Best time-of-use electricity tariffs UK for households — June 2026
If you have a smart meter and a meaningful shiftable load — an electric vehicle, a heat pump, a hot-water tank, a home battery, or simply a tumble-dryer you can delay — a time-of-use (TOU) tariff is now the single most powerful lever for cutting your electricity bill in the UK. Off-peak rates have stretched as low as 6.7p/kWh while the day cap heads to £1,862/yr from 1 July 2026 (+13%). Pick the wrong TOU tariff and you'll pay a peak penalty; pick the right one and you'll save £300–£700 a year. This page ranks every household TOU tariff verified June 2026.
- Cheapest off-peak: E.ON Next Drive at ~6.7p/kWh (EV-only, narrow window).
- Best all-rounder: Intelligent Octopus Go at 7p/kWh (six-hour window, 23:30–05:30).
- Best for heat pumps: Octopus Cosy at 13p/kWh across three daily slots.
- Best EV add-on: OVO Charge Anytime at ~7p/kWh anytime EV charging.
Compare every household TOU tariff in one place
There are now roughly fifteen distinct household TOU electricity tariffs live in the UK retail market as of June 2026. They fall into three buckets: narrow off-peak EV tariffs (Intelligent Octopus Go, E.ON Next Drive, British Gas Electric Driver), broad smart-controlled add-ons (OVO Charge Anytime), and multi-slot heat-pump tariffs (Octopus Cosy). The right one depends entirely on what you can shift and when.
Tell us your postcode, your peak-time household load, your EV charger (if any) and your heating system. We match you against the TOU tariffs that pay you the most for your specific load shape — verified June 2026 rates only, no out-of-date supplier marketing.
Find the best time-of-use tariff for your home
Tell us your postcode, EV/heat-pump status and weekday off-peak availability. We match you to the lowest off-peak rate you qualify for in June 2026. Takes about 60 seconds.
UK household TOU electricity rate table — verified June 2026
Rates below are the off-peak unit rates published by each supplier and verified in the last 14 days. Peak rates are also shown because if you can't shift your load you'll pay more than a single-rate Fixed tariff.
| Tariff | Off-peak rate | Off-peak window | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| E.ON Next Drive | ~6.7p/kWh | Narrow overnight EV window | EV owners with low overnight load |
| Intelligent Octopus Go | 7p/kWh | 23:30–05:30 (six hours) | EV / battery owners (best all-rounder) |
| OVO Charge Anytime (add-on) | ~7p/kWh | Anytime EV charging (smart-controlled) | EV owners with daytime charging need |
| British Gas Electric Driver | ~8.95p/kWh | Five-hour overnight window | EV owners on BG dual-fuel |
| Octopus Cosy | 13p/kWh | 04–07, 13–16, 22–00 (three slots) | Heat-pump households |
| Single-rate Fixed (benchmark) | ~27p/kWh blended | N/A — flat all day | Daytime-load households (no TOU fit) |
All rates updated June 2026. Peak rates on the TOU tariffs above sit between 30p and 41p/kWh — the savings only materialise if you genuinely shift load off-peak.
How a time-of-use electricity tariff actually works
A TOU tariff charges different unit rates at different times of day. Your SMETS2 smart meter records consumption in half-hourly intervals and the supplier bills each interval at the correct rate. Most TOU tariffs in June 2026 are a simple two-rate split (cheap off-peak window plus an expensive peak rate the rest of the day), but some — Octopus Cosy in particular — use three or even four bands across the day.
The economics only work if the proportion of your consumption that lands in the off-peak window is large enough to offset the peak premium. A heavy EV charger drawing 7kW for four hours overnight will shift roughly 30 kWh per session into the off-peak window — enormous savings. A heat-pump household running mostly during peak hours will not benefit from a pure EV TOU tariff and should look at Cosy instead. verified June 2026.
Who is a TOU tariff actually suited to?
EV owners
A typical EV driver shifts 60–100 kWh per week into the off-peak window. At Intelligent Octopus Go's 7p/kWh vs a 27p peak that's £12–£20/week (~£625–£1,040/year) of pure savings. Easy win.
Heat-pump households
A 12,000–18,000 kWh/year heat pump load fits Cosy's three-slot 13p/kWh design well — saves £400–£700/year vs a flat 27p tariff if the buffer tank is sized correctly.
Home-battery owners
A 10kWh home battery charged at 7p/kWh overnight and discharged at the 27p peak generates a 20p/kWh arbitrage spread — roughly £500/year on a well-cycled battery. Pair with Intelligent Octopus Go.
How to switch to a TOU tariff in June 2026
- Confirm you have a SMETS2 smart meter (or DCC-enrolled SMETS1). Without half-hourly reads you cannot be billed on TOU rates. Most suppliers will install one free as part of onboarding.
- Calculate your shiftable load. Roughly: 30 kWh per EV charging session, 50–100 kWh/week for a heat pump, 7–10 kWh per battery cycle. Anything over 60 kWh/week of shiftable load makes TOU compelling.
- Pick the right window match. Six-hour Octopus Go for EV owners, three-slot Cosy for heat pumps, OVO Charge Anytime if your charging pattern is irregular, BG Electric Driver if you're already a British Gas dual-fuel customer.
- Use our comparison form. We confirm which TOU rates apply in your Ofgem region and which tariffs your kit qualifies for. verified June 2026 rates.
- Watch the first two bills to confirm load did shift — then optimise (move dishwasher delay, washing machine timer, immersion timer) to push as much load as possible into the off-peak window.
TOU savings illustration — EV-driving household, June 2026
Worked example for a four-person family with a Tesla Model Y driving 12,000 miles/year (~3,500 kWh of car charging), 4,200 kWh of household electricity, no heat pump. Compare a single-rate Fixed tariff against Intelligent Octopus Go:
| Load | Annual kWh | Single-rate (27p) | Intelligent Octopus Go |
|---|---|---|---|
| EV charging (off-peak) | 3,500 | £945 | £245 (7p) |
| Household peak (~70%) | 2,940 | £794 | £941 (32p peak) |
| Household off-peak (~30%) | 1,260 | £340 | £88 (7p) |
| Standing charges | — | £230 | £230 |
| Total electricity bill | 7,700 | £2,309 | £1,504 |
Net annual saving from switching this EV-driving household to Intelligent Octopus Go: ~£805/year. That swallows the entire +£221/yr price-cap rise from 1 July 2026 four times over. Use the comparison form to model your own.
Frequently asked questions — TOU tariffs (June 2026)
What is the cheapest off-peak TOU rate in the UK in June 2026?
as of early June 2026 the cheapest published TOU off-peak rate is E.ON Next Drive at approximately 6.7p/kWh in a narrow overnight EV window, followed by Intelligent Octopus Go at 7p/kWh in a wider six-hour window (23:30–05:30). The OVO Charge Anytime add-on also delivers ~7p/kWh for smart-controlled EV charging at any time of day. Run the numbers against your kit using our comparison form.
Do I need an EV or heat pump to benefit from a TOU tariff?
In practice yes — you need at least 50–60 kWh/week of shiftable load to make TOU economics work. Home batteries also qualify because the arbitrage between a 7p overnight charge and the 27p peak rate generates ~£500/year on a well-cycled 10kWh battery. Without any shiftable load, a flat Fixed tariff like E.ON Next Fixed at £1,602/yr is the safer bet.
Is a TOU tariff cheaper than the July 2026 price cap?
Yes, substantially — if you can shift load. The July 2026 default tariff price cap rises to £1,862/yr (+13%) for typical DD dual-fuel. An EV-driving household on Intelligent Octopus Go can land at ~£1,500/year on the worked example above, well below cap. A heat-pump household on Cosy saves £400–£700/year vs cap.
What happens if I use electricity during the peak window?
You pay a peak rate of 30–41p/kWh — considerably more than a flat single-rate tariff at ~27p/kWh. That's why the savings only materialise if a meaningful portion (typically ≥1/3) of your annual consumption sits in the off-peak window. Use our comparison form to model your specific load shape.
Can I switch to a TOU tariff without a SMETS2 smart meter?
No. TOU tariffs are billed from half-hourly meter reads which only a SMETS2 (or DCC-enrolled SMETS1) smart meter can supply. If you don't have one yet, every TOU supplier will install one free as part of onboarding — expect a 4–8 week lead time as of June 2026.
What's the difference between Octopus Cosy and Intelligent Octopus Go?
Cosy is a three-slot 13p/kWh tariff designed for heat-pump households whose load runs through the day. Intelligent Octopus Go is a single six-hour 7p/kWh overnight window built for EV charging. EV owners go to Go; heat-pump owners go to Cosy. Households with both should compare blended outcomes via our comparison form.
Does OVO Charge Anytime require a specific EV charger?
OVO Charge Anytime is a tariff add-on that needs a compatible smart EV charger or a supported vehicle (Tesla, certain VW Group models, certain Hyundai/Kia). OVO's app handles the smart scheduling. Without a compatible setup you cannot get the ~7p anytime rate — verified June 2026.
Is the gas side of my bill affected by TOU?
No — TOU tariffs cover electricity only. Your gas remains on a single flat rate, and from 1 July 2026 the gas unit rate component of the cap rises +24% (the largest single driver of the £1,862/yr cap). Pairing a TOU electricity tariff with a competitive 12M gas fix is the best play in June 2026.
Cut your electricity bill before 1 July 2026
The July 2026 Ofgem price cap takes effect in 30 days at £1,862/yr (+13% / +£221). A TOU tariff matched to your load shape can save £400–£800/year for EV or heat-pump households — more than offsetting the rise.
Send us your postcode, EV/heat-pump status and weekday off-peak availability. We match you to the lowest off-peak rate you qualify for in June 2026.
Find your best TOU rate
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