Household Bills
British Gas customers: Hold the laundry loads till Sunday (it’ll be half price)
More than 150,000 British Gas customers will be able to take part in a trial this Sunday, where they’ll be rewarded for using less electricity during off-peak hours.
As part of the British Gas PeakSave trial this Sunday 30 April, smart meter customers will pay half the usual price on electricity between the hours of 11am to 4pm.
The energy giant said customers who shift their washing, cleaning, charging or cooking to these hours will receive a bill credit within seven working days.
It’s all to do with encouraging people away from using electricity during peak weekday evenings and to reduce emissions. British Gas said it wants to test whether discounts on a Sunday can incentivise this shift in energy habits.
Following its original trial earlier this year, customers saved an average of £28.56 (combined £1.8m) and saved 147 MWh of energy – enough to power 750,000 homes for an hour. The biggest saver made £332.
However, the amount that billpayers could save this time round depends on their energy use.
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And it also depends on whether you’re invited to take part. British Gas confirmed more than 150,000 billpayers will receive emails where they actively need to opt-in to take part in the free trial.
Missed out? Register for another trial
If you are eligible for PeakSave and take part, British Gas confirmed there is no impact on tariffs or normal energy payments. There’s also no obligation to make any changes to your normal routine.
For those who miss out this time, you can register your interest now by sign up for future PeakSave trials. You will need to have a smart meter to take part.
Supporting a greener grid
A British Gas spokesperson said: “Over 200,000 customers signed up to the first PeakSave trial, providing us with invaluable insights on how we can manage consumption to support a greener grid, while also helping our customers to make significant savings.
“Following the success of the scheme this winter, we are now the first supplier looking at other ways we can help manage demand. We will be contacting customers to let them know they have the option to get half price electricity from 11am to 4pm this Sunday and will soon be taking registrations to sign up more customers to upcoming trials.”