Exact date households with major energy firm have to apply for half price electricity on Christmas Day

AN energy firm with seven million customers is offering half price electricity on Christmas Day – but there’s a deadline to apply.

British Gas is extending the discount through its PeakSave scheme which first launched last year.

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You can sign up via the firm’s website and then any electricity used between 11am and 4pm on December 25 will be reduced in price.

Any money you save will be credited to your account afterwards and show up as “PeakSave Credit” on your bill.

But, crucially you have to sign up by December 17 if you want to take part in the saving session.

Meanwhile, you will only be able to register if you have a smart energy meter that can send up to half hourly readings.

It comes after British Gas extended its PeakSave Sunday sessions, which were planned to stop on December 31.

The firm said they will now halt after February next year at the earliest.

The scheme rewards customers for using electricity at off-peak times when there is less pressure on the network and a lower need to rely on energy generated by fossil fuels.

The sessions take place between 11am and 4pm every Sunday, with any savings made credited back to customer accounts after.

More than 425,000 British Gas customers have taken part in the sessions so far, earning almost £6 back each.

What other energy bill help is there?

If you’re not with British Gas, Ovo Energy is paying eligible households £15 a month if they reduce their energy consumption during peak times through its Power Move scheme.

Those taking part have to cut their usage between 4-7pm to less than 13.5%. The scheme is running until December 31.

Bear in mind, you can only sign up to the scheme if you’re an Ovo pay monthly customer with a smart meter that send half-hourly readings.

Meanwhile, a number of energy companies are paying households to use less energy at peak times through the Demand Flexibility Service.

The scheme was relaunched on October 30 and runs over the colder months.

Customers who use less electricity than they normally do during certain hours are paid for any savings made.

You have to have a smart meter to take part and only certain suppliers are taking part, including British Gas, Octopus and Ovo.

A number of other energy firms offer grants to customers struggling with their energy bills too, including British Gas.

For example, E.ON Next customers can get help replacing appliances or covering bills via the firm’s Energy Fund.

British Gas also offers households grants worth up to £1,500 through its British Gas Energy Support Fund.

Any British Gas or Scottish Power energy customer who is struggling to pay their bill and has sought money and energy advice can apply.

Meanwhile, tens of thousands of households in England can get help with the cost of living via the Household Support Fund.

The latest round of funding is worth £842million and has been distributed among local authorities.

That means what you are entitled to varies depending on where you live, although in most cases help is offered to those on benefits or a low income.

Households in Nottinghamshire, Torbay, West Northamptonshire and Dorset can all get help before Christmas.

You should contact your local council to see what help is available. You can find your local authority by using the Government’s online locator tool.

You can also join our new Sun Money Facebook group to share stories and tips and engage with the consumer team and other group members.

This post first appeared on thesun.co.uk