Great Britain coverage: what is included
Octopus Agile covers every Distribution Network Operator (DNO) region in Great Britain. There are 14 regions in total, each operated by a different network company. Every one of them supports Agile pricing.
The 14 DNO regions span the full country, from the South Western region managed by Western Power Distribution (now National Grid Electricity Distribution) to the North of Scotland region managed by SSEN. Whether you live in Cornwall, Cumbria, Cardiff, or Caithness, the tariff is available to you.
Prices vary slightly by region because each network has different costs and different levels of renewable generation nearby. A household in East Midlands and a household in South East Scotland will receive different half-hourly rates, but both can access the tariff. You can check the live prices for your specific DNO region on the AgileAlert dashboard right now.
The key eligibility question is not where you live. It is what kind of meter you have.
Northern Ireland: why it is different
Northern Ireland is not covered by Octopus Agile, and this is not likely to change soon. The reason is structural, not political.
Northern Ireland operates on a completely separate electricity grid. Great Britain runs on the National Grid, overseen by NESO (National Energy System Operator). Northern Ireland runs on a different system, overseen by NIESO (Northern Ireland Electricity System Operator) and connected to the Single Electricity Market it shares with the Republic of Ireland.
Octopus Energy does not currently operate in Northern Ireland. The regulatory framework, grid settlement system, and metering infrastructure are all different. Half-hourly settlement, which underpins how Agile pricing works, functions differently in the Northern Ireland market.
If you live in Northern Ireland, time-of-use tariffs are developing, but Octopus Agile specifically is not available. Check with suppliers operating in your area for any dynamic pricing options.
Smart meter requirement: SMETS2 vs SMETS1
Octopus Agile requires a smart meter that can transmit half-hourly readings. This is how Octopus charges you the correct price for each 30-minute slot. Without that data, the tariff cannot work.
There are two generations of smart meter in the UK:
SMETS2 is the current generation. These meters communicate through the national Data Communications Company (DCC) network and are fully compatible with Agile from day one. If your smart meter was installed after 2019, it is almost certainly a SMETS2 meter. This is the preferred and simplest route to Agile.
SMETS1 is the older generation. These were installed mainly between 2013 and 2018 and often lost their smart functionality when customers switched supplier. Many SMETS1 meters have since been enrolled in the DCC network, which effectively upgrades them to behave like SMETS2. If you have a SMETS1 meter, it may still work for Agile, but you need to check with Octopus Energy directly. They can confirm whether your specific meter has been enrolled and is compatible.
If you are unsure which type of smart meter you have, check the label on the front. It will show a model number. Alternatively, call or live chat with Octopus Energy and give them your meter serial number.
How to check if you are eligible today
Confirming eligibility takes about five minutes. Follow these three steps:
Step 1: Check your postcode on the Octopus Energy website. Go to octopus.energy and enter your postcode. The site will confirm whether Agile is available in your area and show you the current tariff rates for your DNO region. This is the fastest single check you can do.
Step 2: Confirm your smart meter type. Log into your current energy account or look at your meter. If you have a SMETS2 meter (installed after 2019), you are ready to switch immediately. If you have a SMETS1 meter, contact Octopus to confirm compatibility before applying.
Step 3: Confirm your export meter setup if relevant. If you have solar panels or a battery system and want to use Agile alongside an export tariff, make sure your export meter is also SMETS2 compatible. Octopus offers the Agile Outgoing export tariff for solar customers who want to sell surplus electricity at half-hourly rates.
Once all three steps are clear, you can apply through the Octopus website. Switching is free and your supply will not be interrupted. Most switches complete within 17 days.
While you are checking eligibility, take a look at the AgileAlert live prices dashboard to see what kind of rates are available right now. Overnight rates frequently drop below 5p/kWh. The visual makes the opportunity concrete.
What to do if you do not have a smart meter yet
A large share of UK households still do not have a smart meter, or have one that is not yet reading half-hourly. If that is you, there is a clear and free path forward.
Request a free smart meter installation from your current supplier. Under the UK government's smart meter rollout programme, every eligible household is entitled to a free SMETS2 smart meter. Your current energy supplier is required to offer you one. You do not have to be an Octopus customer first.
Installation typically takes two to four weeks from the time you book. An engineer visits for one to two hours, swaps your existing meter for a SMETS2 unit, and you keep your In-Home Display (IHD) to monitor usage in real time. Your supply is only interrupted for a few minutes during the swap.
Alternatively, you can apply to switch to Octopus Agile and request the smart meter installation as part of the switching process. Octopus will arrange the installation and, once it is confirmed as reading half-hourly, activate the Agile tariff for your account. This is often the most streamlined route because Octopus handles coordination between the network, the meter operator, and your account from a single point of contact.
Once your SMETS2 meter is live and communicating half-hourly data, you are fully set up. From that point, every 30-minute window of cheaper electricity is visible on tools like AgileAlert and is automatically reflected in your bill.
Agile is not a niche product for tech enthusiasts. It is available to any household in Great Britain with a working smart meter. For most people, that is already true. For the rest, one installation appointment is all that stands between your current bill and a significantly lower one.