Demand Flexibility Service FAQ.

  • Han_EONNext's Avatar
    Community Team
    Morning Community 😊

    You may have seen much talk about The Demand Flexibility Service (DFS) and we have seen a demand in people wanting to sign up. So fear not.. let me explain things 😌 First and foremost customers need to be aware that this is aimed at high-usage customers. The Demand Flexibility Service is a new strategy that helps customers lower their usage in small doses and energy suppliers can pay them back if completed successfully. Please have a look over this thread to read more info on the scheme πŸ‘‰ Demand Flexibility Service. Please remember that the scheme is completely optional and nobody is obliged to take part.

    I am sure that many of our customers we disappointed that the energy event last night was already full, and those who we're to take part had prior been emailed. So here is a check list for you to do so you don't miss out on future events:


    • Ensure that you have a smart meter. (if you don't have one, but would like one - let our Customer Services know and they can help you get one booked in).
    • Ensure that you have your smart meter set to give us daily half - hourly reads. You can manage your preferences in your online portal, but if you are not sure please Contact Us so we can help you. (Reads have to be regular, so we would need the meter to be set at that for around 2 weeks before.)
    • Ensure you are opted into certain preferences. These include marketing information.


    With all those steps complete, customers will then be emailed to take part in the next event. The DFS is not something that you can be automatically enrolled onto by Energy Specialists, you have to wait for an email to take part 🌍. The day before an event, you'll then be emailed again and given an 'energy saving target' and asked if you'd like to participate.

    We'll send a text and email to those that have said they'd like to participate on the day, to remind you what to expect, and what you'll need to do.

    E.ON Next are currently in the process of emailing those customers who are eligible to make those changes if they wish 😊.

    Any more questions, please do let us know!
    Last edited by Han_EONNext; 02-11-23 at 13:07.
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  • 41 Replies

  • Mstty's Avatar
    Level 1
    This is extremely late to the party to be honest.

    No reason why all eligible Eon Next customers should not have been able to participate in both the "emergency" reduction sessions triggered by the National Grid yesterday and today.

    Given that apps such as Hugh and loop allow you to take part in every event it is incomprehensible why a company as big as Eon Next have not by now allowed all eligible customers to take part. Given this has been in effect since October.
  • St3v0's Avatar
    Level 4
    My meter has been set to half hourly reading since it was installed but I didn't had any emails or texted messages. So any idea when people can expect them?
  • apjuk's Avatar
    Level 2
    I too have a SMETS2 smart meter for gas and electricity since August 2021 and my readings have been set to half hourly since August 2021 and I haven't heard a peep from E.ON.

    Given the dire situation we are all facing with paying ridiculously high energy prices, E.ON should have made this available to all those that fit the criteria by default and as a priority and BEFORE this opportunity presented itself, not after, there is no reason not to!

    There is no rationale as to why this should be a 'lottery' and all who fit the criteria we should wait to be selected and contacted AFTER the initiative has passed. Do better E.ON!
    Last edited by apjuk; 24-01-23 at 11:01.
  • Mailman's Avatar
    Level 59
    This is extremely late to the party to be honest.

    No reason why all eligible Eon Next customers should not have been able to participate in both the "emergency" reduction sessions triggered by the National Grid yesterday and today.

    Given that apps such as Hugh and loop allow you to take part in every event it is incomprehensible why a company as big as Eon Next have not by now allowed all eligible customers to take part. Given this has been in effect since October.

    The first post in this thread is really just reiterating what has already been promulgated back in October here

    However I do agree that there should be no reason for all Eon Next customers to be taking part so long as they have jumped through the hoops or perhaps the hoops are set up in accounts by default. People still need to accept the invitation to participate so it would still be voluntary. But I get it that folk are also concerned about their data and unwanted communications. You cannot have it all ways I guess. Curious why I was chosen yesterday but not today (when I really would have been more geared up for it). Presumably the grid doesn't need us to save that much today (only guessing) and possibly a quota system for the suppliers in operation (again speculation)?

    Being at my aged in-laws yesterday watching the news, it is easy to see why many of the public might get the wrong end of the stick WRT the Demand Flexibility Service.
    Last edited by Mailman; 24-01-23 at 11:17.
  • retrotecchie's Avatar
    Level 92
    @Mailman

    And up until last night when the service went 'live' so the news articles stated, this period between Nov 22 and March 23 is still very much an experimental 'pilot scheme' to test the systems and iron out all the wrinkles. This is why only a certain number of participants have been included this winter. Some energy companies may have been more or less invested in this than others, but next winter, everyone with a smart meter sending half hourly reads will be able to participate.

    Once all the data from all the suppliers has been collated and analysed, the scheme will be available to all eligible participants next year.

    I don't have nor want a smart meter so will never be eligible but that matters little to me. I save as much energy as I can all the time and have long since stopped working a 'traditional 9-5, so my 'peak usage' rarely coincides with 'peak periods' anyway.

    Sure, I don't get incentivised with cash payments to shift or reduce my usage. My incentive is purely from lower bills from not using any unnecessary energy at any time of day or night. Those savings across the whole year probably add up to significantly more than a few pounds or pence here and there for the three or four months that demand shifting is active.

    Last edited by retrotecchie; 24-01-23 at 12:34.
    Don't shoot me, I'm only the piano player. I DON'T work for or on behalf of EON.Next, but am willing to try and help if I can. Not on mains gas, mobile network or mains drainage. House heated almost entirely by baby dragons.
  • Han_EONNext's Avatar
    Community Team
    Hi all 😊 a reason why you may not have been invited to any of the events yet is because of your usage levels.
    The way the Demand Flexibility Scheme works is that those with an average higher usage at that time slot will be asked, rather than those with a low average . For example @apjuk & @St3v0 if the shift is at 5pm-7pm and in that time you only use very small energy (maybe put the washing machine on, or use the microwave) then you will not be asked to take part for that event. Whereas if someone has high usage in this 5pm-7pm slot (oven constantly running, washer & dryer, 10 lights etc.) they will more likely to be asked.

    This would also help us to understand your DFS pattern @Mailman - you are invited to the shifts you have high usage within. So looking at today's event, you may not use much energy in that period anyway 😊
  • St3v0's Avatar
    Level 4
    @Han_EONNext thanks for getting back to us.

    Ok got ya, so if I want to be invited to reduce my usage at peak time with the chance of saving some penny's, I first need to use more at peak time. I normally try to not use to much at peak time and this has obviously shot me in the foot.😿 Lucky I have an electric car and I now know what I'm charging @ 5 when I get home from work πŸš—βš‘. You don't offer an EV tariff any more been signed up to receive an update for I don't know how long so what time I charge doesn't matter to the cost its 35p kWh peak or 3 in the morning I just have always tried to charge at night rather then peak times.

    What would a Average higher usage look like?
  • Han_EONNext's Avatar
    Community Team
    @St3v0 I am glad you got it! 😊

    I think its always good to remember that in regards to the Demand Flexibility Scheme it is entirely based upon your usage! So if you use more - attend the event - save more. But if you use less then the benefits of the scheme aren't going to be major and in some cases you are saving that money anyway! The max that we have seen be saved is around Β£25.00 πŸ˜‡. EV tariffs are something we have been trying to get off the ground and I understand that the demand is more and more...watch this space πŸ‘€ and if we introduce a new EV tariff we will let the Community know right away! 🚘⚑

    We would typically see a high average user live in a bigger home, this has more rooms and occupants. So the heating is always on for longer as there's more to heat! People who use their tumble drier and washing machine more often / every day. Because of those extra rooms the lights would be used / left on way more regularly than a lower energy user 😊. People with bigger homes and more occupants can of course still be low usage users, but the usage does tend to be higher.
  • JoeSoap's Avatar
    Level 91
    What would an Average higher usage look like?
    My average use for yesterday’s hour was set at 0.9kWh and my target was to reduce by 0.18kWh to reach 0.72kWh so the usage doesn’t have to be very high to qualify.
    I'm an Eon Next dual fuel customer with no particular expertise but have some time on my hands that I am using to try and help out a bit.