Households will be paid to use washing machines at night to help stop blackouts

Millions of UK households will be paid to use appliances - including washing machines - outside peak hours this winter. It comes as the National Grid warns some areas may experience blackouts if power plants cannot get enough gas to keep running.

To help avoid blackouts, families will be being encouraged to sign up to a new a scheme which will give them money back on their bills to use appliances outside of high demand times. This could include using your washing machine or dishwasher at unsociable hours, or charging your electric car outside peak times.

The newly launched service will work as an opt-in system for those with a smart energy meter. Households would receive a text message asking them to only use electricity when there is less demand - typically after 7pm. In exchange, they would receive a payment.

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Larger businesses will be paid for reducing demand, for example by shifting their times of energy use or switching to batteries or generators in peak times. The "demand flexibility service" will run from November to March.

It is expected to be implemented at least 12 times to ensure a benefit for signatories, reports the Mirror. It is hoped it will deliver 2GW of power savings to balance supply and demand.

System operators said an "unlikely" shortage of gas could result in families suffering planned three-hour power cuts to protect energy supplies this winter. It said the number of people left without electricity - and which areas could be affected - would depend on how many gas power stations would be forced to shut down.

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