There are currently four main heat pump tariffs available on the open market in the UK, from Octopus Energy, British Gas, EDF Energy and E.ON Next. Each works differently, and the cheapest off-peak rate isn’t always the one that saves you the most. Below you’ll find current rates for all four, across every DNO region, updated daily.

The peak rate trap

Two of these heat pump tariffs — Cosy Octopus and E.ON Next Pumped — are multi-rate time-of-use tariffs. The cheap off-peak window is funded by a higher peak rate during the early evening, when grid demand is highest (typically 4–7pm). For a heat pump household, this is the crux.

Heat pumps tend to run hardest in the evening: it’s when occupants come home, temperatures drop, and heating demand peaks. That’s exactly when peak rates apply so, you can end up paying a lot more for your heating if a large portion of your heating lands in the peak window.

The contrast between the two multi-rate tariffs is stark. Cosy Octopus charges 39.95p/kWh at peak — nearly three times its 13.07p off-peak rate and well above the 26.63p standard day rate. E.ON Next Pumped charges 25.27p/kWh at peak — only a few pence above its 20.70p standard rate, making it a much lower-risk tariff if you can’t guarantee your pump avoids the evening window.

The mitigation for Cosy Octopus is thermal mass. A well-insulated home with smart heating controls can pre-heat during the cheap 1–4pm afternoon window and coast through the 4–7pm peak on stored heat, barely running the pump at all. That’s when Cosy Octopus becomes genuinely powerful — and why Octopus reports customers saving an average of £200 a year on it. But a pump left on auto in a poorly insulated home will run straight through the peak and pay 39.95p for the privilege.

The off-peak rate alone doesn’t tell you which tariff saves you the most. It depends on how much of your heating load you can shift out of the peak window — which depends on your insulation, your controls, and how your household actually lives.

That’s what our heat pump tariff calculator can help with for your specific home:
Check which heat pump tariff is best for your home →

Heat pump tariffs – details

Cosy Octopus (Octopus Energy)
Three off-peak windows daily: 4–7am, 1–4pm, and 10pm–midnight. Eight cheap hours in total. The 1–4pm afternoon window is particularly well-suited to heat pumps — it’s long enough to pre-heat a home and a hot water cylinder before the evening peak. Available to any household with a smart meter and electric heating; you don’t need to be an Octopus heat pump customer. No exit fees.

Heat Power (British Gas)
Two cheap windows: midnight–7am and 1–4pm. A seven-hour overnight window makes it straightforward to schedule hot water heating without smart controls — a timer is sufficient. British Gas is the largest energy supplier in the UK, which makes this tariff accessible to a large number of existing customers without switching supplier.

EDF Heat Pump & Save Tracker (EDF Energy)
Two cheap windows: 4–7am and 1–4pm. Notably, EDF charges no standing charge on this tariff — unusual in the UK market and worth factoring in if your standing charge on your current tariff is high. The tracker element means rates follow EDF’s underlying cost index rather than being fixed, so they can change. Available to households switching to EDF.

Next Pumped (E.ON Next)
Single off-peak window: 10pm–6am. An eight-hour overnight window with no daytime cheap period. The relatively mild peak rate (25.27p in Region C) makes this the lower-risk choice for households that can’t guarantee avoiding the evening window. Best suited to homes where hot water and background heating can be scheduled overnight.

Why ScottishPower’s Heat Pump Saver isn’t in the table

You won’t see ScottishPower’s Heat Pump Saver above, and it’s worth explaining why. It’s a closed-market retention tariff — you can’t switch to it directly from another supplier. You first have to move your home onto ScottishPower’s standard variable tariff; once your smart meter is live and sending half-hourly data, the Heat Pump Saver unlocks inside your online account. Because it isn’t sold on the open market, ScottishPower’s public quote tool won’t even quote you for this tariff and they don’t publish rate sheets for any of the UK regions either.

What we can say, from what we have been able to find, is that the tariff is unusual — and potentially very good for the right home:

• Off-peak: a flat 14.0p/kWh nationwide, in an 11am–4pm window. A daytime cheap window (not the usual overnight one) makes it a strong fit for households that can shift heat pump load into the middle of the day, especially alongside solar panels.
• Day rate: 30.65–33.54p/kWh across the country. London, with lower distribution costs, likely lands around 31–32p/kWh.
• Standing charge: roughly 45–52p/day for London.

We’ve left it out of the table rather than publish an unverified figure — but if you’re already a ScottishPower customer with a heat pump, it’s well worth checking whether this heat pump tariff is available in your account.

Which tariff suits your home?

The table above shows you the rates. It can’t show you which tariff saves you the most — that depends on your home’s insulation, whether your heat pump is smart-scheduled or runs on auto, your hot water setup, and whether you also have solar panels or an EV.

Our smart tariff checker works through those factors and tells you which tariff is likely to be cheapest for your specific household, with an estimated annual saving.

Check which heat pump tariff is best for your home →

Heat pump tariff frequently asked questions

What is a heat pump tariff?

A heat pump tariff is an electricity tariff with one or more cheap-rate periods designed to align with when a heat pump typically runs. They charge a lower rate during off-peak windows (usually overnight or early afternoon) and a standard or higher rate at other times. For households whose heat pump can be scheduled to run during the cheap window, they can significantly reduce running costs compared with a standard variable tariff.

Do I need a smart meter to get a heat pump tariff?

Yes. All four tariffs in the table above require a smart meter capable of sending half-hourly readings. Most homes in the UK now have one; if you’re not sure, check with your current supplier.

Can I get Cosy Octopus if I don’t have an Octopus heat pump?

Yes. Cosy Octopus is available to any household with a smart meter and electric heating — you don’t need to have an Octopus-installed heat pump to join the tariff.

Is Cosy Octopus the cheapest heat pump tariff?

It has the lowest off-peak rate of the open-market tariffs (13.07p/kWh in most regions), but also the highest peak rate (39.95p/kWh in Region C). Whether it’s cheapest for you depends on how much of your heating load you can shift into its off-peak windows. For homes that can’t avoid running the pump in the 4–7pm peak, a tariff with a milder peak rate — like E.ON Next Pumped — may work out cheaper overall. Use our tariff comparison tool to find which tariff works best for your setup.

What happened to OVO Heat Pump Plus?

OVO closed its Heat Pump Plus tariff in early 2026. Existing customers were moved to OVO’s standard tariff. The four tariffs in the table above are the current open-market alternatives.

Can I have a heat pump tariff and an EV tariff at the same time?

Not on a single meter — you can only be on one tariff per electricity supply. However, some tariffs work well for both uses. Cosy Octopus’s overnight window (10pm–midnight) overlaps with typical EV charging patterns, and if you also have an EV, Intelligent Octopus Go may suit you better than any of the heat-pump-specific tariffs — it includes smart EV charging as well as off-peak heat pump windows.

About this page

Rates shown are for Region C (London) unless you’ve selected a different region above. All rates include VAT at 5%. Standing charges are per day. Data for Octopus Energy, EDF Energy and E.ON Next is drawn from their public Kraken API and refreshed daily. British Gas rates are updated manually on each quarterly price cap date. Independent coverage of Smart Home Energy’s tariff comparison tool: Heat Pump News, July 2026.

The post Heat pump tariffs compared appeared first on Smart Home Energy.

If you charge your electric vehicle at home, you’re almost certainly overpaying. Most EV drivers are still on a standard flat-rate tariff — often paying 24p–27p per kWh overnight — when dedicated EV tariffs can cut that to under 10p during off-peak hours.

The short answer – Octopus Intelligent Go vs EDF Go Electric?

For a typical EV household in the London region, annualised savings versus a standard ~26.4p flat overnight rate looked like this:

EDF Go Electric comes out on top — and given that Octopus Intelligent Go is the most talked-about EV tariff in the UK, that’s worth unpacking.

NB: These figures are for one specific household, usage pattern, and region. Your saving will vary — keep reading for the caveats or use the time-of-use tariff checker to get your result.

The off-peak rates and charging windows

The number that actually determines how much you save is the off-peak rate and how many hours per night you get it.

Why EDF Go Electric wins on a like-for-like basis

Three things work in EDF’s favour:

1. The lowest headline off-peak rate. At 6.99p/kWh, EDF edges below both British Gas (8.95p) and Octopus Intelligent Go (~7p). That fraction of a penny adds up across every charge, every night.
2. The longest cheap window — and it starts earlier. Seven hours of cheap electricity from 10pm is genuinely useful. Plug in after dinner and you’re already in the cheap window. Compare that to Intelligent Go’s 11:30pm start or British Gas’s midnight cutoff. If you have a larger battery (60kWh+) or charge every night, those extra hours matter.
3. No charger requirement. EDF Go Electric works with any EV and a standard smart meter. Octopus Intelligent Go requires a compatible smart charger — Ohme, Zappi, Hypervolt, or Indra — plus a verified test charge before you can switch. That’s a meaningful barrier if you’re on a dumb charger or a granny cable. Check out better EV chargers and cables.

The honest case for Octopus Intelligent Go

If you only read the table above, you might conclude Octopus Intelligent Go is a disappointment. That would be unfair.

Our comparison uses each tariff’s fixed cheap window only. Octopus Intelligent Go is a smart tariff — it communicates with your charger to grab additional cheap half-hours outside the core 11:30pm–5:30am window when grid demand is low. In practice, this can meaningfully close or reverse the gap with EDF, particularly for drivers who charge frequently or have larger batteries.

The fairest framing: on a fixed-window, like-for-like basis, EDF’s longer 7-hour window edges it — but Intelligent Go’s smart charging optimisation can close or reverse that gap for the right driver.

If you already have a compatible smart charger, Intelligent Go is absolutely worth modelling for your specific situation.

What about British Gas Electric Driver?

British Gas Electric Driver is a decent tariff let down by a shorter window and a higher off-peak rate. Its main selling point is simplicity — no smart charger needed — and loyalty convenience if you’re already a British Gas customer. For anyone switching cold, EDF’s numbers are stronger on both dimensions that count.

What you actually need to check before switching

• Your region matters. Day rates, standing charges, and sometimes off-peak rates vary by DNO area. EDF’s day rate in our example region was 30.28p with a 57.10p/day standing charge. British Gas standing charges range from ~45p to 66p/day depending on region. Run your own numbers.
• These rates move. The figures above were verified in July 2026. EV tariffs are revised quarterly — re-check current rates before switching.
• Your charger. If you want Intelligent Go, check the Octopus compatibility list first.
• Your usage pattern. A driver doing 8,000 miles/year charging every night will see very different savings to one topping up twice a week.

The bottom line: Octopus Intelligent Go vs EDF Go Electric

If you want the simplest switch with the strongest headline numbers right now — any EV, no smart charger needed — EDF Go Electric is hard to beat. Seven hours of sub-7p electricity from 10pm, no hoops to jump through.

If you have a compatible smart charger and want a tariff that actively optimises your charging around the grid, Octopus Intelligent Go deserves a proper look — our static comparison likely undersells it.

Either way, if you’re still on a flat-rate tariff, or don’t know which electricity tariff you’re on, switching is one of the highest-return decisions an EV driver can make.

Want to see how these tariffs compare for your actual usage? Try our EV tariff checker →

The post Octopus Intelligent Go vs EDF Go Electric vs British Gas Electric Driver: Which EV Tariff Actually Saves You More? appeared first on Smart Home Energy.

On 1 July the price cap rises 13%. That’s another £221 added to a typical annual bill, taking it to £1,862. Total household energy debt is already estimated at £5.5 billion and is projected to hit £7 billion by the end of the year.

The UK already has some of the most expensive electricity in the developed world. UK domestic electricity prices were higher than all but one EU member state in the first half of 2025, running 23% above the EU average. In 2024, we had the second highest domestic electricity price of any G7 nation. Only Germany was worse.

So this is a genuine crisis, and it needs a policy response. Better insulation, income support, a proper social tariff. None of that is happening fast enough. But there’s something else going on that nobody is talking about. And it’s the reason we built our smart tariff checker.

The comparison site blind spot

When most people want to find a better energy deal, they go to a price comparison site. It’s what Martin Lewis tells you to do and, for a standard household on a flat-rate tariff, it works reasonably well.

The problem is that the comparison sites most people use, like Uswitch and MoneySuperMarket, don’t show time-of-use tariffs. These are electricity deals that charge different rates at different times of day, with overnight rates currently as low as 7p/kWh compared with around 24.50p/kWh on a standard variable tariff.

For some households, these tariffs don’t make much difference. But for a rapidly growing group — homes with electric heating, electric vehicles, heat pumps, solar panels or battery storage — they can be transformative. See heat pump tariff rate comparisons →

An EV driver who charges overnight could save around £610 a year by switching from a standard variable tariff to a suitable EV tariff, based on our modelling of a London household charging primarily at night. Households running a heat pump on the right time-of-use deal can save £200–£400 a year compared with a standard rate. Our analysis suggests that up to £500 million in annual household energy savings may be going unclaimed across the UK, simply because the right tariffs aren’t visible in the places people go to compare.

That is a staggering amount of money sitting on the table.

Who the Time-of-Use comparison site blind spot affects

The group we’re talking about is bigger than most people realise.

There are now more than two million fully electric cars on UK roads. More than 275,000 homes have certified heat pump installations — with nearly 60,000 added in 2024 alone. Battery storage installations surged 112% year-on-year in 2025.

These are not niche technologies any more. They represent a substantial and fast-growing share of UK households. And they’re the households that standard comparison tools were never really designed to serve.

Only 9% of UK households currently use any kind of time-of-use tariff, despite smart meter coverage approaching 60% of homes. That gap isn’t because people have looked at time-of-use tariffs and decided they’re not worth it, it’s because most people have never been shown them at all.

How to check if Time-of-Use tariff could save you money

Our Smart Home Energy Time-of-Use comparison site compares 40+ UK electricity tariffs — including 20+ time-of-use deals — and is built specifically for homes with EVs, solar panels, heat pumps and battery storage — and it’s free to use.

It also checks your home’s EPC rating automatically. Once you’ve confirmed your home details, it generates a personalised Home Energy Plan: recommended actions across short, medium and long-term timeframes, which you can mark as done as you work through them. The plan evolves as your home changes, as your circumstances change, and as new tariffs come to market.

We’re not going to solve fuel poverty; That needs urgent government action. But for the millions of households with modern energy technology who are quietly overpaying our tool can help identify genuine savings.

If you want to check whether you could be on a better tariff, it takes a few minutes and it’s free. Check your tariff →

Methodology notes

£500 million unclaimed savings estimate: Based on Ofgem data showing approximately 13 million households on standard variable tariffs (62% of ~21 million electricity customers) and an estimated average saving available to households with time-of-use-compatible technology (EVs, heat pumps, battery storage), estimated at roughly 35% of SVT households based on current technology penetration rates from MCS, Zapmap and DESNZ data. This is a conservative modelled estimate, not an Ofgem or government figure.

£610 EV household saving: Based on Smart Home Energy tariff comparison modelling for a London household with one EV, charging approximately 25 miles of range per night (roughly 5 kWh), switching from the Ofgem Q2 2026 standard variable rate (24.50p/kWh) to Octopus Intelligent Go overnight rate (7p/kWh during intelligent dispatch hours). Assumes 330 charging nights per year. Annual charging cost on SVT: ~£404. Annual charging cost on Intelligent Go: ~£116. Difference: ~£288 on charging alone. Full household bill saving including off-peak daytime usage brings the estimated total to approximately £610. Individual savings will vary based on vehicle, usage pattern, region and supplier availability.

Sources

• End Fuel Poverty Coalition / Opinium polling
• Ofgem price cap announcement, 27 May 2026
• Energy UK analysis, February 2026
• National Energy Action, 2026
• House of Commons Library, June 2026
• House of Lords Library, May 2026
• DESNZ Quarterly Energy Prices, March 2026
• Ofgem State of the Energy Market, January 2026
• Zapmap, May 2026
• MCS installation data

The post The Time-of-Use comparison site blind spot appeared first on Smart Home Energy.

How to find out what electricity tariff you’re on

There are three quick ways to check, in order of how fast they are:

1. Your online account or app. The fastest method. Log in to your supplier’s website or app and look for “My tariff”, “Your plan” or “Tariff details”. It will show your tariff name (for example “Flexible Octopus”, “Next Flex” or “Standard Variable”), your unit rate in pence per kWh, and your daily standing charge.

2. Your latest bill or annual statement. Your tariff name is usually printed near the top of your bill or on the “tariff information” section. Suppliers are required to show your tariff name, unit rate and standing charge clearly, so it’s there even if it’s not on the front page.

3. Ask your supplier. If you can’t find it, your supplier’s customer service or live chat can tell you in minutes. You’ll need your account number, which is on any bill.

If you’ve never actively chosen or switched your tariff, there’s a very good chance you’re on a standard variable rate (SVR) — the default rate your supplier puts you on when a fixed deal ends or when you move in somewhere new. That matters, because the standard variable rate is rarely ever the cheapest option available.

What the different electricity tariff types mean

Knowing the name is only half the picture — what matters is the type, because that determines how you’re charged:

• Standard variable rate (SVR): This is sometimes also referred to as the Standard variable tariff (SVT) and is the default. One unit rate all day, which can change when the price cap changes. Most UK households are on one of these.
• Fixed tariff: your unit rate and standing charge are locked for a set term (usually 12 months). Offers price certainty, but isn’t automatically cheaper.
• Economy 7 / Economy 10: an older two-rate setup with a cheaper overnight rate, designed for storage heaters. Still common in electrically-heated homes.
• Time-of-use (smart) tariffs: newer tariffs with cheaper rates during specific windows — overnight for EV charging, or off-peak windows for heat pumps and electric heating. These can save a lot if you can shift usage into the cheap periods.

The more important question: are you on the right electricity tariff?

Finding out what you’re on is easy. The question that actually saves you money is whether it suits how your home uses electricity — and this is where most people lose out without realising.

A standard variable tariff treats every unit the same, whatever time you use it. But if your home has an EV, a heat pump, electric heating or a home battery, you use electricity in a very different pattern from a gas-heated home — and a tariff built around that pattern can cut your bill substantially. An EV charging overnight, for example, can run on a rate a third or less of the standard daytime price. A heat pump can shift much of its work into cheaper windows.

The catch is that working out which tariff is actually cheapest for you isn’t simple. It depends on how much electricity you use, when you use it, what equipment you have, and which region you’re in. Headline rates don’t tell you — a tariff with a low advertised rate can work out more expensive once your real usage pattern is taken into account.

Check if you’re on the right tariff

Rather than guess, you can model it. Our free Smart Tariff Calculator compares over 50 UK tariffs — including 38 time-of-use options — against your actual electricity usage, equipment and habits, and shows you what you could save by switching, with the assumptions behind every figure. There’s no sign-up needed to see your results.

It’s particularly useful if you have an EV, a heat pump, or electric heating, where the right time-of-use tariff makes the biggest difference — but it works for any home.

Check my tariff →

Frequently asked questions

Where do I find my tariff name? On your latest bill (usually near the top or in the tariff information section) or by logging into your supplier’s online account or app. If you can’t find it, your supplier’s customer service can tell you with your account number to hand.

What tariff am I on if I’ve never switched? You’re most likely on a standard variable tariff — the default rate your supplier applies when a fixed deal ends or when you move into a property. It’s rarely the cheapest option, especially if you have an EV, heat pump or electric heating.

How do I know if my tariff is a good deal? Compare it against tariffs suited to how your home uses electricity, not just on headline rates. A calculator that models your actual usage, equipment and region will show whether a different tariff — particularly a time-of-use one — would cost you less.

Is a standard variable tariff bad? Not necessarily, but it charges the same rate whatever time you use electricity, so it doesn’t reward shifting usage into cheaper periods. Homes with EVs, heat pumps or electric heating usually do better on a time-of-use tariff.

Can I change my tariff whenever I want? Generally yes. If you’re on a standard variable tariff there’s usually no exit fee, so you can switch at any time. Fixed tariffs may have an exit fee if you leave before the term ends — check before switching.

The post What Electricity Tariff Am I On? (And How to Check You’re on the Right One) appeared first on Smart Home Energy.

Smart Tariff Calculator UK

The number of smart electricity tariffs available in the UK has expanded rapidly over the last couple of years. What was once a relatively simple market has become increasingly complicated, particularly for households with an electric vehicle, heat pump or electric heating.

There are now dedicated EV tariffs with cheap overnight electricity, heat pump tariffs designed around heating demand, dynamic tariffs like Agile where prices change every half hour, and a growing range of time-of-use tariffs designed to encourage households to shift electricity usage away from peak demand periods.

For many homeowners, these tariffs can reduce electricity bills significantly. But identifying the right tariff is becoming much harder.

Most comparison websites still rely on generic “average household” assumptions which often fail to reflect how modern electric homes actually use electricity. A household charging an EV overnight behaves very differently from a gas-heated home with low evening demand. The same is true for homes running heat pumps or electric heating systems.

That is exactly why we built the Smart Tariff Calculator

Why most tariff comparison tools struggle

Traditional tariff comparison tools were designed for a much simpler energy market. They generally work reasonably well for homes with predictable electricity usage and gas central heating, but they become far less accurate once large electrical loads are introduced.

Electric vehicles, heat pumps and electric heating systems all change not just how much electricity a household uses, but when it uses it. That distinction matters because smart tariffs are heavily dependent on timing.

A household that can shift large amounts of electricity consumption into cheap overnight periods may benefit enormously from one tariff, while another household with similar annual consumption but different behaviour could end up paying more.

This is one of the major limitations of many mainstream comparison sites. They often compare tariffs using estimated annual usage totals without properly modelling the timing of electricity demand.

A smart tariff calculator based on your actual usage

The Smart Home Energy Tariff Checker takes a more detailed approach.

Instead of relying entirely on estimates, it can work from your actual smart meter data if you are with Octopus Energy, helping build a much more realistic picture of how your household consumes electricity throughout the day and across the year.

If you are not an Octopus customer, the tool can also estimate your annual electricity consumption from uploaded bills, or work directly from your known annual usage figures if you already have them available.

The aim is to move away from generic assumptions and towards modelling how your own home actually behaves to gain more accurate savings estimates.

Designed specifically for EVs, heat pumps and electric heating

One of the biggest differences with the calculator is that it does not simply ask for your annual electricity consumption and stop there. Different technologies create very different electricity demand patterns, so the calculator asks additional questions depending on your setup.

For EV owners, it’s really hard to compare Intelligent Octopus Go vs E.ON Next Drive directly without a lot more details and some pretty complicated math. So our EV tariff calculator considers your cars’ efficiency, annual mileage, charger type and charging behaviour. Since EV charging can often be shifted into cheap-rate periods, understanding how and when you charge can make a major difference to tariff recommendations.

For heat pump households, the calculator attempts to account for heating demand and how electricity usage changes seasonally, especially during winter when consumption often rises sharply. Compare heat pump tariff rates by region →

Homes with electric heating systems also behave very differently depending on the type of heating installed and how it is used. Storage heaters, direct electric heating and underfloor systems all create different usage profiles which can dramatically affect which tariff works best.

Comparing tariffs properly — including Agile

One of the hardest tariffs to compare accurately is Octopus Energy Agile. Because Agile prices change every half hour, simply looking at average rates tells you very little about what your actual annual bill might be.

The calculator therefore maps an entire year of half-hourly Agile pricing data against your actual usage (or estimated usage profile depending on your inputs) in order to model exact potential savings.

This matters because some households can benefit significantly from Agile pricing while others may find more predictable fixed time-of-use tariffs work better for their usage patterns. Without modelling actual behaviour, it is very difficult to compare these tariffs meaningfully.

Confidence scores and editable assumptions

Another problem with many comparison tools is that they present their results as though they are perfectly precise, even though all tariff modelling involves assumptions. Our Smart Tariff Calculator includes a confidence score alongside the results and explains the assumptions used to generate the recommendations.

It also allows you to edit the inputs directly from the results page so you can refine the calculations further.

For example, you may decide to adjust annual mileage, charging times, heating behaviour or electricity usage estimates. As the inputs become more accurate, the recommendations become more tailored to your real-world situation.

Why smart tariff comparison matters more than ever

Time-of-use tariffs have become far more common over the last 18 months and the number of specialist tariffs aimed at EVs and electric heating continues to grow. That is good news for households willing to shift electricity demand into cheaper periods, but it also means choosing the wrong tariff can now be more expensive than before.

A tariff that appears cheap based on headline rates may not actually suit your household at all once real usage patterns are taken into account. For homes with EVs, heat pumps or electric heating, proper tariff comparison is becoming increasingly important.

Solar and battery support – now live

We recently added support for solar PV or home battery systems.

The calculations become significantly more complicated, but we think we have accounted for most aspects (although modelling self-consumption needs more details).

Try the Smart Tariff Calculator UK

If you want to compare smart tariffs using real usage data rather than generic averages, you can try the calculator here: Smart Tariff Calculator

It is designed to help UK homeowners with EVs, heat pumps and electric heating compare tariffs more realistically — including complex time-of-use and Agile-style pricing structures.

The post Smart Tariff Calculator UK: Compare EV, Heat Pump & Electric Heating Tariffs Properly appeared first on Smart Home Energy.

If you own an electric vehicle and you’re still on a standard electricity tariff, there’s a good chance you’re paying more than you need to for charging.

Over the last couple of years, energy suppliers have launched a wave of specialist EV tariffs with cheaper overnight electricity rates designed around when electric cars are usually plugged in. Two of the best-known are:

• Octopus Energy’s Intelligent Octopus Go
• E.ON Next’s Next Drive

At first glance they can look quite similar: both offer cheaper electricity overnight so you can charge your EV for less. But once you look more closely, the differences become more important — especially if you charge frequently, work from home, have solar panels, a battery, or eventually plan to add a heat pump.

The problem is that most comparison websites still compare tariffs using “average household” electricity usage profiles, which often bear little resemblance to how EV households actually use power.

That means the “cheapest” tariff on a comparison site may not actually be the cheapest for you.

Why EV tariffs can save so much money

Traditional electricity tariffs charge the same unit rate all day. Time-of-use (ToU) tariffs work differently. Electricity becomes cheaper at certain times — usually overnight when national demand is lower.

For EV drivers, that matters because charging an electric car can easily become one of the biggest electricity uses in the home. If you can move most of that charging into cheap-rate periods, the savings can be substantial.

Depending on mileage and charging habits, some EV owners save hundreds of pounds per year simply by switching to an EV tariff and charging overnight.

How Intelligent Octopus Go works

Octopus Energy’s Intelligent Octopus Go is one of the most advanced EV tariffs currently available in the UK.

Like a standard EV tariff, it offers a cheap overnight charging window. But the “Intelligent” part comes from the fact that Octopus can directly control compatible EVs or chargers and automatically schedule charging when electricity is cheapest.

Instead of simply giving you a fixed cheap period overnight, the system can intelligently spread charging around lower-demand periods.

In practice, this means:

• Your car can automatically charge at the cheapest times
• Charging is optimised without needing manual scheduling
• Some households can benefit from additional low-cost charging slots outside the standard overnight window

For many EV owners, the convenience is a major selling point. You plug in the car and let the system handle the rest. However, compatibility matters. Intelligent Octopus Go only works with supported vehicles and chargers.

Octopus claim the following savings are available on the Intelligent Octopus Go tariff, compared to their standard fixed tariff:

How E.ON Next Drive works

E.ON Next’s Next Drive tariff takes a more traditional approach. You get a fixed cheap overnight charging window each night, during which electricity costs less. The structure is simpler and easier to understand:

• Cheap electricity is available during set overnight hours
• You manually schedule your car or charger to use those hours
• No intelligent smart charging integration is required

For many households, this simplicity is actually attractive. You don’t need to worry about compatibility with a particular charger or vehicle ecosystem. If your EV or charger can schedule charging overnight, you can usually make use of the tariff.

Intelligent charging vs fixed charging windows – Intelligent Octopus Go vs E.ON Next Drive

One of the biggest differences between Intelligent Octopus Go vs E.ON Next Drive is flexibility.

Intelligent Octopus Go

The tariff is designed around smart optimisation and its advantages include:

• Automated charging schedules
• Potential access to additional low-cost charging periods
• Less manual management
• Better integration with smart energy systems

Possible downsides:

• Vehicle/charger compatibility requirements
• More complex setup
• Less predictable charging windows

E.ON Next Drive

The tariff focuses on simplicity and predictability. and its advantages include:

• Fixed cheap-rate periods
• Easier to understand
• Works with most scheduled EV charging setups
• No advanced integrations needed

Possible downsides:

• Less flexibility
• Fewer opportunities to optimise around changing electricity demand
• May not suit households wanting advanced smart energy automation

Intelligent Octopus Go vs E.ON Next Drive – Which tariff is actually cheaper?

This is where things get complicated. There is no universal answer when you compare Intelligent Octopus Go vs E.ON Next Drive generically. Octopus’ overnight cheap rate is currently 8p/kWh and E.ON’s is 9p/kWh but the cheapest tariff for you also depends on:

• How many miles you drive
• When you charge
• Whether you work from home
• Your daytime electricity usage
• Whether you have solar panels
• Whether you have a home battery
• Your regional electricity pricing
• Your EV charging efficiency
• How much electricity you can shift overnight

This is where most comparison websites struggle. Many major comparison sites still estimate energy usage using broad “average household” assumptions. But EV households are rarely average. A household driving 15,000 miles per year and charging overnight behaves very differently from a non-EV household.

A better way to compare EV tariffs

At Smart Home Energy, we built an EV tariff comparison tool specifically because standard comparison methods often don’t work well for EV households. Our EV Time-of-Use Tariff Checker uses your actual smart meter data (for Octopus customers), real bills, or your exact kWh usage. It collects details about your car type and annual mileage so it can model your usage against all the smart tariffs currently available, including EV tariffs and dynamic tariffs like Agile to show you whether you’d actually save money — or potentially pay more by switching.

Instead of using generic “average household” assumptions, it looks at how you use electricity. That gives a much more realistic comparison for EV owners.

Should you switch to an EV tariff?

If you own an EV and regularly charge at home, it is definitely worth checking. Even households already on an EV tariff are sometimes surprised to find another tariff would work better for their actual usage pattern.

And many EV owners still have no idea how much difference time-of-use pricing can make. The key point is that the best tariff is highly personal. What works brilliantly for one EV household may be poor value for another.

Try the EV Tariff Checker

If you want to compare Intelligent Octopus Go vs E.ON Next Drive properly — using your own electricity usage rather than generic assumptions — you can run your numbers through our calculator here: EV Time-of-Use Tariff Checker. Let us know if you see significant savings.

The post Intelligent Octopus Go vs E.ON Next Drive appeared first on Smart Home Energy.

• 1–2 solar panels (usually up to ~800W)
• A microinverter
• A cable that plugs into a regular socket in your home

Once connected, the system feeds electricity straight into your home, reducing how much you draw from the grid during the day.

How does plug in solar work?

Plug in solar works by generating electricity from sunlight in DC and converts it into usable AC power via a microinverter. That power is then used instantly by appliances in your home, thereby reducing your electricity bill automatically. There’s no need for complex rewiring — your home simply uses the solar energy first before pulling from the grid.

Is plug in solar legal in the UK?

As of April 2026, plug in kits are not yet fully permitted under existing UK wiring rules, but that is about to change. The UK government has confirmed plans to enable plug-in systems by updating regulations. Specifically:

• The government is working with the Energy Networks Association, DNOs and Ofgem to update the G98 distribution code and wiring regulations BS 7671
• This will allow UK households to connect <800W plug-in solar panels directly to domestic mains sockets
• Systems will not require an electrician
• New tailored safety standards will be introduced

In addition:

• BS 7671 Amendment 4 (2026) to the 18th Edition Wiring Regulations is scheduled for publication on 15 April 2026
• Often referred to as the “Orange Book,” it includes updates on:
  • battery storage
  • ICT earthing
  • Power over Ethernet (PoE)
• There will be a six-month transition period, with the previous version withdrawn on 15 October 2026

In practical terms, this means plug in systems should become widely available in the UK during 2026 with broader adoption following shortly after. Fill in the form below to be kept updated.

How much can plug in solar save you?

A typical plug in system of 800W should save a typical household around £80–£150 per year on electricity bills, depending on usage patterns, energy prices and how well the panels are oriented towards the sun. Because the systems will be relatively low-cost, if you’re paying £0.26/kWh, systems could pay back in 5-8 years making plug in solar very attractive to suitable homes in the UK.

Will you need an electrician?

No. When the regulations are updated (see below) an electrician will not be required for compliant plug-in systems under 800W. Systems will be designed for safe, DIY installation

Is plug in solar worth it in the UK?

For many households — especially renters or those without suitable roofs — plug in solar offers a low-cost entry into solar energy, a non-permanent installation (so you can take it with you if you move home), immediate bill savings – and a payback period of 5-8 years. Panels will continue to generate energy for at least 20 years providing significant savings over their lifetime.

Under Renters’ Rights Act 2025, tenants can request energy improvements and landlords cannot refuse unreasonably, so plug in solar should be suitable for people that live in rented properties. As regulations update and awareness grows, plug in solar is expected to become one of the simplest and fastest-growing ways to adopt solar energy in the UK because of the attractive savings.

When will the plug in kits be available in the UK?

With regulatory updates landing in April 2026 and transitioning through October 2026, plug in solar is expected to be available in mid or late 2026. Fill in the form below to be kept updated.

What is the best orientation for the solar panels?

Orientation has a big impact on how much electricity your plug in solar system generates.

• South-facing is ideal in the UK for maximum output
• East or west-facing can still work well, especially if your usage is morning or evening-heavy
• North-facing is generally not recommended

For balcony setups, perfect positioning isn’t always possible — but even suboptimal angles can still deliver meaningful savings. A slight tilt (around 20–40°) and avoiding shade are often more important than exact direction.

What fixtures and fittings do you need for plug in solar kits?

Most plug in kits will come with the core components, but mounting and setup hardware can vary depending on where you install them. Typical kits will include solar panels, a microinverter and a plug-in cable. Additional fixtures you may need:

• Balcony rail mounts
• Wall brackets
• Ground frames (for gardens or patios)

The key is stability and safety — panels must be securely fixed and able to withstand wind, especially in exposed locations like balconies.

Can you combine plug in solar with batteries?

Yes — and this is where things get more interesting. A battery allows you to store excess daytime energy and use it later in the evening or at night, which can increase your overall savings. However, basic plug in systems do not include batteries by default and adding storage increases cost significantly

There are now emerging “plug-and-play” battery systems that integrate directly with solar kits and energy monitors, making this much simpler than traditional solar + storage setups. For many users, starting without a battery and adding one later is the most cost-effective approach.

Plug in solar represents a major shift in how people access solar energy — moving from complex installations to simple, affordable systems that almost anyone can use. As UK regulations catch up with Europe, it’s likely to become a mainstream home energy solution in the very near future.

Be first to know when the UK regulations are published

Fill in the form below to be updated as soon as the plug in solar regulations for the UK are published.

Check out the video below for more details from our friend at Speak to the Geek

The post What is plug in solar appeared first on Smart Home Energy.

The Cost of Inaction

According to research commissioned by the Retail Energy Code Company (RECCo), energy theft is costing UK consumers an estimated £457 million to £760 million per year. That equates to as much as £28 added to every household’s energy bill — every single year.

But the cost isn’t just financial. It’s human.

“Meter tampering leads to one death every 10 days in Great Britain,”
— Ofgem, June 2025 decision letter

The risks include electrocution, house fires, gas explosions, and severe burns — consequences not only for those committing the crime, but also for innocent neighbours, tenants, and emergency responders.

Energy Theft – The Crisis That Was Allowed to Fester

Despite being aware of these dangers, Ofgem left it to energy suppliers to investigate and prevent theft — a strategy that clearly failed. In Ofgem’s own words:

“Suppliers find it difficult to engage and secure police support… and the cost of investigating more complex instances of theft is a disincentive.”

In the vacuum left by weak enforcement, criminal enterprises flourished. Organised groups began offering meter tampering as a service, enabling cannabis farms, cryptocurrency mining, and other illicit operations. Tutorials on how to steal energy without getting caught are widely available on social media — a direct result of the lack of deterrence.

“There is little fear of prosecution.”
— Ofgem

Perpetrators often escape detection simply by switching energy suppliers. Ofgem concedes that “once the consumer switches supplier, the investigation of the theft stops” — a loophole that has effectively protected repeat offenders for years.

Enter the Energy Theft Unit

The newly established ETU, operated by the City of London Police, will finally bring coordinated enforcement to the table. The unit will be staffed with specialist officers and data analysts and is expected to:

• Investigate cross-supplier theft cases
• Support prosecutions
• Monitor social media for criminal promotion
• Coordinate intelligence industry-wide

The linked Referral Assessment Service (RAS) will act as a filter, forwarding only high-quality cases to the ETU.

The unit’s annual cost will be £1.6 million, rising to £2 million with the RAS included. Ofgem claims that even a 0.33% reduction in theft would make the project cost-effective. That’s a very low bar — and a telling one.

A Long-Overdue Step in the Right Direction

While the ETU is a positive step, it’s also a stark reminder of the damage caused by regulatory neglect. Energy suppliers have been calling for support for years. The public has paid the price — in pounds, in property damage, and in lives.

Ofgem itself now admits the system was broken:

“There is no coordinated action to address cross-supplier instances of energy theft… suppliers currently have no obligation to report energy theft as a crime.”
— Ofgem

The creation of the ETU raises several questions:

• Why did it take until 2025 to act?
• Why were suppliers left without enforcement support?
• Why were consumers expected to absorb the cost?

The Energy Theft Unit could reduce crime, save lives, and lower costs — but this should have happened years ago. Consumers deserve more than a fix — they deserve accountability.

Sign up for the Smart Home Energy Newsletter.

The post Energy Theft Is Costing UK Consumers Up to £28 a Year — and Lives Too appeared first on Smart Home Energy.

Octopus Energy have launched a new feature called Greener Days, to help show when there’s more renewable energy in the electricity mix in order to help the UK cut carbon emissions.

Greener Days are days when there’s a higher share of renewables powering the nation. You can use the Greener Days forecast to plan the best time in the coming week to hoover, do laundry, or charge your EV to help cut UK carbon dioxide emissions.

How do Octopus determine which are Greener Days?

The Octopus boffins check the forecasted wind generation for every night (23:00 – 06:00 the following morning) and calculate the Greener Days score. A score of 100 implies an especially windy night and an unusually high share of wind energy on the grid. This only happens a few times a year. Weather is hard to predict so they’re most confident about the forecast for the upcoming days.

Who can sign up to Greener Days?

Anyone can switch to Octopus Energy (and save £50 straight away!) and anyone who’s interested in their Greener Days forecast can use the forecast tool to plan ahead. You can sign up to receive a Greener Days forecast in your inbox once a week. The forecasts let you know when renewable energy generation is especially high so you can schedule your home appliances, or your EV charging if you’ve got one.

If Octopus supplies green energy how can some days be greener than others?

When you sign up with a renewable energy supplier like Octopus, they don’t pump green energy through a separate ‘green grid’ straight to your home. Instead, all energy sources – whether “green” or “dirty” – get mixed together when they’re fed through the wires that lead to your home. The reason Octopus can claim to be a ‘green’ supplier is that they buy green energy from renewable energy generators to replace the energy their customers use (making the ‘energy mix’ greener in the process) over the years. So day to day, you can still be using energy at ‘greener’ or ‘dirtier’ times. On a greener day, the share of renewable energy is especially high.

What is the benefit of Greener Days for me?

The Greener Days forecast shows you the daily energy mix of the grid. This gives you the power to decide if you’d like to use more energy on Greener Days and less on others, to help you cut your carbon emissions.

I have an EV – how can Greener Days benefit me?

If you have an EV, you can earn what Octopus Energy calls Octopoints when you charge your EV on a Greener Day. The more often you charge on Greener Days, the more Octopoints you can earn . If you’d like to go even further, tariffs like Agile Octopus and Tracker actually financially reward you for planning your energy use around the UK’s power mix. Octopus even reward streaks of Greener Days charging, with one charge a week that must be done on a Greener Day (weeks run from Monday to Sunday). You can earn up to 80 Octopoints per week.

If you’ve got an EV you might want to use our Smart Tariff Savings Calculator to check you are on the right tariff – some people have seen significant savings (up to £600) from switching.

What are Octopoints?

Octopoints are a way of rewarding Octopus Energy customers. You can earn them in different initiatives like Saving Sessions. There are 8 Octopoints to a penny. They can be redeemed for account credit (in GBP) and in the future, other stuff too.

Is there a relationship between Agile Octopus price drops and Greener Days?

Agile’s pricing is often cheaper when the energy in the grid is greener, and more expensive when energy is dirtier. Usually, when the UK’s fossil fuel generating stations have been turned on to meet high demand. But Octopus Agile is tied to wholesale prices which are impacted by a range of other factors. Read more about Octopus Agile.

Is there a relationship between Intelligent Octopus Go and Greener Days?

Intelligent Octopus Go already optimises your charges to the cheapest and greenest times every day. But because of weather changes, some days are still greener than others. Put simply, the stronger the wind, the greener the grid – and the more green electrons to fuel your EV.

Can I still charge my EV if I am away on the Greener days?

Yes. Intelligent Octopus Go will always try to schedule your charge to the greenest times of the night. 

Find out more and sign up to Octopus Energy now to save £50, get 800 Octopoints and access the Greener days forecast as well their super smart balance forecaster. Octopus customers even get to take the wheel of fortune for a spin every time they submit a meter reading!

The post Octopus Greener Days explained appeared first on Smart Home Energy.

What is the UK Energy Price Cap?

The energy price cap is a limit set by Ofgem (the energy regulator) on the maximum amount energy suppliers can charge per unit of gas and electricity. It also caps daily standing charges (the fixed amount you pay to have access to energy). It is NOT a cap on your total bill—what you pay depends on how much energy you use.

Why Does the UK Energy Price Cap Exist?

It was introduced to stop energy companies from overcharging customers on default (standard variable) tariffs. Instead of letting prices skyrocket unchecked, Ofgem reviews the cap every three months to reflect market conditions.

Why Is the UK Energy Price Cap Confusing?

A common misconception is that the price cap limits your total bill. In reality, it only sets maximum rates for unit prices (per kWh) and standing charges. The “total bill” figures you often see in headlines assume a typical household’s usage, but your actual bill depends entirely on how much energy you consume.

Ofgem often makes annoucements like this, which are entirely unhelpful to 99.9% of people:

From today, 1 October 2024, the energy price cap for a typical household that uses gas and electricity and pays by Direct Debit will go up from £1,568 to £1,717 per year. This is an increase of around 10% which adds around £12 a month to an average bill.

Who is this “typical household”? And how much energy do they consume? What type of house do they live in? And how is it heated and powered and insulated? Without knowing any of this it is impossible to tell how the yearly payment figures relate to our own situations.

Building on Ofgems unhelpful annoucements the media often picks up these figures and presents them as if they apply to everyone, which leads to even more confusion. But the truth is your bill will always be based on your own energy usage, not a fixed total.

UK Energy Price Cap Rates

The UK energy price cap changes based on wholesale energy costs and should really have been communicated using pence per kilowatt hour figures from the outset, as in the table below, which shows how the rate have changed over time:

The rates represent the maximum you can be charged, so your bill depends on your actual energy consumption, but your supplier cannot charge more than the capped rates.

How to Save Money on Your Electricity Bill

Now that we know how the price cap works, how can households actually cut costs?

1. Consider Fixed Energy Deals – Are They Worth It?

• Fixed tariffs lock in a unit price for a set period, shielding you from price hikes.
• They can be cheaper than the price cap, but only if wholesale prices are stable or falling.
• Right now, many fixed deals are hovering around the cap level, so always compare before committing.
• Check what you could save via Switchcraft, one of the simplest comparison tools.

2. Is Octopus Agile a Smart Choice?

• Octopus Agile is a dynamic tariff where electricity prices change hourly based on wholesale costs.
• If you can shift your energy use to off-peak times (e.g., charging an EV or running appliances at night), it can save you a lot of money.
• However, if prices spike and you use energy during periods of high demand, your bill could rise, so it’s best for people who can be flexible with their energy use.
• Read more about how smart tarrifs can save you money and explore Octopus Agile.

3. Simple Ways to Cut Energy Costs

We’ve published our Top 10 energy saving tips, which provide full details of ways to cut costs, but some key steps to take include:

• Improving home efficiency: Smart thermostats, LED bulbs, and proper insulation can make a big difference.
• Using appliances wisely: Wash clothes at lower temperatures, avoid standby mode, and air-dry instead of using a tumble dryer.
• Monitoring your usage: A smart meter helps track what you’re spending in real time.

Bottom Line

The energy price cap offers some protection, but it won’t always mean the cheapest bills. If you’re looking to save, compare fixed deals, consider smart tariffs like Octopus Agile, and be mindful of your energy use. Small changes can lead to big savings!

The post UK Energy Price Cap Explained (Properly) appeared first on Smart Home Energy.