5 energy suppliers offer free or cheap electricity – all the deals and who’s eligible

Five UK energy suppliers have recently introduced promotions offering free or discounted electricity during specific periods.

With the average gas and electric bill per UK household now at £1,938 per year, families will be eager to save where they can.

And looking at just the average cost of electricity in the UK, families are spending about £82 per month or £980 a year on electricity.

Here's an overview of some current deals:

E.ON Next's free electricity on bank holidays

E.ON Next is offering existing customers free electricity on every bank holiday from April 2025 to March 2026.

The electricity will be refunded as credit to a customer's account after each bank holiday.

Households will typically save £3.50 on each bank holiday, E.ON Next estimates, giving a total saving of about £28. Of course you could save much more (or less).

To benefit, customers must have signed up for the Pledge tariff by February 26, 2025. E.ON Next's offer applied to 'daytime hours' but it has not specified specific times.

EDF's Sunday Saver Challenge

EDF's Sunday Saver Challenge allows customers to earn up to 16 hours of free electricity each week by shifting usage away from peak times (typically 4 pm to 7 pm) during weekdays.

The free electricity can then be utilised on Sundays.

By shifting energy usage from peak periods, customers can earn credits toward free electricity, which will be applied to their accounts.

Customers need a smart meter capable of half-hourly readings to participate. Enrolment in the challenge can be done through the EDF MyAccount platform. The scheme relaunched in February and there is currently no end date.

Octopus Energy's free Electricity Sessions

Octopus Energy offers hour-long Free Electricity Sessions during periods of low energy demand, such as weekends, or excess renewable energy generation.

Customers are informed in advance and can use electricity at no cost during these specified times, promoting grid stability and efficient energy consumption.

Households can maximise savings by using high-energy appliances, such as washing machines or dishwashers, during these sessions.

Customers need a smart meter to participate in these sessions.

British Gas's PeakSave Sundays

British Gas has introduced PeakSave Sundays, offering half-price electricity on Sundays between 11am and 4pm.

This initiative aims to encourage energy use during off-peak times, helping to balance the grid and reduce costs for consumers.

Customers need a smart meter to participate, and opt in to the PeakSave scheme via their online account.

Already more than £13 million has been saved collectively by 650,000 customers, British Gas says.

To sign up, click here.

Scottish Power's half-price weekends

Scottish Power provides half-price electricity on weekends between 11am and 4pm, potentially saving customers up to £300.

The discount applies on both Saturdays and Sundays giving more flexibility than the other deals on the market, although it is only offering half price electricity, rather than totally free.

Scottish Power said the savings would be up to £300 a year if customers maximised weekend energy use, but a more realistic saving is probably between £100 and £200 annually, if the discount ran all year.

Households need to be quick though, with the deal running out at the end of April 2025.

Customers need a smart meter to participate.

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