Economy 7 explained — best E7 rates UK June 2026
Economy 7 (E7) is the original UK time-of-use tariff. Since the 1970s it has charged a cheap unit rate during a seven-hour overnight window and a higher unit rate the rest of the day. It was built for night-storage heating but in 2026 the question is more nuanced: with the price cap heading to £1,862/yr from 1 July 2026, does E7 still beat a flat single-rate tariff? This page is the full, current explainer plus the four cheapest E7 rates verified June 2026.
- Cheapest E7 off-peak today: British Gas Standard E7 ~12.5p/kWh.
- Typical night window: 7 hours, ~00:30–07:30 (varies by region/meter).
- Break-even rule of thumb: at least 40% of consumption must be in the night window.
- Ofgem context: July 2026 cap £1,862/yr (+13%) raises the value of any genuine night-shifting.
Compare every Economy 7 tariff in one place
There are roughly twenty live E7 tariffs on the UK retail market in June 2026, spread across the Big Six and the larger challenger suppliers. The headline differences are: (a) off-peak unit rate, (b) peak unit rate, (c) night-window start time (varies by region and meter — see the windows section below), and (d) standing charge. A cheap off-peak rate with a punishing peak rate can still leave you worse off than a flat Fixed tariff if your daytime consumption is large.
Tell us your postcode (so we can confirm your DNO region and night-window timings), your meter type (E7 / smart / single-rate), and roughly what proportion of your consumption is overnight. We match you against the cheapest qualifying E7 tariff verified June 2026.
Find the best Economy 7 tariff for your home
Send us your postcode and meter type and we'll match the cheapest off-peak E7 rate you qualify for in June 2026. Takes about 60 seconds.
Best UK Economy 7 rates table — verified June 2026
Rates below are the off-peak and peak unit rates published by each supplier and verified in the last 14 days, plus a typical daily standing charge. The right tariff for you depends on the ratio of night-window consumption to daytime consumption — don't just pick the lowest off-peak rate without checking the peak.
| Tariff | Off-peak (night) | Peak (day) | Standing charge |
|---|---|---|---|
| British Gas Standard E7 | ~12.5p/kWh | ~30p/kWh | ~63p/day |
| EDF E7 Fixed | ~13.2p/kWh | ~29p/kWh | ~62p/day |
| OVO Simpler Energy E7 | ~13.8p/kWh | ~28p/kWh | ~63p/day |
| Octopus E7 | ~14p/kWh | ~28p/kWh | ~62p/day |
| Default cap-tracking E7 | 15–16p/kWh | 31–34p/kWh | ~63p/day |
All rates updated June 2026. Regional spread on standing charges: Merseyside & N Wales electricity SC highest at ~70p/day; East Midlands lowest at ~58p/day.
How Economy 7 actually works
Economy 7 is a dual-rate electricity tariff. Your meter — either a dedicated E7 mechanical/RTS meter or a SMETS2 smart meter configured for two-rate billing — records consumption in two separate registers: a cheap night rate and a more expensive day rate. The supplier bills each register at the relevant unit rate. The name “Economy 7” refers to the seven-hour off-peak window each night; “Economy 10” offers ten off-peak hours across three slots and is covered on a separate page.
The cheap night rate exists because the grid's overnight demand trough historically meant baseload power stations had spare capacity. Modern grid economics are very different — wind generation peaks overnight and storage capacity has reduced the gap — but the legacy E7 settlement still funds genuinely cheap off-peak unit rates because demand response from E7 customers helps balance the system. verified June 2026 rates are 12.5p–16p/kWh off-peak, 28p–34p/kWh peak.
How E7 night windows work — regional timing
There is no single national E7 night window. Each Distribution Network Operator (DNO) region sets its own start time, and even within a region the time can vary by meter type. Here are the typical seven-hour night windows seen in June 2026:
| DNO region | Typical night window | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| London & South East | 00:30–07:30 | Most common; smart-meter shifts to a fixed time |
| East Midlands | 00:00–07:00 | Older RTS meters may use 23:00–06:00 |
| North Scotland | 22:30–07:30 (split) | Split across two blocks; check your meter docket |
| South West | 00:30–07:30 | Some meters 01:00–08:00 |
| Merseyside & N Wales | 00:00–07:00 | Highest standing charge regionally (~70p/day) |
If you have an old RTS (Radio Teleswitch) E7 meter, those are being decommissioned across 2025–2026 as the longwave RTS signal is being withdrawn. Switching to a SMETS2 smart meter retains your E7 tariff but locks the night window to a single fixed time, removing the seasonal drift. Use our comparison form to start a switch.
Who is Economy 7 actually suited to in 2026?
Night-storage heating homes
If you have ceramic night-storage heaters charging during the off-peak window, E7 is still the cheapest option. Typical 70%+ night-rate consumption profile makes it a clear winner against flat tariffs.
Hot-water-tank households
A timed immersion drawing 3kW for 3 hours overnight uses ~9 kWh/day at the off-peak rate — saves £300–£450/year vs flat. Add a timer to laundry too and you'll easily clear 40% night-rate consumption.
EV owners — better on Go
For EV charging, Intelligent Octopus Go at 7p/kWh beats every E7 tariff. E7 is no longer the right answer for EV households — it's the right answer for resistive heating / hot-water households.
How to switch your Economy 7 tariff in June 2026
- Check your meter type. If you have an existing E7 mechanical meter or RTS meter, you can switch tariffs immediately. If you have a SMETS2 smart meter currently configured for single-rate, the new supplier will reconfigure it for E7 — takes 1–2 weeks.
- Estimate your night-rate share. Submit a meter reading after a full week of normal use. If your night-register reading is at least 40% of total consumption, E7 will save you money against a flat Fixed tariff at 27p/kWh.
- Pick the right off-peak rate. British Gas Standard E7 at ~12.5p/kWh is the cheapest off-peak today (June 2026), followed by EDF E7 Fixed at ~13.2p. If your peak load is high, OVO Simpler Energy E7 or Octopus E7 with their slightly lower peak rates may net out cheaper.
- Use our comparison form below. We confirm regional night-window timing, your DNO standing charge, and the cheapest qualifying E7 tariff in your region — verified June 2026 rates only.
- Run timers on shiftable load. Immersion timer 01:00–04:00, dishwasher delay-start, washing machine delay-start. Pushing 5–10 kWh/day into the night window beats anything you'll do on the bill side.
Frequently asked questions — Economy 7 (June 2026)
What is the cheapest Economy 7 off-peak rate in June 2026?
as of early June 2026 the cheapest E7 off-peak unit rate is British Gas Standard E7 at approximately 12.5p/kWh, followed by EDF E7 Fixed at ~13.2p/kWh, OVO Simpler Energy E7 at ~13.8p/kWh, and Octopus E7 at ~14p/kWh. Be sure to check peak unit rates too — compare via our comparison form.
When does the Economy 7 night window start?
The seven-hour E7 night window is set by your DNO and varies by region. Most commonly it runs 00:30–07:30 (London, South East, South West), 00:00–07:00 (East Midlands, Merseyside & N Wales) or 22:30–07:30 with a split block (North Scotland). Check the back of your meter or your latest bill for the exact times.
Is Economy 7 still worth it in 2026?
It depends entirely on your night-rate share. The rule of thumb is at least 40% of consumption must be in the seven-hour night window for E7 to beat a flat Fixed tariff. Storage-heater and immersion-tank households clear that easily. Daytime-only households should look at flat single-rate tariffs. Run the numbers using our comparison form.
Will the July 2026 price cap affect E7 rates?
Yes. The Ofgem default tariff price cap rising to £1,862/yr from 1 July 2026 (+13%) applies to both single-rate and E7 cap tariffs. Default cap-tracking E7 off-peak rates will rise to ~15–16p/kWh while peak rates head to 31–34p/kWh. Locking in British Gas Standard E7 at ~12.5p off-peak today shelters you from the bulk of that rise.
Can I switch from E7 to a smart TOU tariff like Intelligent Octopus Go?
Yes, if you have or can install a SMETS2 smart meter. Intelligent Octopus Go's 7p/kWh six-hour window is roughly half the cost of the cheapest E7 off-peak rate, so EV owners should switch. Resistive-heating homes are typically better off staying on E7 because Go's six-hour window is too short to charge night-storage heaters fully.
What is an RTS meter and is mine being switched off?
RTS (Radio Teleswitch Service) meters use a longwave radio signal to switch between day and night rates. The RTS signal is being withdrawn across 2025–2026. If you have an RTS meter, your supplier will replace it with a SMETS2 smart meter free of charge — you keep your E7 tariff but the night window becomes a single fixed block. verified June 2026.
How does Economy 7 differ from Economy 10?
Economy 7 gives you seven cheap hours overnight in a single block. Economy 10 gives you ten cheap hours split across three slots (typically morning, afternoon and overnight) at a slightly higher off-peak rate (~14.8p/kWh on EDF Economy 10). E10 suits households with daytime heat-pump or hot-water loads; E7 suits pure overnight loads.
Is the standing charge higher on an E7 tariff?
Standing charges on E7 and single-rate tariffs are broadly similar in June 2026 — ~62–63p/day on average across competitive E7 deals. Regional variation matters more than tariff type: Merseyside & N Wales electricity SC is the highest at ~70p/day, East Midlands the lowest at ~58p/day. Confirm your regional figure via our comparison form.
Lock in a competitive E7 rate before 1 July 2026
The July 2026 Ofgem price cap takes effect in 30 days at £1,862/yr (+13% / +£221). Default cap-tracking E7 off-peak rates will rise to ~15–16p/kWh — locking in British Gas Standard E7 at ~12.5p today shelters you from the bulk of the rise.
Send us your postcode and meter type. We confirm regional night-window timing, your DNO standing charge, and the cheapest qualifying E7 tariff verified June 2026.
Find your best Economy 7 rate
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