Off-peak electricity times in the UK: Economy 7, Economy 10 and smart tariffs

Is there an off-peak time on a standard tariff?

No. On a standard single-rate tariff, in the Energy Saving Trust’s (EST) words, “the price is the same whatever the time of day or night. So, running your washing machine at midnight won’t make a difference.” From 1 October to 31 December 2026, Ofgem’s average for a household in England, Scotland or Wales paying by Direct Debit is 26.32p a kWh plus a standing charge of 54.83p a day, with no VAT on household electricity until 31 March 2027.

So “peak” and “off-peak” are not times set by the price cap or the grid that apply to everyone. They are features of particular tariffs. Ofgem’s cap does cover the older two-rate tariffs such as Economy 7, which have “one unit rate during peak hours and a different unit rate during off-peak hours”; in Ofgem’s words, “Together, they cannot be more than the price cap.” Each supplier sets its own split between the two rates.

Where people do talk about a national peak, they mean the early evening, when demand is highest. EST: “When demand is low (usually overnight), electricity is cheaper. When demand is high (early evening), it’s more expensive.” That is about the cost of supplying electricity at busy times. It only reaches your bill if your tariff passes it on.

Economy 7 off-peak times

Citizens Advice calls Economy 7 the most common time-of-use tariff, with “a lower rate for 7 hours at night - the off-peak price”, usually “in one continuous block overnight, for example, from 11pm until 6am.” Another Citizens Advice example runs from midnight to 7am between October and March and from 1am to 8am between March and October.

There is no single national time. Citizens Advice: “The exact times depend on your supplier, your tariff and where you live”, and “Your off-peak times might change when the clocks change.” One supplier example: Octopus Energy says that on its smart meters the seven hours run from 00:30 to 07:30, and during British Summer Time from 01:30 to 08:30, which “may differ from your existing off-peak period on your current non-smart meter”.

If you change meter or supplier, check the hours again rather than assuming they carry over. EST notes that some variations of the tariff give 8.5 or 10 hours.

Economy 10 off-peak times

Economy 10 gives ten cheaper hours a day instead of seven. Citizens Advice says these “might be split up into chunks throughout the day”, and gives one example: 1pm to 4pm, 8pm to 10pm and midnight to 5am. Other suppliers and areas use different blocks.

Citizens Advice says you can usually get Economy 7 or Economy 10 “if you have a two rate meter or a smart meter”. Not every supplier offers it on every meter, so ask before you plan around it.

Smart time-of-use and EV tariffs: example off-peak times

Newer tariffs usually need a smart meter, and some, such as Octopus’s, need one that sends half-hourly readings. Citizens Advice splits them into two kinds. Static tariffs “give you fixed prices for peak and off-peak rates”. Dynamic tariffs have rates that “change based on wholesale market energy prices”; “Some rates might be negative”, and notice of cheap periods “might be a day in advance or it might be less than an hour.” Some are fixed-term deals, which the price cap does not cover, so check the terms and compare the peak rate as well as the cheap one.

Some examples, as listed on the suppliers’ own pages on 4 November 2026. The windows can change, so check the tariff before you sign up. Octopus Go, for electric car owners: cheap electricity “between 00:30 - 05:30 every night”. EDF GoElectric, also for electric cars: off-peak “every night (11 pm-6 am)”. Cosy Octopus, for homes with a heat pump, electric radiators or an electric boiler: three cheap periods, “04:00 - 07:00, 13:00 - 16:00 and 22:00 - 00:00 every day”, and a peak rate “between 16:00 - 19:00, 50% above the Day rate in your region.” We do not quote the prices here because they vary by region and change.

Our guide to time-varying electricity prices explains what the IFS has proposed for these tariffs and lists more of them.

Who off-peak tariffs save money for, and who they cost

They suit homes that can move a large share of their electricity into the cheap hours. Storage heaters are the classic case: they charge overnight on the off-peak rate. An electric car charged at home overnight is another. Citizens Advice: “If you charge your vehicle at night, a static time-of-use tariff might be cheaper for you.” A hot water cylinder heated overnight, or a home battery that stores cheap electricity for later, also help. EST: “The more flexible you are, the bigger the savings.”

They can cost more if most of your use is in the day or early evening, because on a two-rate tariff everything outside the cheap hours is charged at the peak, or day, rate. Compare that rate with a standard single rate before you switch. EST: “If you use most of your energy during peak times and can’t shift that, it could even cost a little more.” It gives the example of working from home during peak hours with no home battery or electric car and no way to shift appliance use. On Economy 7, cooking, lighting and daytime heating fall outside the cheap hours.

A practical check: if you are already on two rates, your bills show how many units went through each register, so you can work out what the same units would have cost on a single rate. If you have a smart meter, EST says you can usually download your half-hourly usage from your supplier or online account and see when you use the most.

How to check your off-peak times and your tariff

Your bill. Citizens Advice says a time-of-use bill shows “2 or more sets of electricity meter readings”. One price per kWh and one reading means a single-rate tariff with no off-peak time. Your bill or tariff information should name the tariff.

Your meter. A two-rate meter shows two rows of numbers, one for each rate. They are usually labelled: British Gas describes the off-peak row as marked “LOW” or “NIGHT” and the peak row as “NORMAL” or “DAY”, but layouts vary. If yours has no labels, Octopus suggests a test: take a reading of both rows after 8.30am but before 11pm, use some electricity, such as boiling the kettle, then read again an hour later. The row that went up is the peak, or day, register. Give your supplier both readings when it asks for them. A smart meter normally sends readings itself.

Your supplier. Ask them directly for your off-peak hours, and whether they change when the clocks change. Citizens Advice: “contact your supplier if you’re not sure.” If your bill shows two rates but you have no storage heaters, electric car or other night-time load, ask whether a single-rate tariff would be cheaper for you.

A plug-in energy monitor shows what a single appliance draws, and a smart meter’s in-home display shows your whole home’s use as it happens, which helps you see how much you could actually move. Our home energy monitors page compares them.

Switching to or from an off-peak tariff

Check the meter first. Economy 7 and Economy 10 usually need a two-rate meter or a smart meter, and modern smart time-of-use tariffs usually need a smart meter.

Compare both rates and the standing charge, not just the cheap rate. A fixed-term tariff is not covered by the cap. Ofgem: “You are not protected by the price cap if you: agreed a fixed tariff with your supplier.” Citizens Advice: “If you have 49 days or less left on a fixed tariff, you can switch for free.”

Some loads cannot be shifted. In a September 2025 report, Citizens Advice noted that households running medical devices that need constant electricity may not be able to use time-of-use tariffs. If that applies to you, ask your supplier before switching, and a single rate may be the safer choice.

For the bigger picture on cutting costs, see how to lower your electricity bill.

Running the washing machine or tumble dryer overnight

Fire services advise against it, whatever your tariff. On washing machines and dishwashers, Essex County Fire and Rescue Service says: “Most electricity tariffs are no longer cheaper at night. But if yours happens to be it’s still really important you only run these appliances while you’re awake.” If you are asleep you are much less likely to spot a small problem before it becomes a fire, and “If a fire starts at night you’re much more likely to be injured or die.”

Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service: “The safest time to use electricals is when you are awake, and definitely in the house.” And: “You should never leave appliances on when you’re out.” It also advises keeping tumble dryer lint filters clean.

On a tariff with cheap hours early in the morning or in the afternoon, you can often run the washing while you are up and still pay the lower rate. Storage heaters charge on the off-peak hours, and Citizens Advice notes that an electric car charged at night may suit a static time-of-use tariff.