When Is the Cheapest Time to Use Electricity in the UK? Off-Peak Savings Explained
With energy prices still a hot topic, more households are asking the same question: when is the cheapest time to use electricity in the UK? The answer lies in understanding off-peak hours and how tariffs change throughout the day.
Get it right, and you can run your washing machine, heat water, or charge devices for less, without changing your lifestyle dramatically. In this guide, you’ll learn exactly how off-peak pricing works, when rates are typically lower, whether you’re eligible, and practical ways to start saving.
Does Electricity Change Price During the Day?
It can, but not for everyone. The price you pay for electricity depends on your tariff and meter type.
If you’re on a flat-rate tariff, your unit price for electricity stays the same no matter what time you use it. This covers the majority of UK households and includes two common types of deal:
Fixed-rate tariffs: your price per kWh is locked in for the length of your contract (usually 12–24 months). The standing charge often stays the same too, but it can change if your supplier adjusts it.
Standard variable tariffs (most common): your price per kWh and standing charge can go up or down if your supplier updates rates in line with Ofgem’s price cap, but they remain the same throughout the day.
If you’re on a time-of-use (TOU) tariff, the price changes depending on when you use electricity. These plans, such as Economy 7, Economy 10, or EV-specific tariffs, offer cheaper off-peak rates and more expensive peak rates. Economy 7, for example, gives you seven cheaper hours overnight, with exact times set by your supplier.
Dynamic smart tariffs go further still. Plans like Octopus Agile set rates every 30 minutes based on the wholesale market. Typically, electricity is cheaper at night between 12 am and 7 am and more expensive in busy periods, especially between 4 pm and 7 pm.
The reason prices change during the day comes down to supply and demand. When fewer people are using electricity (like in the middle of the night), there’s less strain on the grid, and wholesale prices drop. During busy times, such as early evenings when households cook, heat, and use appliances all at once, demand pushes prices higher.
This type of pricing is set to become more common. From 22 September 2025, Ofgem’s Market-wide Half-Hourly Settlement (MHHS) will allow suppliers to bill more customers according to their actual half-hourly usage, opening the door for more time-based pricing.
What Are Off‑Peak Hours in the UK?
Off-peak hours are simply the times when electricity demand is lower and, on the right time-of-use tariff, when prices are cheaper. In the UK, that’s typically overnight and sometimes at weekends. Peak demand, and often the highest prices, tends to hit between 4 pm and 7 pm on weekdays.
So, when is electricity cheapest depending on the tariff? Here’s a simple overview:
Tariff type | How pricing works | When cheaper hours usually fall |
Economy 7 | Cheap rate for 7 hours overnight, higher rate the rest of the day | Around midnight to 7 am |
Economy 10 | 10 cheaper hours split into overnight, mid-day, and evening slots | Overnight: 7 hours (e.g. 10 pm–5 am) Mid-day: 2 hours (e.g. 1 pm–3 pm) Evening: 1 hour (e.g. 8 pm–9 pm) |
EV tariff | Cheap rate overnight, higher rate at all other times | Commonly midnight to 5 am |
Dynamic smart tariff | Rate changes every 30 mins based on wholesale market | Cheapest late at night into early morning, most expensive 4 pm to 7 pm weekdays |
The exact off-peak hours vary by supplier, tariff, and region, and you’ll need a smart meter to track your usage for most time-of-use or dynamic plans.
How to Make the Most Out of Off‑Peak Electricity?
Off-peak hours are your opportunity to reduce electricity bills in the UK. Based on your specific tariff plan, once you know exactly when the cheapest time to use electricity in the UK is, you can shift your biggest energy-hungry tasks into that window.
As we’ve learned, if you’re on Economy 7, that’s usually a solid overnight block, often around midnight to 7 am. EV-friendly tariffs and some smart plans give you a fixed cheap window, such as British Gas EV (12 am–5 am) or Octopus Go (00:30–05:30).
Here’s how to make the most out of these off-peak hours:
EV charging: Set your electric vehicle to start charging within the cheap period. Many plans let you run other appliances during the same window for extra savings.
Run major appliances: Use high-energy appliances like washing machines, dryers, and dishwashers during your off-peak hours. If they have delay timers, set them so cycles run automatically and finish within the cheaper window. Steer clear of the 4 pm–7 pm weekday peak, when flexible tariffs often hit their highest rates.
Hot water / immersion heater: If you have an electric hot water cylinder or storage heaters, set them to heat overnight.
Smart scheduling: Many smart meters, home energy systems, and supplier apps can schedule usage automatically. If your appliance doesn’t have a built-in timer, consider a plug-in timer or smart plug rated for the device’s load.
Monitor your energy use: If you have a smart meter, keep an eye on when and how much electricity you’re using. Checking your average electricity usage on your in-home display or supplier app can help you spot patterns, measure how much you’ve shifted to off-peak times, and see if you’re actually saving money.
How Much Can You Save with Off-Peak Electricity?
If you’re wondering how much you can save by switching from a flat-rate tariff to a TOU tariff, it comes down to two things: the price gap between the flat rate and off-peak rate, and how much usage you can move into the cheaper window.
On a flat-rate deal, your price per kWh stays the same 24/7. Based on Ofgem’s price cap for July–Sept 2025, the average is 25.73p/kWh (Direct Debit, GB).
With a TOU tariff, you get a lower unit price during set off-peak hours. In this example, we’re using 7.9p/kWh off-peak (British Gas EV, 12 am–5 am) to show potential savings.
Here’s how the numbers compare if you shift high-energy tasks into that off-peak window:
Appliance / Use | Typical Energy Use | Flat-Rate Cost (25.73p/kWh) | TOU Off-Peak Cost (7.9p/kWh) | Saving per Use | Avg Uses per Week | Example Annual Saving* |
Tumble dryer (one cycle) | 4.5 kWh | £1.16 | £0.36 | £0.80 | 2.5 | ~£104 |
Dishwasher (one cycle) | 1.35 kWh | £0.35 | £0.11 | £0.24 | 3.5 | ~£44 |
Washing machine (eco cycle) | 0.8 kWh | £0.21 | £0.06 | £0.15 | 4.5 | ~£35 |
Hot water / immersion heater | 6 kWh | £1.54 | £0.47 | £1.07 | 7 | ~£390 |
EV charging (full charge, 40 kWh) | 40 kWh | £10.29 | £3.16 | £7.13 | 2 | ~£741 |
*Annual savings assume the appliance is always run off-peak, at the frequency shown. Your actual savings will vary depending on usage patterns and your exact rates.
In total: If you regularly move these five common uses into off-peak hours on a TOU tariff, you could save over £1,000 a year compared with paying the average flat-rate price for them. And that’s before counting smaller appliances or other flexible loads you might also shift.
Are You Eligible for a Time of Use Tariff?
Not every supplier offers time-of-use tariffs everywhere today, but many do, and that should expand as the UK rolls out Market-wide Half-Hourly Settlement (MHHS). What you can get depends on your supplier, your appliances, and your meter.
UK suppliers currently offering TOU tariffs:
Octopus Energy: Dynamic Agile tariff (prices change every 30 minutes), EV tariffs like Go and Intelligent Go with cheap night rates (typically 23:30/00:30–05:30), and solar-battery Flux (import/export TOU).
British Gas: Electric Driver EV tariff with a 7.9p/kWh night rate (usually 00:00–05:00).
E.ON Next: Next Drive EV tariff with off-peak overnight window (around 00:00–06:00).
EDF: GoElectric EV tariffs offering cheaper overnight charging.
OVO Energy: Charge Anytime add-on gives smart-charging credits for an effective ~7p/kWh for EV charging, while your daytime rate stays the same.
ScottishPower: EV Saver with reduced-price charging between 00:00 and 05:00.
100Green (Green Energy UK): Tide and Tide Smart whole-home TOU tariffs, not just for EVs.
Good Energy: Supports Economy 7 and Economy 10 dual-rate tariffs.
Ecotricity: Offers Economy 7 and a fixed EV tariff with night rates from 8p/kWh.
You see, some suppliers provide off-peak electricity for all your usage (for example, Economy 7, Octopus Agile, or 100Green Tide). Others only offer cheaper night rates to homes with certain high-demand appliances such as electric vehicles, heat pumps, storage heaters, or electric boilers.
What you’ll need to qualify:
Economy 7 / Economy 10 customers need a meter that can record two rates, either a dual-rate (E7/E10) meter or a smart meter configured for two rates. Your supplier sets the exact off-peak hours, which can vary by region.
Most modern TOU or dynamic tariffs require a smart meter that can send half-hourly readings. You’ll also need to give consent for your supplier to use that data so they can bill you accurately for each time slot.
Maximise Time-of-Use Savings with Solar and Battery Storage
If you want to take full advantage of a time-of-use tariff, pairing it with solar panels and ideally a home battery can multiply your savings and cut your reliance on the grid.
Here’s how it works:
Generate your own power in the day: Your solar panels produce electricity whenever the sun’s out, which you can use instantly for free instead of buying from the grid.
Store cheap or surplus energy: A home battery lets you store excess solar for use later or charge up during cheap off-peak hours (for example, overnight at 7.9p/kWh) and use that power when your tariff’s peak rate kicks in.
Export and earn: Under the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG), you can get paid for sending unused solar back to the grid. Rates are set by suppliers and differ.
Why it works so well with TOU tariffs:
You avoid the highest-cost peak hours by running your home from stored solar or low-cost off-peak electricity.
You can make the most of cheap overnight rates by “filling” your battery when demand (and prices) is lowest.
Your reliance on the grid drops, which helps protect you from future price rises.
If you want a beginner-friendly solar system that’s easy to run and flexible enough for both sunny afternoons and cheap overnight charging, the EcoFlow STREAM Ultra X is a strong fit. It’s an all-in-one unit with integrated storage and a built-in microinverter, meaning it can take power straight from solar panels and deliver it to your home without separate components.
Its 3.84 kWh LFP battery features ample capacity and can be expanded to 23 kWh, providing enough power to easily manage evening peak demand. Its four MPPTs accommodate up to 2,000 W of PV input, and when paired with EcoFlow’s high-efficiency rigid panels (available in 400 W, 450 W, or 520 W), you’ll capture more energy throughout the day—even in mixed light conditions.
The EcoFlow STREAM Solar System can be installed on balconies, garden ground frames, rooftops, or vertical façades, with bracket options to suit your space, perfect for properties where a traditional rooftop array isn’t possible.
You can run household appliances directly from the Ultra X’s 1,200W AC outlet, supply up to 800W of grid-tied power to your home’s circuits, and handle up to 2,300W of heavy load, either by linking two units in parallel mode or by using the Ultra X’s bypass capability to draw extra power from the grid when needed.
Through the EcoFlow app, you can set tariff-aware charging schedules and use built-in solar forecasts to automatically charge off-peak and discharge during peak hours, no manual juggling required.
EcoFlow STREAM Ultra X
Conclusion
Knowing when is the cheapest time to use electricity UK can make a real difference to your bills, especially if you match the right time-of-use tariff with the right habits. Whether you simply shift high-energy tasks into off-peak hours or go further by adding solar and battery storage, the savings can quickly add up. With smart scheduling, modern tech, and a little planning, you can cut costs, reduce reliance on the grid, and make your home more energy efficient.
FAQs
What is the cheapest time of day to use electricity in the UK?
It depends on your tariff. On most single-rate deals, the unit price is the same 24/7, so there isn’t a “cheapest hour.” Cheaper periods only exist on time-of-use tariffs (like Economy 7/10 or EV-focused smart tariffs), which charge less overnight when demand is lower.
Typical Economy 7 off-peak windows run for seven night-time hours (often around midnight–7am, but it varies by region and supplier). Smart EV tariffs also discount specific night hours; for example, Octopus Go has a 00:30–05:30 cheap window. Check your bill or online account to see if you have day/night rates and what hours apply.
Does electricity cost less after 7pm?
Not by default. If you’re on a standard single-rate tariff, the price per kWh doesn’t change after 7pm. It only gets cheaper in the evening on some time-of-use deals.
For instance, E.ON Next’s time-of-use guidance sets a higher peak price 4–7pm and lower off-peak overnight (with some products also discounting evenings), whereas classic Economy 7 usually makes nights cheaper around midnight–7am.
EV-focused plans such as Octopus Go don’t reduce rates until their set night window (e.g., 00:30–05:30). Always check your own tariff’s hours. Suppliers publish the exact times in your account.
What are off-peak charging times in the UK?
Off-peak hours aren’t universal; they’re set by your time-of-use tariff and sometimes by meter region. Economy 7 gives seven cheaper night hours that commonly fall between late evening and early morning (many areas are roughly midnight–7am, but regional tables show variations).
Smart time-of-use and EV tariffs define their own windows: Octopus Go is 00:30–05:30 nightly, while E.ON Next’s guidance highlights off-peak overnight with peak 4–7pm and (on certain products) extra “super off-peak” periods.
Is it still half price electricity on Sunday?
Yes, if you’re a British Gas customer on its PeakSave Sundays scheme. Eligible customers with smart meters get half-price electricity every Sunday from 11am to 4pm when they opt in, designed to shift usage to lower-demand periods.
British Gas says hundreds of thousands have taken part and saved through the programme, which continues to run alongside occasional “Green Flex” events. This isn’t a UK-wide rule: it only applies if you’re with British Gas and enrolled in PeakSave (other suppliers may run different incentives).