from Octopus at the time. Your supply was never interrupted.

If you were a Shell Energy customer, you're now with Octopus

Your home energy is now supplied by Octopus Energy, the highest-rated large supplier in the UK: 4.8 on Trustpilot and a Which? Recommended Provider for nine consecutive years. And because you're an Octopus customer, you can now use Octopus's own refer-a-friend scheme:

• You get a personalised referral link inside your Octopus online account or app, under "Refer a friend".
• Anyone who switches to Octopus using your link gets £50 in bill credit, and so do you.
• There's no limit on how many people you can refer.

So the referral code you were looking for effectively became a better one. Rather than a Shell Energy scheme, you now have access to Octopus's £50 refer-a-friend as the referrer. Full details are on our Octopus Energy referral code page.

What about Shell Energy broadband and home phone?

These were handled separately and did not go to Octopus. Shell Energy Broadband and home phone customers were moved to TalkTalk, so if your query is about broadband rather than gas and electricity, TalkTalk is who now handles that account. Octopus only took on the home energy (gas and electricity) side.

Shell as a company still operates other UK businesses, such as its petrol stations and Shell Recharge EV charging. "Shell Energy" specifically, the home gas and electricity supplier, is what was sold to Octopus.

Looking to switch and want a referral reward?

If you're not a former Shell customer but landed here because you were comparing suppliers, the same conclusion applies: Octopus is where Shell Energy's home customers ended up, and it's our top pick for switching in 2026. The two open referral schemes we test are:

• Octopus Energy pays £50 as bill credit after your first direct debit, with unlimited referrals. Tested link and current terms on the Octopus Energy referral code page.
• E.ON Next is the alternative if you'd prefer a £50 retail voucher, or you want its 9p/kWh overnight EV tariff. Scheme on the E.ON Next referral page.

Either way, the switch takes 2 to 3 weeks, your supply isn't interrupted, and your new supplier handles everything with your old one.

Shell Energy referral FAQs

Is there still a Shell Energy referral code in 2026?

No. Shell Energy no longer supplies home gas and electricity in the UK, so there's no home-energy referral scheme to join. Octopus Energy bought Shell Energy's home business in December 2023 and finished migrating all customers by March 2024.

I was a Shell Energy customer. Who supplies my energy now?

Octopus Energy. All former Shell Energy Retail home energy accounts were migrated to Octopus by 28 March 2024, with your balance, billing history and direct debit carried across. You'll have had a welcome email from Octopus at the time.

Can I still get a referral reward as a former Shell Energy customer?

Yes, but as an Octopus customer now. You can share your own Octopus refer-a-friend link (in your Octopus account or app) and earn £50 in bill credit for every person who switches using it, with £50 for them too and no limit on referrals.

What happened to my Shell Energy broadband?

Shell Energy Broadband and home phone customers were transferred to TalkTalk, separately from the energy sale to Octopus. For broadband queries, contact TalkTalk rather than Octopus.

Should I switch to Octopus or E.ON Next?

Both pay £50 through a referral link we've tested. Octopus pays it as bill credit and is the highest-rated large UK supplier; E.ON Next pays a retail voucher and was the best-rated large supplier in the 2026 Which? survey. If you want the top-rated supplier and bill credit, choose Octopus; if you'd prefer a voucher or an EV tariff, E.ON Next is the strong alternative.

You might also like

• Octopus Energy review: 6 years as a customer
• Octopus Energy vs E.ON Next: which is cheaper, and which pays more?
• How to switch to Octopus Energy

Sources

• Octopus Energy: Shell customer information (opens in new tab): the completion date of the acquisition, the customer count that came with it, the date the migration finished, and that Shell's broadband customers went to TalkTalk instead
• Octopus refer-a-friend (opens in new tab): the reward each side gets, the business rate, that it arrives as bill credit after the first direct debit, that there is no cap, and that the personalised link lives in your Octopus account
• E.ON Next refer-a-friend (opens in new tab): the voucher each side gets, and how long after the first direct debit it arrives
• Which? energy survey results (opens in new tab): Octopus's run as a Recommended Provider, and E.ON Next as the best-rated of the large suppliers with its customer score
• Octopus Energy on Trustpilot (opens in new tab) and E.ON Next on Trustpilot (opens in new tab): the two Trustpilot scores in the comparison table
• Citizens Advice: switch energy supplier or tariff (opens in new tab): the switching timetable, and that your new supplier handles it with your old one

There's no Shell Energy referral code anymore, because Shell Energy's home customers are now Octopus customers. If you're switching (or you're a former Shell customer wanting to refer friends), the tested link and current terms are on the Octopus Energy referral code page.

Get your Octopus Energy £50 referral here (opens in new tab) | Get your E.ON Next £50 voucher here (opens in new tab)