Brits can be PAID to run washing machines and dishwashers at certain times – how to claim with your supplier

HOUSEHOLDS can be PAID by their energy supplier to run devices like washing machines and dishwashers at certain times. Britain’s electricity system operator pays consumers to cut their electricity use in order to help manage the system and avoid blackouts. Several UK energy suppliers are signed up to the scheme, called the Demand Flexibility Service, which rewards households with money off their energy bills. The National Energy System Operator (NESO) has paid out a total of £777,800 to households between mid-April and July 14 to cut their energy usage, according to the Financial Times. Sign up for the Money newsletter Thank you! Octopus Energy and British Gas are among the suppliers signed up the scheme, and you can find the full list on the NESO website. In order to claim the rewards, you must first sign up to the Demand Flexibility Service. You will need to sign up through your energy supplier, so you should check with them if they are registered with the scheme and how you can join. Once you’re signed up, your supplier will contact you when there is a DFS “event” – where you can get rewards for using less electricity or shifting when you use it. You may get notified about an event on the same day, or the day before. They usually last for around an hour in the evenings, when demand for electricity tends to be at its peak due to households cooking dinner, watching TV or washing clothes. Most read in Money Cut your household bills and switch energy providers STAYING put with your current energy provider could prove expensive, so switching to a cheaper tariff can ease the load on your monthly bills. Updated every week, our best buys will help you find cheaper tariffs that will save you money. Currently, the cheapest energy tariff can save the average household over £300 on their bills each year. Read more To get rewarded during these events, you will need to slash your energy usage. According to the Energy Saving Trust, the most effective way to do this is by delaying when you use big appliances like your washing machine, tumble dryer and dishwasher, as these tend to use the most energy. You can also switch to appliances that use less energy in these times, such as your microwave instead of your oven. It adds that turning off your TV or lights doesn’t make that much of a difference, so there is not much point in turning off these things during events. How much will I be paid? The type and value of rewards varies depending on what provider you are signed up with. Some providers simply offer free or cheaper electricity, meaning you’ll get money off your bill. While others, such as Octopus, allow households to earn points that they can redeem as bill credit. It is not known exactly how much money households can earn through the scheme. But according to MoneySavingExpert.com, it won’t be in the hundreds. You can expect to earn between £1 and £5 per event, it says. The scheme was first announced by NESO in 2022 to help manage electricity demand during peak times. It was expanded in April this year to reward customers for increasing their electricity usage during off-peak times, as well as lowering it during busy periods. Comment now