Energy firm is offering pensioners who've lost Winter Fuel Payments up to £200 each

Octopus Energy says customers who have lost their Winter Fuel Payments may be eligible for up to £200 worth of help with their bills.

Pensioners who are customers with the firm can apply for discretionary energy bill credits of £50, £100 and £200 after government axed the payouts for anyone.

Octopus has decided to extend its £30m Octo Assist fund, aimed at helping pensioners who need it most.. And the company says it will now allow lower-income pension households who don't receive pension credit to claim new assistance from the fund.

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The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) said state pensioners must be born before September 23, 1958 to qualify for a Winter Fuel Payment of between £100 and £300.

Thousands of discretionary credits of £50, £100 and £200 will be available to those who apply, Octopus said. Applications can be in writing, over the phone or online in order to reach as many people as possible, Birmingham Live reports.

Other support includes free benefit and pension credit checks to make sure customers are not missing out on extra cash (as much as £1.7bn in pension credit could be currently going unclaimed), the energy giant - which is rivalled by British Gas, EDF, EON, Ovo and more - said.

"Worried about an elderly relative? Flag them up for a friendly phone call and instant support from dedicated Octopus specialists, if they are an Octopus customer" they said.

Greg Jackson, Founder of Octopus Energy Group, said "At times like this, we can't expect the government to do everything - companies need to work hard on affordability too."

"That's why we've expanded our Octo Assist fund to