Why average unit rate matters on Agile
On a flat-rate tariff, your unit rate is fixed. It doesn't matter what time you use electricity. Your bill is simply units consumed multiplied by 26.11p.
On Agile, the rate changes every 30 minutes. Your bill is still units consumed multiplied by rate, but the rate for each unit depends on when you used it. A unit at 2am might cost 4p. The same unit at 6pm might cost 38p. The average of all the rates you actually paid is your effective unit rate for the month.
This means your average unit rate is not a measure of how much electricity you use. It's a measure of when you used it. A low average rate means you successfully shifted usage to cheap windows. A high average rate means peak usage is dragging your average up.
Comparing your Agile average unit rate to the 26.11p price cap rate is the clearest way to see whether Agile is working for you. If your average is below 26.11p, you're ahead of the cap. If it's below 15p, you're doing well. If it's below 12p, you're excelling.
The 2026 benchmarks: what good, average, and poor looks like
Here are the reference levels for Agile average unit rates in 2026, benchmarked against the 26.11p/kWh price cap:
| Average Unit Rate | Rating | Typical Customer Profile |
|---|---|---|
| Under 10p/kWh | Exceptional | EV owner charging overnight consistently, solar and battery household, or regular plunge pricing capture |
| 10 - 14p/kWh | Very good | Consistent overnight loading, strong peak avoidance, EV on overnight timer |
| 15 - 18p/kWh | Good | Most loads shifted, some peak avoidance, engaged household without EV |
| 19 - 22p/kWh | Average | Some habits formed but missing peak windows or checking prices inconsistently |
| 23 - 26p/kWh | Poor | Minimal behaviour change from flat-rate habits; peak usage pulling average up |
| Over 26.11p/kWh | Losing vs cap | Significant peak usage; paying more than standard tariff customers |
These benchmarks assume a household in the South East England region. Customers in Scotland or South West England typically see rates that run 10-20% lower due to higher renewable generation in those regions. Customers in London and the East Midlands may see rates 5-10% higher.
What's pulling your average up?
If your average sits above 19p, peak usage is the culprit. The diagnostic process is straightforward.
Open the Octopus app and look at your half-hourly usage data for the past week. You're looking for the time slots where your consumption spikes. On a typical Agile day, those spike slots will correspond to prices of 20-40p. Those are the units dragging your average up.
For most households, three appliances account for the overwhelming majority of peak usage: the washing machine, the dishwasher, and the EV charger. If any of these run between 4pm and 8pm on a regular basis, your average rate will sit stubbornly above 20p regardless of how well you perform at other times of day.
The good news is that shifting these three appliances to overnight timers costs nothing and takes ten minutes to set up. Once done, you'll typically see your monthly average drop by 4-8p/kWh within the next full billing cycle.
Secondary contributors include immersion heaters running on their default timing, tumble dryers used in early evenings, and any high-draw heating appliances on timer-free schedules. Each one addressed pushes your average closer to the 12p target.
How AgileAlert daily use affects your monthly average
There is a clear and measurable relationship between how often you check your price dashboard and your monthly average unit rate.
Customers who check AgileAlert daily and adjust their overnight scheduling based on what they see consistently achieve average rates of 10-15p/kWh. They know when tonight is a 3p night versus a 12p night. They know when a cold snap is pushing even overnight rates to 18p, so they delay that load until the weekend. They know when plunge pricing is forecast and run everything they can.
Customers who check infrequently, once or twice a week, typically land at 18-22p. They capture the basic overnight saving most of the time but miss the contextual adjustments that compress the average further. Plunge pricing events go uncaptured. High overnight nights drive the average up unnecessarily.
The gap between daily engagement and weekly engagement is worth roughly 6-8p/kWh on your monthly average. At 3,500 kWh/year, that's the difference between a £490/year electricity bill and a £770/year electricity bill. Ten seconds per day. Enormous difference.
The target: getting under 12p average
Under 12p average unit rate is achievable for most UK households on Agile. It does not require an EV or solar panels, though both make it significantly easier. It requires consistent overnight loading and strong peak avoidance as the two baseline habits, plus regular price checking to optimise around volatile periods.
For an average 3,500 kWh/year household, a 12p average unit rate means an electricity cost of £420/year before standing charges. The same household on the cap at 26.11p pays £914/year. The saving is £494/year, above the much-quoted £440 average.
To get there from a standing start:
First, set overnight timers on all flexible appliances on day one. Washing machine, dishwasher, and EV charger, if applicable, all scheduled for midnight to 5am.
Second, apply the 4pm-8pm rule. Nothing discretionary runs during that window. No exceptions for regular loads.
Third, check tonight's prices before bed each evening. If overnight rates are unusually high, delay tomorrow's wash to the following night. If prices go negative, run the tumble dryer.
Those three habits, maintained consistently, get most households to 12p or below within six to eight weeks. Some customers reach it in the second full month. The compounding effect of good habits on a variable tariff is powerful and rapid.