Please note that this page contains information and links most relevant for people living in England, Scotland, Wales.
The Demand Flexibility Service (DFS) rewards you for using less energy during peak hours.
The DFS started in late 2022 and encouraged people to lower their energy use during peak times over the winter months. From November 2024, the DFS has been extended to run all year round.
Over 2.6 million homes and businesses have taken part in previous years. This has saved an estimated 7,000MWh of electricity at peak times – enough to power the lighting in 54,000 homes for a year.
If you’re interested in signing up, get in touch with your energy supplier to see if it’s taking part in the DFS.
The service uses several energy saving ‘events’ throughout the year. If you’ve registered to take part, your energy supplier will let you know when there’s an upcoming event. You’ll get a notification telling you the date and time of each event – this might be on the same day or the day before.
Each event usually lasts for around an hour in the evenings when demand for electricity is at its peak. If you sign up, you’ll be asked to use less electricity during each event.
To thank you for taking part, energy suppliers offer their customers rewards. These include pounds or points that you can use towards paying for your energy bills. Rewards vary depending on your supplier, but the more electricity you save during each event the greater your rewards will be.
You’ll need to:
How you sign up depends on your energy supplier or chosen provider. Some will contact you via email or in-app notifications. Others have a form for you to register your interest. Check with your energy supplier to see if it’s taking part.
Turning off your TV or lights won’t make that much difference, so you can keep using those things.
The Demand Flexibility Service is run by the National Energy System Operator (NESO) and energy suppliers help to deliver it. NESO is responsible for making sure there’s enough electricity available to power Great Britain whenever it’s needed as well as planning for our future energy system.
When demand for electricity is high, sometimes there’s not enough for everyone who needs it. In these situations, NESO has to switch on fossil fuel power plants to meet the increase in demand.
This sometimes happens during big TV events when everyone switches the kettle on at the same time. These power plants are bad for the environment and make energy bills higher for everyone.
The Demand Flexibility Service reduces the need to turn on these power plants by lowering energy use at these peak times. It also helps NESO maintain a steady supply of electricity, helping us all save money on our bills and lower our collective carbon footprint.
If we were more flexible with how we used our electricity, it could lead to an average household saving of hundreds of pounds each year. A report from Cornwall Insight estimates that a more flexible energy system could save people up to £375 a year by 2040. In the meantime, there are other things you can do:
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Last updated: 29 November 2024
