UK households urged to claim 25 hours of free electricity with Uswitch offer

UK households could enjoy up to 25 hours of free electricity this November thanks to Uswitch.com. The comparison website's latest offer can help take some of the sting out of tomorrow's (October 1) rise in the energy price cap. However, to take advantage, people must act now to avoid missing the deadline.

The free hours of electricity are available to anyone with a smart meter, regardless of their supplier. Households can take part by downloading the free Uswitch app - on Google Play or Apple Store - connecting their smart meter and signing up to the scheme. The deadline for signing up is October 31.

Once users have signed up, they’ll be notified each week in November, reminding them to pick their five-hour free electricity time slot for the upcoming weekend: Saturday morning, Saturday afternoon, Sunday morning, or Sunday afternoon. After each five-hour time slot is up, Uswitch calculates how much electricity they’ve used and adds the money earned to the ‘Earn’ tab within the app.

• Primark shopper issues 'public service announcement' to all other customers
• Everyone in UK told to take 4p pill every day for five months

At the end of the final free electricity period, the user can withdraw the earnings into their chosen bank account. Uswitch is encouraging consumers to schedule their weekly laundry and other energy-intensive tasks to coincide with the free sessions, which take place during off-peak hours.

This will help users get the most out of the offer and also ease pressure on the energy grid during the week. For instance, households that use the tumble dryer 15 times through November could earn £11.94 back, while those who schedule 20 ten-minute showers in the free sessions could use electricity worth £6.59.

Getting the most out of your free electricity sessions

Device	Power (kW)	Uses in five hours	Power used (kWh)	Saving per session	Over five sessions
Tumble dryer	3.02kWh per cycle	3 loads	9.06	£2.39	£11.94
Washing machine	0.712kWh per cycle	3 loads	2.14	£0.56	£2.81
Dishwasher	0.79kWh per cycle	1 load	0.79	£0.21	£1.04
Kettle	3kW	Three full kettles	0.75	£0.20	£0.99
Electric oven	2kW	One hour	2.00	£0.53	£2.64
Air fryer	1.4kW	30 minutes	0.70	£0.18	£0.92
Electric shower	7.5kW	Four ten-minute showers	5.00	£1.32	£6.59

Homes on a standard tariff with average usage are expected to spend £140 on energy in October, an increase from £63 in September. The £77 increase is down to a combination of higher rates and increased usage as temperatures fall.

Taking part in the Uswitch sessions won’t prevent households from joining any free electricity schemes offered by their provider. Households can also accumulate even more earnings by continuing to take part in Uswitch’s Reduce and Earn sessions, which is part of the Demand Flexibility Scheme.

Natalie Mathie, energy expert of Uswitch, says: "With the energy price cap rising tomorrow, Uswitch is offering 25 hours of free electricity to help reduce the blow. If households move all of their energy-intensive tasks for the week into the free sessions, this will not only earn them money, but also help reduce strain on the grid throughout the week.

"Moving our energy use to off-peak times also helps make our energy greener at the same time, as the grid is more likely to be powered by renewables then. By piling up your week’s laundry and keeping the washing machine and tumble dryer working through each five-hour session, you’ll be able to earn back the cost of your electricity.

"It doesn’t matter who your energy provider is; everyone is welcome to claim their free electricity. You just need a compatible smart meter. The deadline to sign up closes at the end of October, so sign up now to avoid missing out on your free electricity.

"For 25 years, Uswitch has been helping households save over £2.7bn on their bills by fighting for fairer prices on energy, broadband and mobile bills. This free electricity offer is yet another way we’re helping to put cash back in your pocket this winter."

Uswitch's 25 ideas for using your 25 free electricity hours:

Dry your clothes in the tumble dryer

Do all your laundry in the washing machine

Do all your dishes in the dishwasher

Mow the lawn before winter fully sets in

Take a long, guilt-free hot shower

Host a dance party with the speaker blasting

Bake a month’s worth of cakes in the oven

Do all the laundry — and tumble dry it too

Charge every mobile phone in the house

Have a family film marathon

Plug in the fairy lights early and enjoy a cosy, festive vibe

Vacuum the house top to bottom

Iron all your clothes

Play video games for hours on end

Batch-cook hearty autumn stews and fill the freezer

Make homemade granola in the oven - and store in an airtight container to cover breakfast for weeks

Cook a Sunday roast with all the trimmings

Keep yourself warm with an electric blanket

Binge-watch an epic TV series

Practice electric guitar with your biggest amp on full

Host a 'staycation' spa day with hair straighteners, curlers and heated foot spas

Charge up your power bank so you’ve got backup energy for later

Have a party and run the dishwasher as many times as needed to wash all the glasses and crockery

Put the kettle on for unlimited tea and coffee rounds

Let the kids go wild with Christmas lights in their bedrooms