What are the Economy 7 times in my area?
Economy 7 provides seven cheaper hours, usually overnight. Your exact switching times depend on the tariff and meter arrangement; confirm them before setting timers.
Prepared from existing project material on 24 October 2026. Editorial review: not yet recorded. Live figures use the current record; existing evidence dates are unchanged.
See also: What is Economy 7? · Compare Economy 7 tariffs · Is Economy 7 worth it? · Economy 7 calculator
Seven hours does not mean one national timetable
Economy 7 describes a two-rate electricity arrangement with seven cheaper hours, not a single clock time shared by every UK home. Our existing explainer describes typical overnight hours, but that is not a timetable for your address. Even neighbours can have different meter settings or supplier arrangements. An online list of regional windows is not enough to establish what your meter currently does.
The purpose of finding the hours is practical: you want to know which units will be billed at the cheaper rate. A storage heater charging just outside the intended window may use the higher rate. Check the tariff and the meter that actually record the energy, rather than copying a timer setting from another household. This guide gives the verification method without inventing regional schedules.
Start with the bill and tariff documents
Look for the tariff name and separate day and night prices on your latest bill. Check the documents for an off-peak period or a reference to meter-controlled hours. Keep the electricity meter details handy when asking questions, because a supplier may need those to identify the arrangement. A cheaper-rate register labelled “night” does not by itself prove a particular start time.
If the account shows only a single rate, ask whether you are actually billed on Economy 7. A meter with more than one register can sometimes be used under a different billing arrangement. Likewise, a smart meter does not automatically mean you have a particular seven-hour schedule. Establish the tariff first, then confirm which register and switching times apply to that tariff.
Read the meter information safely
A label, display or user manual may show the meter’s register names and timing information. Note the model and any visible clock setting without opening covers or touching sealed equipment. Older mechanical timers and newer smart arrangements do not all behave in the same way. If the display is confusing, take a clear photograph of the accessible information for the supplier rather than guessing.
You can compare displayed registers at different times if your meter’s user instructions allow it, but do not treat one observation as a guarantee that the schedule never changes. Record the date and the clock time when checking. A fault, clock issue or tariff change may require the supplier to investigate. Never interfere with a meter, wiring or a sealed switch to adjust the cheap hours yourself.
Ask the supplier for the exact schedule
Ask for the start and finish times that apply to your electricity meter and tariff, whether the hours are continuous or split, and whether the schedule is quoted in GMT or local clock time. Request written confirmation if the answer affects storage-heater or hot-water settings. The supplier manages your billing arrangement and is the first contact for a mismatch between the quoted hours and the register.
The distribution network region can help identify historical arrangements, but a DNO map does not establish your individual tariff. If a network-controlled arrangement needs checking, your supplier can identify the relevant network information or direct you to the DNO. Do not assume that the regional electricity price table on PowerGuardian is also a table of Economy 7 switching times.
Check GMT and British Summer Time
Clock changes are a common source of confusion. Some arrangements refer to GMT, while others follow the local clock or have meter-specific behaviour. A period described in GMT may appear an hour later on a clock during British Summer Time. Ask how your own schedule behaves at the seasonal clock changes rather than assuming every Economy 7 meter shifts in the same direction.
Confirm both what the supplier means by its stated times and what your appliance timer uses. A timer that automatically changes for summer time may not stay aligned with a meter using GMT. After a clock change, review the settings and check that the energy intended for the cheaper period is still being recorded there. This is a verification step, not permission to adjust sealed meter equipment.
Set heating and hot-water controls with the confirmed hours
Once the times are confirmed, use the manufacturer’s user instructions to align storage heating or hot-water charging with the correct period. Allow for the system’s actual needs; an off-peak window does not determine the amount of heat or hot water your household requires. Keep any daytime boost setting visible in your comparison because it may be charged at the higher rate.
Do not run unsuitable appliances unattended merely to exploit the night rate. Follow appliance and fire-safety guidance, and prioritise the needs of anyone vulnerable to cold. If the controls or heating system require work, ask an appropriate professional. Your aim is to understand the tariff and use supported settings, not to make unsafe changes around electrical equipment.
Use the hours to compare costs, not just prices
Knowing the window lets you estimate how much electricity actually falls into the night register. The night share is the night kWh divided by total day and night kWh, not simply seven hours divided by the length of a day. Household demand is uneven, and a heater charging overnight can dominate the result. Use recorded register consumption where available.
The Economy 7 calculator compares your standard rate with the day and night rates and any standing-charge difference. Our “is Economy 7 worth it” article covers the decision, while the best-tariffs guide explains how to compare offers without an unsupported cheapest-supplier claim. Confirm the schedule before committing to a switch or moving heating controls, and retain the supplier’s answer with your tariff documents.