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Millions of households are being offered the chance to slash their energy bills
Millions of households are being given the opportunity to reduce their energy bills by nearly £100 annually – by adjusting when they use electricity.
Energy provider EDF Energy is introducing four “free electricity” Sundays this spring through its “Sunday Saver” initiative, with customers able to accumulate up to 64 hours of complimentary power over the coming month. The offer depends on households reducing their consumption during peak weekday periods – usually between 4pm and 7pm – when pressure on the grid is greatest.
Those who participate in the April challenge can then claim their rewards on April 19 and 26, and May 3 and 10, essentially operating high-energy appliances at no cost.
How the ‘free electricity’ offer works
Households must possess a functioning smart meter transmitting half-hourly readings and register by April 5 at 11.59pm.
The programme rewards customers based on how significantly they reduce peak-time consumption:
- Cut by 5% – earn 4 hours of free electricity
- Cut by 20% – earn 8 hours
- Cut by 35% – earn 12 hours
- Cut by 50% – earn the full 16 hours per week
Over four weeks, that totals a maximum of 64 complimentary hours. Common methods to qualify include operating dishwashers overnight, steering clear of tumble dryers during the evening and charging electric vehicles outside peak periods.
EDF suggests the scheme can shave approximately £96 yearly off bills for the most dedicated participants. On average, participants currently accumulate around 18 hours of complimentary electricity per month, according to company figures.
Since the programme started in 2024:
- Customers have accumulated more than 20.5 million free hours of electricity
- This amounts to approximately £6.6 million in overall bill reductions
- The most engaged users in 2025 secured an average of 266 hours free throughout the year
Joe Souto, Director of Retail at EDF, said the scheme arrives as households brace for alterations to energy costs. He said: “With the energy price cap coming down in April, Sunday Saver continues to give customers a simple, practical way to cut costs and save even more when they need it most.
“If customers commit to every Sunday Saver challenge and flex their energy use, they could achieve an average of 266 hours of free electricity on Sundays, and £96 on their annual energy bills.”
Mr Souto also said customers can track their savings through EDF’s Energy Hub, adding it is “a straightforward way to ease pressure on bills while supporting a more sustainable electricity grid.”
You must modify your routines
While the headline proposition of “free electricity” may appear attractive, it demands households proactively adjust when they consume power – and in certain instances reduce peak usage by up to 50%. This could prove demanding for families bound to evening schedules, especially during colder months when energy consumption is at its highest.
Nevertheless, for those capable of adapting, the scheme presents one of the limited opportunities presently available to directly lower bills without switching supplier or tariff.
