Families will be paid to cut back their electricity usage during busy times of the day under an innovative new scheme being piloted by Octopus Energy.
From Friday, all the company's customers who have a smart meter will be invited to join the trial, which will mean they pay less if they manage to cut their normal usage at prescribed two-hour slots during the day.
The main purpose of the pilot is to reduce pressure on the National Grid by spreading usage more evenly throughout the day, but it will also help households to cut their bills during the energy crisis.
