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EDF's FreePhase Low Standing Charge Trial is a one year scheme for lower energy users who want to reduce the fixed daily cost of having electricity and gas supplied to their home. Eligible customers receive a discount worth ยฃ6.25 a month for each fuel. This reduces electricity standing charges by ยฃ75 over a full year. A dual fuel household receiving the discount on both electricity and gas can save ยฃ150. The trial is offered through EDF's FreePhase tariffs. It does not replace the red, amber and green FreePhase pricing structure. Instead, it applies an additional discount to the standing charges paid by an eligible customer. This guide reflects the position published by EDF on 6 July 2026.
A standing charge is the fixed amount added to an energy account each day, regardless of how much electricity or gas the household uses. EDF's trial reduces this fixed cost by applying a monthly account discount. The customer receives ยฃ6.25 a month for electricity and another ยฃ6.25 a month if gas is also included. Over twelve months, the calculation is straightforward: ยฃ6.25 multiplied by 12 months equals ยฃ75 for one fuel. For a dual fuel household: ยฃ75 for electricity plus ยฃ75 for gas equals ยฃ150. The discount does not depend on the number of kilowatt hours used during that month. An eligible customer receives the same monthly reduction whether they use a little energy or a larger amount. EDF describes the trial as being targeted at lower energy users. The supplier has not placed a universal numerical consumption threshold in its public announcement, so customers need to complete the eligibility process rather than assuming that a particular annual consumption figure will qualify.
The Low Standing Charge Trial is available through EDF's existing FreePhase tariffs. FreePhase is a smart time of use electricity product with three daily price periods: The green period runs from 11pm until 6am and is normally the cheapest. The amber periods run from 6am until 4pm and from 7pm until 11pm. The red period runs from 4pm until 7pm and carries the highest price. Customers can choose FreePhase Dynamic, where the three unit rates can change each day, or FreePhase Static, where the quoted green, amber and red rates are fixed for the tariff term. The standing charge trial does not remove these time periods. A participating customer still needs to consider when electricity is being used. Someone who receives a ยฃ75 annual standing charge reduction could still pay more overall if a large amount of electricity is consumed during expensive red periods. The standing charge saving should therefore be considered alongside the complete FreePhase electricity cost.
The ยฃ6.25 monthly discount is applied to the standing charge rather than the electricity or gas unit rate. This distinction matters because standing charges and unit rates affect households differently. A standing charge is paid every day. A unit rate is paid for every kilowatt hour consumed. Reducing the standing charge provides the same cash benefit to every eligible account. Reducing the unit rate would create a larger benefit for high consumption households and a smaller benefit for low users. EDF's approach is intended to give lower use customers a clear and measurable reduction in their fixed costs. It does not mean that all electricity or gas becomes cheaper. The household continues paying the FreePhase electricity rates applying during the green, amber and red periods. Gas, where supplied by EDF, continues to be charged under the associated gas tariff.
The trial is likely to be most valuable to households with relatively low annual consumption. Standing charges form a larger proportion of the total bill when little energy is used. A single person in a small flat may pay the same daily electricity standing charge as a large family in a detached home, even though the larger household consumes much more electricity. For a low use property, a ยฃ75 annual electricity discount can make a noticeable difference to the percentage cost of the account. Potentially suitable households could include people living alone, couples in small efficient homes, households that are empty for part of the year and customers who have already reduced their energy consumption significantly. EDF's own guidance notes that household size can affect which tariff structure is most suitable. It suggests that a person living alone may benefit more from a low or zero standing charge product, while larger families may place greater value on lower unit rates or time based pricing. The final result still depends on when electricity is used. A low consumption home that uses most of its electricity between 4pm and 7pm may find the FreePhase red rate offsets part of the standing charge saving.
A large family, electrically heated home or property charging several electric vehicles may receive the same ยฃ75 annual electricity discount as a small household, but the discount will represent a much smaller proportion of the total bill. High use households should concentrate on the unit rates and the timing of their consumption. A property using 10,000 kilowatt hours of electricity a year could lose far more than ยฃ75 through an unsuitable red rate or expensive average FreePhase price. For that household, reducing the unit cost of thousands of kilowatt hours may matter more than lowering the standing charge. The trial may also be unsuitable for homes unable to avoid the 4pm to 7pm period. Direct electric heating, electric cooking, showers and family activity can create substantial demand during those hours. The standing charge discount should not be allowed to distract from the larger question of whether FreePhase itself matches the household's routine.
Because the trial operates through FreePhase, the customer needs a suitable smart electricity meter. The meter must be capable of sending EDF half hourly readings. These readings allow EDF to identify how much electricity was used during the green, amber and red periods. Customers must agree to half hourly data sharing and pay by monthly Direct Debit. EDF states that three phase meters are currently incompatible with FreePhase. A person joining EDF from another supplier normally begins on EDF Standard Variable while the company checks the smart meter connection. Once EDF confirms that suitable half hourly information is available, the customer can move to the selected FreePhase tariff. Existing EDF customers with an eligible meter may be transferred more quickly. EDF says the meter checks and tariff move commonly take around five working days.
New customers can apply through EDF's existing FreePhase sign up process. When the household meets the trial criteria, it can choose to opt in. Existing FreePhase customers can also request to participate. Availability is subject to EDF's eligibility assessment. The public launch announcement describes the scheme as a trial aimed at lower energy users rather than a permanent tariff available automatically to every customer. Customers should retain the terms provided when they join. These should confirm the start date, duration, monthly discount and the FreePhase tariff version underneath the trial.
EDF describes the Low Standing Charge Trial as lasting one year. There are no exit fees for participating in the trial. FreePhase itself also carries no early exit fee, so customers can change to another EDF tariff if the arrangement proves unsuitable. EDF warns that a customer leaving FreePhase may be unable to join another FreePhase product for nine months. This means there may be no financial penalty for leaving, but returning quickly may not be possible. Customers should therefore assess their electricity use before switching rather than treating FreePhase as something that can be entered and left repeatedly according to short term prices.
Customers on the Low Standing Charge Trial can still receive the other benefits associated with their underlying FreePhase tariff. These may include periods of free electricity when there is surplus generation on the electricity system. EDF sends a text message before an eligible free period. On FreePhase Dynamic, qualifying consumption is billed at zero pence. On FreePhase Static, electricity is initially billed at the normal rate and the value is later credited to the account. Free periods are not guaranteed. EDF reports that customers on FreePhase between 3 June 2025 and 17 June 2026 received 238 hours of free electricity, but future availability will depend on electricity system conditions and location. These events should be treated as an additional opportunity rather than guaranteed annual savings.
The ยฃ75 electricity discount and ยฃ150 dual fuel discount are easy to understand, but they do not reveal the complete tariff cost. A proper comparison needs to include: The electricity consumed during green periods The electricity consumed during amber periods The electricity consumed during red periods The applicable FreePhase unit rates Electricity standing charges after the trial discount Gas unit rates and standing charges where relevant Any free electricity credits The same calculation should then be completed for EDF Standard Variable, Simply Tracker, Simply Fixed and any specialist tariff suitable for the property. A customer should not compare only the standing charges. The difference in electricity unit costs can be much larger than the ยฃ75 annual discount.
For an eligible lower use household that already suits FreePhase, the Low Standing Charge Trial provides an additional and clearly defined saving. A participating electricity customer receives ยฃ75 over a full year. A dual fuel customer can receive ยฃ150. There are no exit fees, and the customer retains the time based and occasional free electricity benefits of FreePhase. The main risk is choosing the product because of the standing charge discount without examining the underlying electricity pattern. A household that can use more electricity between 11pm and 6am, limit consumption between 4pm and 7pm and take advantage of free periods may benefit from both sides of the product. A household with unavoidable evening demand may find that the red rate outweighs the fixed charge saving. The trial is therefore best understood as an extra discount for suitable FreePhase customers, not a guarantee that every lower use home will receive the cheapest possible energy bill.
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