What Are the Economy 7 Times in the UK?

The Economy 7 times are the seven cheaper overnight hours on an Economy 7 electricity tariff, but there is no single national window. Your exact off-peak hours depend on your region, your Distribution Network Operator (DNO) and your meter, so two homes a few miles apart can have different night rate times. Most windows fall somewhere between 11pm and 8am.

This guide explains the common Economy 7 off-peak hours, how they vary by region, why older meters drift by an hour in summer, and how to find your own exact times.

• Economy 7 gives seven cheaper hours of electricity overnight and a higher rate the rest of the day.
• There is no national window. Common windows include 00:30 to 07:30, 23:30 to 06:30 and 23:00 to 06:00.
• Times are set by your DNO region and meter, not nationally, and some meters split the seven hours into two blocks.
• Older meters may not adjust for British Summer Time, so the window can shift by an hour in summer. Always check your bill or meter for your exact times.

How Economy 7 off-peak hours actually work

Economy 7 is an electricity tariff that charges a cheaper rate for seven hours overnight and a higher rate during the day. The “7” refers to those seven low-rate hours. During the off-peak window every unit of electricity you use is billed at the cheaper night rate, not just heating or hot water.

The off-peak window is set by your regional Distribution Network Operator (DNO) and the meter installed in your home, which is why there is no single set of national Economy 7 times. Energy suppliers apply the times their meter reads, so the same supplier can give different windows to customers in different regions.

The most common off-peak windows in the UK are 00:30 to 07:30, 23:30 to 06:30 and 23:00 to 06:00. Some meters split the seven hours into two separate blocks, for example a short evening period plus a longer overnight one, so the cheap rate is not always continuous.

Economy 7 was designed mainly for homes with electric night storage heaters, which charge up overnight on the cheap rate and release heat through the day. It can also suit households that run a hot water immersion heater, dishwasher or electric vehicle charging overnight.

Economy 7 times by region

Economy 7 times vary by region because each Distribution Network Operator sets its own seven-hour off-peak window. The table below shows indicative night-rate windows by area. These are a guide only, because the exact start time can vary by meter even within the same region.

Windows are indicative and may differ by meter. Always confirm your own times before relying on them.

If your storage heaters or hot water are not charging when you expect, it usually means your actual window differs from the regional pattern. The only way to be certain is to check the times tied to your specific meter.

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Do Economy 7 times change with the clocks?

On some older Economy 7 meters the off-peak window shifts by an hour in summer because the meter runs on a fixed internal clock that does not adjust for British Summer Time. So a winter window of 00:30 to 07:30 can effectively become 01:30 to 08:30 in summer.

Smart meters generally handle this differently. With a smart meter, the off-peak period is often fixed to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), so a 00:30 to 07:30 winter window runs from 01:30 to 08:30 during British Summer Time. The seven hours stay the same length, but the clock-face times you see move by an hour.

Older non-smart meters can also drift over time, sometimes by more than an hour, because their internal clock slowly loses accuracy. If your cheap rate seems to start and stop at odd times, an inaccurate meter clock is a common cause and worth raising with your supplier.

How to find your exact Economy 7 times

To find your exact Economy 7 times, check your latest energy bill, your online account, or contact your energy supplier directly with your meter details. Suppliers set the off-peak window based on the meter installed at your address, so they hold the definitive times for your home.

• Look on your most recent electricity bill, which often lists day and night rate periods.
• Check your online account or supplier app, where smart meter customers can usually see their off-peak schedule.
• Read the meter itself. Two-rate meters show separate registers, often labelled “Rate 1″/”Rate 2” or “Day”/”Night”.
• Call or message your supplier with your MPAN and postcode if the bill is unclear.

If you have recently switched supplier, it is worth confirming your off-peak schedule afresh. The underlying window is tied to your meter, but it pays to check that any smart devices or storage heaters are set to come on during the correct hours.

Check whether Economy 7 suits your home

Economy 7 is a two-rate electricity tariff that charges different prices for peak and off-peak usage. Comparing two-rate and standard tariffs across the whole market takes just minutes, allowing you to determine whether this type of plan suits your home and energy consumption patterns.

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How Economy 7 prices and the price cap work

On Economy 7 you pay a low night rate for the seven off-peak hours and a higher day rate for the remaining 17 hours, plus a daily standing charge. Night rates are typically well below the day rate, while day rates usually sit above a standard single-rate tariff. There is also a standing charge whether or not you use any electricity.

Economy 7 tariffs are covered by Ofgem’s energy price cap, but the cap does not fix the day and night rates individually. Instead, Ofgem requires that a typical multi-rate household’s combined day and night charges cannot exceed the overall cap level. As Ofgem puts it, for multi-rate tariffs the peak and off-peak unit rates together cannot be more than the price cap.

Ofgem announced on 27 May 2026 that the energy price cap would rise by 13% for 1 July to 30 September 2026, reaching around £1,862 for a typical household based on currently published figures. The cap limits unit rates and the standing charge for a typical user, not your total bill, which still depends on how much electricity you use and when. The next cap, for October to December 2026, is due to be published by 26 August 2026.

For more on how the cap interacts with two-rate metering, see our guide to Economy 7 tariffs and meters.

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Is Economy 7 worth it for your home?

Economy 7 is usually worth it if you can shift a large share of your electricity use into the cheaper night hours, typically around 40% or more of your total usage. Below that threshold, the higher day rate can outweigh the cheaper nights and leave you paying more than on a standard single-rate tariff.

Ofgem’s Typical Domestic Consumption Values assume around 3,900 kWh a year for a medium Economy 7 household, against 2,700 kWh on a single-rate meter, reflecting that many Economy 7 homes heat with electricity. The more of that you can move overnight, the better the tariff works.

Homes that tend to benefit include those with electric night storage heaters, an immersion-heated hot water tank, a home battery, or an electric vehicle charged overnight. Households that are mostly awake and using power in the evening, with little overnight load, often do better on a standard tariff.

• Good fit: storage heaters, overnight EV charging, a home battery, timed hot water and appliances.
• Less suitable: gas central heating with most usage in the daytime and evening.

If your home no longer relies on overnight heating, it can be worth comparing a standard single-rate deal. A whole-of-market comparison shows both options side by side, including the standing charge, so you can see which suits your usage. While you are reviewing your setup, our guide on when your smart meter will be installed explains how a smart meter can give you clearer half-hourly readings.

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Information correct as of 20 June 2026. Prices, tariffs, policy details and providers change frequently, so please check the latest details before making a decision. This article is for general information only and does not constitute financial advice.