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Guides, analysis and updates on UK electricity tariffs for heat pump and EV households.

Tariff comparisons

Cosy Octopus vs Octopus Agile: which is better for a heat pump in 2026?

Both tariffs are from Octopus Energy and both can deliver cheap electricity for heat pump owners. But they work completely differently. Cosy gives you the same three cheap windows every day, predictably. Agile gives you 48 half-hourly prices that change daily — sometimes very cheap, sometimes expensive. The gap between the two can be hundreds of pounds a year depending on how much automation you're willing to set up.

· Ashley
Guides

Samsung heat pump: the best electricity tariff to pair with it in 2026

Samsung heat pumps are widely installed across the UK, particularly the EHS monobloc and split ranges. They have capable built-in scheduling and SmartThings integration — which means they align well with time-of-use tariffs. The right tariff depends on whether you're using the built-in controller alone or have SmartThings or Home Assistant in the mix.

· Ashley
Tariff comparisons

EDF FreePhase vs British Gas Heat Power: the no-peak-rate heat pump tariff showdown

EDF FreePhase and British Gas Heat Power are the two main heat pump tariffs without a punishing peak rate. Both give you cheap overnight electricity; Heat Power adds a midday window that FreePhase doesn't have. FreePhase keeps you with EDF and has a simpler three-band day structure. Heat Power gives more total cheap hours but requires switching to British Gas. Here's the head-to-head.

· Ashley
Tariff comparisons

Cosy Octopus vs E.ON Next Pumped: which heat pump tariff wins in 2026?

Cosy Octopus and E.ON Next Pumped are the two most recommended heat pump tariffs in the UK right now. They take opposite approaches: Cosy concentrates deep discounts into 8 hours across three windows but charges a steep peak rate; Next Pumped spreads cheaper rates across 21 hours of the day with no extreme peak. Which one wins depends almost entirely on whether you can avoid those three peak hours.

· Ashley
Tariff comparisons

Economy 7 and heat pumps: why it usually isn't the right tariff in 2026

Economy 7 was designed for storage heaters and immersion tanks in the 1970s. Heat pumps are a different beast — they run throughout the day, not just overnight. That mismatch, combined with Economy 7's high daytime rate, means most heat pump households end up paying more on E7 than they would on a modern time-of-use tariff. Here's why — and the narrow cases where Economy 7 still makes sense.

· Ashley
Guides

Vaillant Arotherm heat pump: the best electricity tariff to pair with it in 2026

The Vaillant Arotherm is one of the UK's most widely installed heat pumps. It's efficient, reliable, and has a mature controls ecosystem — but the scheduling flexibility you have depends on which controller you're using. That matters enormously for tariff choice: a heat pump that can schedule around off-peak windows can save £200–£400 more per year than one that can't. Here's how the Arotherm's controls map to the available tariffs.

· Ashley
Guides

Fixed vs variable tariffs for heat pump owners: which gives a lower bill in 2026?

Most fixed vs variable comparisons assume a typical household with flat usage. Heat pump owners are not typical — they use two to three times more electricity than average, most of it in winter, and a significant share is shiftable to off-peak windows. That changes the calculation considerably. A flat fixed rate competes not with the standard cap, but with the effective blended rate you'd actually achieve on a time-of-use tariff.

· Ashley
Running costs

Electricity prices rise 13% on 1 July: what heat pump owners need to do now

The Ofgem price cap rises 13% from 1 July 2026, taking the standard electricity rate from 24.67p to 26.11p/kWh. For heat pump owners, the impact depends entirely on which tariff you're on. If you're on a variable heat pump tariff, your rates go up automatically. If you're on a fixed tariff, nothing changes. And if you're on the standard variable rate, now is a good time to check whether a dedicated heat pump tariff would cut your bill.

· Ashley
Guides

When is the right time to switch heat pump tariff? Seasonal timing and price cap dates explained

The Ofgem price cap changes every quarter — April, July, October, January. Each change shifts the off-peak rates on every variable heat pump tariff in the UK. Understanding that cycle helps you switch at the right moment, avoid locking in at the wrong rate, and know when to check whether your current tariff is still competitive. This guide explains the timing, what to watch for, and why summer is often the best time to switch.

· Ashley