Economy 7 Electricity Heating Meter Times Explained

If you have an Economy 7 meter installed in your home, you are charged a lower rate during off-peak hours. Here’s a detailed explanation of how it works:

Most UK homes have a single-rate meter, with the same tariff for all hours during the day. Some will have a meter with cheaper rates per kWh when energy demand and wholesale prices are at their lowest at night.

Economy 7 meters were initially installed in homes with electric storage heating, but electric vehicle owners can also now charge their car batteries overnight at extremely low rates.

What is Economy 7?

The name comes from the fact that the cheaper tariff is available for 7 hours at night, then charged at a lower rate than standard electricity.

The Economy 7 times vary slightly by region but are generally between 11.30pm and 8.30am each day. In some rare cases, there are Economy 10 meters offering 10 off-peak hours per day.

People use this tariff if they use most of their electricity at night or if they can manage their household electricity usage more efficiently. Some people programme their water heating, washing machines and other appliances to come on during this time to take advantage of the cheaper rates.

Electric Storage Heating and Economy 7

Economy 7 meters are most effective when a home has only electricity installed. In these cases, electricity storage heaters heat during the night and release their energy during the day.

They heat a brick-like stone within the unit, and the appliance releases heat over time until the stone cools.

Sometimes, this is difficult to manage because you don’t know what the weather might be like the next day. Heating is also usually required when you are getting ready in the morning or in the evenings while at home.

Electric Vehicle Charging

With the growing popularity of electric vehicles (EVs) comes additional tariff options. Most energy companies now offer stand-alone EV pricing, incorporating cheap electricity during the seven hours. You can switch to one of these tariffs and charge your vehicle overnight for close to 5p/ kWh!

Economy 7 Times

The specific times when the cheaper tariff operates vary by region as follows. These are usually eight and nine-hour slots.

• 11.30pm to 8.30am – Eastern, East Midlands, London, Midlands, ScottishPower
• 11.00pm to 8.00am – Manweb
• 12.00am to 8.00am – Norweb, SWALEC, SWEB
• 11.30pm to 1.30am and 3.30am to 8.30am – Seeboard
• 11.30pm to 7.30am – Southern Electricity
• 12.30am to 8.30am – Yorkshire

Although these times are for 8- or 9-hour periods, the cheaper rates usually start at 1.30am.

Reading Your Economy 7 Meter

Each Economy 7 meter has two sets of figures for day and night consumption.

Some meter reading companies get these figures mixed up, so you may end up paying the wrong rate for the correct usage.

Therefore, whenever you get a bill, you should check to ensure that the readings are correct and you have been charged correctly for your electric usage.

Who Offers Economy 7 Tariffs?

All the major energy suppliers can offer these types of tariffs which you can see when you check prices on their websites or a comparison website. One thing to check when you use these types of rates is that the daytime rate can sometimes be double the nighttime rate.

These tariffs are most suitable if most of the electricity your home uses is at night, otherwise your bills may be more expensive than even a standard tariff.

If You Want to Move to Economy 7, Then Make The Switch!

If you don’t have an Economy 7 meter in your home, you can request your utility provider to install one for you when you switch tariffs. They may charge you for this service. Currently, over 6 million houses in the UK have such a meter.