E.ON, British Gas and EDF customers can slash their electricity bills on Christmas Day

Three major energy firms are giving their customers the chance to save money on their energy bills this Christmas.

Schemes to shift energy usage away from peak times are becoming increasingly popular with households as they look to save money on their energy bills.

British Gas, E.ON and EDF all offer their customers the chance to get free or discounted electricity during lower usage times, such as on Sundays. And as Christmas is a time for giving, customers are also being offered ways of slashing their bills over the festive period.

READ MORE: Millions of UK households warned to expect another price hike in April

E.ON and EDF are giving customers completely free electricity at set times over the Christmas Period, while British Gas customers will be able to save money with half-price electricity. However, there are certain requirements that households must meet, such as having a smart meter installed.

It comes as households were warned this week of another increase in bills next spring. A forecast from Cornwall Insight suggests that the energy price cap could rise to £1,762 a year for a typical dual fuel consumer in April, up from the cap of £1,738 that comes into effect in the New Year.

Here are all the details you need on the three energy firms offering free or cheap electricity this Christmas.

E.ON Next

E.ON Next customers can get three consecutive days of free electricity over the festive period. The offer is for customers who are signed up to the Next Reward Days 12-month Fixed tariff.

Customers won't have to pay anything for the electricity used on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Standing charges will also be waived for the three days.

Julian Lennertz, Chief Commercial Officer at E.ON Next, said: “As the festive season approaches we know many across the nation may be worried about making ends meet.

“Our new Free Electricity Days deal will help our customers enjoy their Christmas, without worry over the impact any extra electricity usage across these three key festive days will have on their energy bills.

“This is the first time E.ON Next has offered three consecutive days of free electricity and I am thrilled we are able to do this for our customers at a special time of year.”

To get the offer, households need to have signed up for the tariff by December 3. Customers must also have a smart meter, an online account and pay by Direct Debit.

British Gas

British Gas is giving households signed up to its PeakSave scheme half-price electricity on Christmas Day and Boxing Day between 11am and 4pm. Customers also get half-price electricity every Sunday throughout December as part of the PeakSave scheme.

PeakSavers can use as much electricity as they need from 11am to 4pm and only pay half the price. The scheme is only available to households with an electric smart meter.

British Gas said households can save money on their energy bills by doing more energy-intensive tasks during a session, such as running the washing machine or using the oven.

To get the Christmas Day and Boxing Day offer, you need to be signed up to PeakSave by December 15.

Catherine O’Kelly, managing director of British Gas Energy, said: "This festive season we wanted to give back to our customers once again. We know that so many of them appreciated the half price days last Christmas whilst they were spending more time at home with loved ones.

"It’s no surprise that our PeakSave scheme has been a huge success – it helps customers save on their energy costs while also contributing to a greener grid. We’re expecting that to continue throughout the winter and look forward to welcoming even more customers to PeakSave.”

EDF

Energy customers can get free electricity for eight hours on Christmas Day. Households must be signed up to the supplier's December Sunday Saver Challenge, which lets them earn free electricity by shifting their usage away from peak times.

Customers that are signed up to the challenge will be able to get free electricity between 8am and 4pm on Christmas Day.

Rich Hughes, director of retail at EDF, said: "We know the festive period can be a time of increased costs for us all, so we’re thrilled to give back to our customers and hopefully make electricity costs one less thing to worry about when it comes to Christmas Day.

"With Sunday Saver, EDF is helping families across the country enjoy their favourite festive past-times for free, and not just on the Sundays in December - on Christmas Day too."

EDF’s free hours of electricity on Christmas Day are available automatically to all customers who sign up to the December Sunday Saver Challenge and will be applied to their account just after Christmas.

To sign up to the scheme, customers need to have a smart meter that sends readings every 30 minutes.