EDF Sunday Saver is now Weekend Saver: free electricity explained
EDF has renamed Sunday Saver to Weekend Saver. Keep your weekday 4pm–7pm electricity use low and you earn up to 25 hours of free electricity a month, to use on a weekend of your choice. The first Weekend Saver challenge starts on 5 October 2026. Here is how it works, who can join and whether it is worth it.
- What changed from Sunday Saver, and what stayed the same
- The 9% target and how many free hours each level earns
- Worked examples, the small print and a decision checklist
Details are taken from EDF’s Weekend Saver page, checked 19 September 2026. EDF can change or withdraw the scheme, so check its current terms before you rely on it.
Fast answer: what has replaced EDF Sunday Saver?
The key fact: Sunday Saver has not been scrapped, it has been renamed Weekend Saver. It is a free rewards challenge for EDF customers with a smart meter, not a tariff: keep your electricity use between 4pm and 7pm on weekdays below 9% of your monthly total and you earn 25 hours of free electricity to use at the weekend the following month. Your unit rates and standing charge stay exactly as they are.
Best for
EDF customers with a smart meter sending half-hourly readings who can keep the washing machine, dishwasher, tumble dryer and oven off between 4pm and 7pm on weekdays.
Watch outs
Free hours are earned, not guaranteed: at 18% or more peak use you get none that month. They have to be booked in the EDF app and used before the end of the reward month, and you lose unused hours if you switch away.
Quick check
Open the EDF app and look at how much of your electricity falls between 4pm and 7pm, Monday to Friday. Under 9% earns the full 25 hours; between 9% and 18% earns 5 to 15.
Important: Weekend Saver is a perk on top of whichever EDF tariff you are on, so it does not make an expensive tariff cheap. Compare the tariff itself for your postcode first, then treat the free hours as a bonus.
How EDF Weekend Saver works (plain English)
Weekend Saver is a monthly challenge run through Flextras in the EDF app. EDF measures how much of your electricity you use at the busiest time of day and rewards you with free hours if that share is low. Under Sunday Saver the free hours fell on a Sunday; now you choose when at the weekend to use them.
- Join once in the EDF app. Sign up to Flextras, then to Weekend Saver. You stay opted in for every monthly challenge until March 2027, after which EDF asks you to re-register. The first challenge starts on 5 October 2026.
- Keep weekday peak use low. The target is the same for everyone: electricity used between 4pm and 7pm, Monday to Friday, should be below 9% of your electricity for the month. Weekends, bank holidays and EDF’s Free Energy Event days are left out of the sum.
- Earn free hours on a sliding scale. 9% or below earns 25 hours, 9% to 12% earns 15, 12% to 15% earns 10, 15% to 18% earns 5, and 18% or more earns none. Miss the target and you can try again the next month.
- Book your hours and get the credit. Pick your weekend days and times in Energy Hub in the app, up to 11.59pm on the Thursday before. EDF credits the value of the electricity you used in those hours to your account within 5 working days of the month ending.
What Weekend Saver does not do
- It doesn’t remove your electricity standing charge.
- It doesn’t change your unit rates or make your EDF tariff the cheapest on the market.
- It doesn’t apply to gas usage.
- It doesn’t take the free hours off your bill up front. You are charged as normal and EDF credits the value back afterwards.
Ready to check live availability?
Weekend Saver only helps if the EDF tariff underneath it is good value. The quickest way to find out is to compare EDF against every other tariff available for your home.
Tip: have a recent bill or app screenshot handy so you can compare standing charge, unit rates and any exit fees.
Safety first: Don’t run appliances unattended. Avoid using multiple high-load devices on one extension lead. If you have a prepayment meter, check how credit is applied and when.
Eligibility: who can join Weekend Saver
Meter type & data
- You need a smart meter that sends EDF a reading every 30 minutes.
- Check in your EDF account that your meter shares half-hourly readings, not daily or monthly ones.
- On one of EDF’s smart time-of-use tariffs? EDF points you to its Power Perks rewards instead of Weekend Saver.
Payment method & account setup
- You must be an EDF electricity customer. EDF says the scheme is for “eligible” smart meter customers, so check the terms for your account type.
- Everything runs through the EDF app: joining Flextras, signing up and booking your free hours.
- With half-hourly readings you get 4 Free Bonus Hours when you join Flextras, or the first time you join Weekend Saver.
Your household routine
The challenge is won or lost between 4pm and 7pm on weekdays. Be honest about:
- Whether the washing machine, dryer and dishwasher can wait until after 7pm
- Whether you can batch cook and reheat later
- EV charging or other big loads you can schedule away from teatime
Scheme terms
- Free hours earned one month are used the next, and must be used before that reward month ends.
- Signing up covers the challenges up to March 2027; after that you re-register.
- EDF sets no limit on how much electricity you use in a free hour, beyond using it safely.
Check your options (whole of market) — without guesswork
Tell us where you live and how to reach you, and we’ll help you compare what’s available for your home today. We’ll focus on the total cost (standing charge + unit rates + any fixed-term conditions), not just the headline perk.
Good to know: You don’t need to know your current unit rates to start. A postcode and contact details are enough to pull relevant options and guide what to check on your bill.
Get a tailored comparison
Two realistic scenarios (with numbers you can sanity-check)
These examples use simple maths to show how the reward adds up. The unit rates are examples, not EDF’s prices, and nothing here is a promise of savings. Swap in the unit rate from your own bill.
Scenario A: small flat, 15 free hours
- Assumptions
- You use 200 kWh a month and 22 kWh of it falls between 4pm and 7pm on weekdays. That is 11%, which earns 15 free hours. You use about 1.5 kWh in each free hour (washing machine, dishwasher, some cooking). Your unit rate is 25p/kWh (example only).
- Estimated value of the perk
- 15 hours × 1.5 kWh × £0.25 = about £5.60 credited for the month.
- What could cancel it out
- To reach the full 25 hours you would need weekday peak use under 18 kWh a month (9% of 200), roughly 0.8 kWh per weekday evening. That is hard if you cook on electric at 6pm every night.
Scenario B: family home, full 25 hours
- Assumptions
- You use 350 kWh a month and hold weekday 4pm–7pm use to 30 kWh by running laundry and the dishwasher after 7pm. That is 8.6%, which earns the full 25 hours. You load each free hour with about 3 kWh (tumble dryer, oven, dishwasher). Your unit rate is 28p/kWh (example only).
- Estimated value of the perk
- 25 hours × 3 kWh × £0.28 = £21.00 credited for the month.
- What to check
- The free hours only pay if you really have 75 kWh of jobs to run in them. An hour you book but barely use is worth pennies, and hours not used by the end of the reward month are lost.
Rule of thumb: The reward is roughly (free hours earned) × (kWh you use in each) × (your unit rate). Then ask the bigger question: is your EDF tariff itself competitive? A cheaper tariff elsewhere can be worth more than the free hours.
Compare: Weekend Saver vs other ways to cut electricity costs
Weekend Saver is a reward scheme, so it sits alongside your tariff rather than replacing it. Use this table to see how it differs from tariffs that change your prices by time of day.
| Tariff/offer type | What you gain | What to check | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| EDF Weekend Saver (reward scheme) | Up to 25 hours of free electricity a month at the weekend, credited back to your account | Half-hourly smart readings, your weekday 4pm–7pm share, the booking deadline, and whether your EDF tariff is good value | EDF customers who can keep weekday teatime use low |
| Standard single-rate | Same unit rate all day | Standing charge, fixed vs variable, any exit fee, payment method discounts | Most households who can’t shift usage easily |
| Time-of-use (multiple rates) | Cheaper energy at certain times (often overnight or defined periods) | Exact rate windows, peak prices, smart meter requirements, your ability to automate | EV owners, people who can schedule loads |
| Economy 7 / legacy off-peak | Cheaper off-peak rate for a set block of hours | Off-peak hours vary by region/meter; daytime rate can be higher; heating/hot water controls | Homes with storage heating or significant night use |
Decision checklist: likely a good fit
- You can keep weekday 4pm–7pm use under 9% to 12% of your monthly electricity
- You have a smart meter sending half-hourly readings and you use the EDF app
- You’ve checked your EDF tariff is still competitive for your postcode
- You have weekend jobs to fill the free hours: laundry, batch cooking, EV top-ups
Decision checklist: likely not worth it
- Your household cooks and runs appliances on electric between 4pm and 7pm most weekdays
- You’d have to move to a dearer tariff just to take part
- You rely on medical/essential equipment and can’t move consumption safely
- You’d face exit fees on your current fix that outweigh the perk
Costs, exclusions & common pitfalls (UK-specific)
Free weekend hours are the headline. Your bill is still driven by the tariff underneath. These are the points that most often decide whether Weekend Saver is worth the effort.
1) Standing charge still applies
The reward covers the electricity you use in your free hours and nothing else. The daily standing charge is billed as normal, so compare standing charges as well as unit rates.
2) The 9% target is strict
Rewards drop quickly: 25 hours at 9% or below, 15 hours up to 12%, 10 up to 15%, 5 up to 18% and none above that. A week of 6pm tumble drying can cost you a tier.
3) Booking deadlines
Choose your hours in the app by 11.59pm on the Thursday before the weekend. If you forget, EDF books them for you on the last eligible weekend, starting with Saturday 8am–1pm and then Sunday 8am–1pm, which may not suit you.
4) It is not a tariff
Weekend Saver doesn’t change your prices, so it can’t rescue an uncompetitive tariff. Compare total estimated annual cost on like-for-like usage before you stay with, or move to, EDF for it.
5) Smart meter and data permissions
EDF needs a reading every 30 minutes to measure your peak use and your free hours. If your meter has lost its smart connection, or only shares daily readings, you can’t take part until that is sorted.
6) Switching timing & exit fees
If you leave EDF you are still credited for free hours already used, but unused hours are lost. And if you are on a fix elsewhere, an exit fee could outweigh a few months of rewards.
If you’re in a vulnerable situation: Citizens Advice explains extra help available and how to deal with billing issues. See: Citizens Advice energy guidance.
FAQs
What has replaced EDF Sunday Saver?
Weekend Saver. EDF describes it as the scheme “previously known as Sunday Saver”. You still earn free electricity by using less between 4pm and 7pm on weekdays, but you can now use the free hours on a Saturday or a Sunday of your choice, and you sign up once rather than every month. The first Weekend Saver challenge starts on 5 October 2026.
Do I need a smart meter for Weekend Saver?
Yes. EDF requires a smart meter that sends readings every 30 minutes, because it has to measure how much electricity you use between 4pm and 7pm on weekdays and how much you use in your booked free hours. The scheme is open to eligible EDF smart meter customers through Flextras in the EDF app.
How many free hours can I earn with Weekend Saver?
Up to 25 a month. Keep weekday 4pm–7pm use at 9% or less of your monthly electricity and you earn 25 hours; between 9% and 12% earns 15, between 12% and 15% earns 10, between 15% and 18% earns 5, and 18% or more earns none. The hours are used the following month, and you still pay your standing charge as normal.
Can I use the free hours for EV charging or running a tumble dryer?
Yes. EDF says there is no set limit on how much electricity you can use in a free hour, so high-load jobs are where the value is. Use electricity safely: don’t overload extension leads and don’t leave a tumble dryer running unattended. Customers on EDF’s smart time-of-use tariffs are directed to its Power Perks rewards instead of Weekend Saver.
What happens to my free hours if I switch supplier?
EDF says you still receive credit for free hours you have already used, and any reward owed after your account closes is paid to you, but you can’t use remaining free hours once you have switched. If you are on a fixed tariff, check for an exit fee too.
Is Weekend Saver better than switching to a cheaper tariff?
Not necessarily. Weekend Saver is a reward on top of your EDF tariff and does not change your unit rates or standing charge. In our worked examples the reward comes to about £6 to £21 a month; a cheaper tariff can be worth more than that. Compare total estimated cost for your postcode and meter first.
How do I actually get the free electricity?
You book your free hours in Energy Hub in the EDF app, and can change them until 11.59pm on the Thursday before that weekend. You are billed as normal, then EDF credits the value of the electricity used in those hours to your account within 5 working days of the end of the month. If you forget to book, EDF schedules the hours for you on the last eligible weekend.
What’s the simplest way to check if it’s worth it for my home?
Check in the EDF app what share of your electricity falls between 4pm and 7pm on weekdays. If you can get it under 9% to 12%, multiply the free hours by the kWh you would realistically use in each and by your unit rate. Then compare your EDF tariff with the rest of the market for your postcode, because the tariff matters more than the perk.
Trust, methodology & sources
Page ownership
- Written by:
- EnergyPlus Editorial Team
- Reviewed by:
- Energy Specialist
How we assess “free electricity” style offers
We evaluate these promotions as a bill impact question, not a marketing claim. Our approach:
- Read the supplier’s own terms: the Weekend Saver details on this page come from EDF’s scheme page, checked 19 September 2026.
- Estimate shiftable usage: based on typical appliance kWh ranges and realistic household routines (we avoid best-case assumptions).
- Compare the whole tariff: standing charge + all non-window unit rates + any fixed-term conditions/exit fees.
- Check measurement requirements: smart meter, data granularity, and whether billing relies on half-hourly data.
Limitations: We do not have access to your household’s exact half-hourly profile, and EDF can change the scheme’s targets, rewards or dates. Always check EDF’s current Weekend Saver terms and use a postcode-based comparison for tariff prices.
Want to know if staying with EDF is actually good value for you?
Compare the whole-of-market options for your postcode, then weigh the free weekend hours against the standing charge, unit rates and any exit fees. It’s the simplest way to avoid staying, or switching, for a headline that doesn’t fit your routine.
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