Can I join more than one scheme?

Short answer: only one Demand Flexibility Service (DFS) scheme at a time, but schemes outside DFS can usually sit alongside it.

The DFS rule

NESO's DFS pays providers (suppliers, apps and aggregators) to get households to use less, or more, electricity at set times. Households can join only one DFS provider at a time (NESO). Uswitch warns that if you are registered with more than one DFS scheme when a session runs, you may be paused from earning in both until you leave all but one (Uswitch).

DFS-linked schemes include Octopus Saving Sessions (Power Up and Power Down), Uswitch Reduce & Earn, and the apps and suppliers on NESO's provider list such as Axle, Equiwatt, Hildebrand and Shuffle.

Schemes outside DFS

MoneySavingExpert lists British Gas PeakSave Sundays and PeakSave Green Flex as not linked to NESO (MSE). Uswitch says you can take part in its free electricity offers while enrolled in an energy saving scheme with another provider, but its Reduce & Earn sessions still count as your one DFS scheme.

Supplier schemes such as EDF Sunday Saver, EDF FreePhase, E.ON Next PowerUp and Ovo Power Move are tied to being that supplier's customer. Since you have one electricity supplier, in practice you can only use that supplier's own schemes.

A practical approach

1. Use your own supplier's schemes.
2. Pick one DFS provider (which may be your supplier).
3. Check each scheme's terms before signing up to a second one.