A MAJOR energy firm with five million customers is offering free electricity on every Bank Holiday.
E.ON Next is giving new and existing customers the chance to get eight days of free electric between April this year and March 2026.
E.ON Next is giving new and existing customers the chance to get free electricity[/caption]
The free electricity will be issued as a credit to customer’s accounts.
E.ON Next predicts households will save £3.50 for every Bank Holiday day, totalling £28 across all eight.
However, you’ll have to sign up to the firm’s Pledge tariff between now and February 26 to open up the offer.
Customers can find out more about the tariff by visiting www.eonnext.com/tariffs/next-pledge.
The tariff is fixed for 12 months and offers rates that track below the Ofgem price cap.
E.ON Next says it saves the average household £50 per year compared to the 26million on the price cap.
That means the average household on E.ON Next’s tariff is currently paying £1,688 a year, but you may pay more or less than this based on your usage.
If you don’t want to switch to E.ON Next’s Pledge tariff, a host of energy firms offer similar free electricity sessions.
New and existing EDF customers can sign up to the firm’s Sunday Saver challenge to earn free electricity hours by shifting their usage outside of peak hours – 4-7pm.
The firm also recently gave customers the chance to get four hours of free electricity on Valentine’s Day.
Meanwhile, British Gas, the UK’s second biggest energy firm, regularly offers customers half price electricity including last Christmas.
Last month, Octopus Energy gave households the chance to pay less for their energy if using it over a one hour window.
Is it worth fixing?
Fixing an energy deal offers you the comfort of paying the same amount per unit of gas or electricity over a certain period.
This is compared to being on a standard variable tariff (SVT) which is subject to the price cap and changes every three months.
However, it can mean you end up paying more if the price cap goes down and you’re locked in to a certain unit rate.
There are currently three fixed energy deals working out up to 6.8% less than the current price cap with Ecotricity and Outfox the Market.
Energy bills are predicted to go up again in April, based on the latest estimate from Cornwall Insight.
MoneySavingExpert says they will then stay relatively flat between July and March 2026.
Based on this, it might be time to switch now and lock in a cheap fixed deal.
How else to save money on energy bills
You might be able to get a cash payment or vouchers towards the cost of energy bills through the Household Support Fund.
The fund is worth £421million and has been shared between councils in England.
Each council is offering something slightly different though with eligibility criteria varying too. Speak to your council to see what help is on offer.
You can take active steps towards driving down your energy bills as well.
Switching appliances off standby is one quick way to save around £45 a year, according to the Energy Saving Trust (EST).
What energy bill help is available?
There are a number of different ways to get help paying your energy bills if you’re struggling to get by.
If you fall into debt, you can always approach your supplier to see if they can put you on a repayment plan before putting you on a prepayment meter.
This involves paying off what you owe in instalments over a set period.
If your supplier offers you a repayment plan you don’t think you can afford, speak to them again to see if you can negotiate a better deal.
Several energy firms have schemes available to customers struggling to cover their bills.
But eligibility criteria vary depending on the supplier and the amount you can get depends on your financial circumstances.
For example, British Gas or Scottish Gas customers struggling to pay their energy bills can get grants worth up to £2,000.
British Gas also offers help via its British Gas Energy Trust and Individuals Family Fund.
You don’t need to be a British Gas customer to apply for the second fund.
EDF, E.ON, Octopus Energy and Scottish Power all offer grants to struggling customers too.
Thousands of vulnerable households are missing out on extra help and protections by not signing up to the Priority Services Register (PSR).
The service helps support vulnerable households, such as those who are elderly or ill.
Some of the perks include being given advance warning of blackouts, free gas safety checks and extra support if you’re struggling.
Get in touch with your energy firm to see if you can apply.
Draught-proofing windows and doors is another – it could save you around £80 over 12 months.
Plus, ditching your tumble dryer and drying your clothes on a heated airer will likely save you £100s over the colder months.
Try warming up yourself instead of blasting the heating on during the colder months too by opting for electric blankets and heated throws.
These gadgets cost just pennies to run per hour.
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