Why Agile prices jump at 4pm: the evening peak explained
Agile prices from 4pm to 7pm are the most expensive of the day. On each of the first 18 days of October 2026, London's dearest half-hour fell in that window, and the price rose by a typical 15p/kWh at 4pm. The three-hour peak averaged more than twice the rest of the day.
Why 4pm to 7pm costs more
Octopus says it built Agile to move use away from the 4pm to 7pm peak, when demand is highest and it pays the most for power. So the tariff passes those higher costs straight through.
Wholesale prices are only part of it. Octopus says transmission charges for moving power across the grid apply only in the 4pm to 7pm window. Distribution charges for local networks are also much higher then, and close to zero at other times.
To cover these, the Agile formula adds a peak-time premium to every half-hour from 4pm to 7pm. That is why the price steps up sharply at 4pm and drops again at 7pm, rather than rising gradually.
How big the peak was in October 2026
These are London (region C) averages from 1 to 18 October 2026. Prices carry no VAT this month, as household electricity is zero-rated until 31 March 2027.
| Time of day | Average price |
|---|---|
| Midnight to 4am | 21.52p/kWh |
| 4am to 8am | 25.59p/kWh |
| 8am to 12pm | 24.46p/kWh |
| 12pm to 4pm | 19.25p/kWh |
| 4pm to 7pm | 44.58p/kWh |
| 7pm to midnight | 28.75p/kWh |
Three things stand out. The peak averaged 44.58p/kWh, against 24.14p/kWh for all other hours. Of 108 peak half-hours, 90 cost 40p/kWh or more. The dearest was 66.83p/kWh at 6:30pm on 6 October.
The cheapest stretch was not overnight but 12pm to 4pm, at 19.25p/kWh. Weekends did not help either: the weekend peak averaged 44.78p/kWh, slightly above weekdays.
Every region has the same step
The jump at 4pm was similar across Britain, between 14p and 17p/kWh. What differs is the overall level, which is highest in Northern Scotland.
| Region | 4pm to 7pm average | Rest of day | Typical jump at 4pm |
|---|---|---|---|
| London | 44.58p | 24.14p | 15.00p |
| Yorkshire | 45.58p | 24.14p | 16.00p |
| East Midlands | 46.58p | 24.14p | 17.00p |
| West Midlands, North East, North West, Southern England | 46.37p | 25.52p | 15.16p |
| Eastern England, Southern Scotland | 47.37p | 25.52p | 16.16p |
| South East England, South Wales | 48.17p | 26.89p | 15.31p |
| South Western England | 48.97p | 28.26p | 14.46p |
| Merseyside and North Wales | 49.17p | 26.89p | 16.30p |
| Northern Scotland | 51.76p | 29.64p | 15.61p |
All figures are p/kWh for 1 to 18 October 2026. The typical jump is the median rise from the 3:30pm price to the 4pm price. You can compare today's Agile prices across all 14 regions.
What moving out of the peak saves
Take a car charge of 7kWh in London. At October's 4pm to 7pm average it would cost about £3.12. Moved to 12pm to 4pm, it would cost about £1.35, a saving of £1.77 each time.
Smaller loads add up too. A 1.2kWh dishwasher cycle cost about 54p in the peak, against about 23p at midday.
The cheapest times to run an appliance today are worked out for any run length. Today's Agile prices for your region show the peak as it is published, usually soon after 4pm the day before.
Will the peak get bigger this winter?
Octopus says capacity market costs, which pay to keep enough generating capacity available, apply to weekday 4pm to 7pm use from November to February. That is one more cost that lands in the same three hours.
You can watch how the peak changes month by month in the Agile price history charts.
FAQ
Why are Agile prices so high between 4pm and 7pm? Demand peaks then, and Octopus says network charges for transmission and distribution fall mostly in those hours. The Agile formula adds a premium to cover them.
How much more does Agile cost at peak time? In London from 1 to 18 October 2026, the 4pm to 7pm average was 44.58p/kWh, against 24.14p/kWh for the rest of the day.
What is the cheapest time of day on Agile? It changes daily, but in early October 2026 the 12pm to 4pm block averaged lowest in London, at 19.25p/kWh.
Are Agile peak prices lower at weekends? Not in October 2026. London's weekend peak averaged 44.78p/kWh, about the same as weekdays.