Whoever supplies your electricity, you may be able to apply for the Free Home Battery Scheme. Eligible private households can apply for a home battery installed at no cost, with up to £500 per year towards electricity bills, subject to scheme terms.
Check if your home qualifies for a free battery
Homeowners and private tenants can apply. It only takes a few minutes.
The Free Home Battery Scheme described on this website is not an E.ON Next scheme. Your electricity supplier is separate from the organisation providing and operating the battery programme.
E.ON Next free battery scheme status
- Our Free Home Battery Scheme
- Applications available
- E.ON Next’s own free battery scheme
- Related programme — see detailsE.ON Next has run local, limited free-battery trials — including one with Northern Powergrid in Crowle (North Lincolnshire) and Starbeck (North Yorkshire). We haven’t identified a nationwide E.ON Next free battery offer.
- Electricity supplier
- E.ON Next
- Last checked
E.ON Next’s free battery trials
Checked 30 September 2026. Tariffs and products change — check with E.ON Next before deciding.
E.ON Next has taken part in genuinely free battery projects, which is why “E.ON free battery” is a common search. They have been local and limited:
- Northern Powergrid trial — free batteries, insulation and a monthly credit for homeowners in Crowle (North Lincolnshire) and Starbeck (North Yorkshire). In November 2025 E.ON reported that only 30 places remained.
- Coventry pilot — a fully funded battery and time-of-use tariff for vulnerable customers, run with Coventry City Council and National Debtline.
- Next Gen Home — a subscription bundle of solar, battery, heat pump and EV charger with no upfront cost, piloted with 20 homes. E.ON said it aimed for a full launch in 2026; we couldn’t confirm whether that has happened.
We couldn’t confirm whether any of these is still accepting applications. They are separate from the Free Home Battery Scheme on this website.
Next Optimise and E.ON Next battery tariffs
Checked 30 September 2026. Tariffs and products change — check with E.ON Next before deciding.
Next Optimise, launched in March 2026, is a dynamic import and export tariff priced half-hourly from wholesale prices. E.ON’s software (“SmartShift”) controls a compatible battery automatically to charge cheaply and export when prices are higher. Compatible systems when we checked included GivEnergy, several Fox ESS models, Alpha, Sigenergy and Tesla Powerwall 2 and 3.
Next Solar Storage Steady is a fixed alternative with three price windows (overnight, a 4pm–7pm peak and off-peak for the rest of the day), for homes with a compatible inverter and an E.ON Next export tariff.
E.ON Next’s time-of-use tariffs Next Smart Saver and Next Drive Smart also have cheaper overnight bands a battery could use. Read how tariffs affect what a battery can save.
Flexibility and the OVO deal
Checked 30 September 2026. Tariffs and products change — check with E.ON Next before deciding.
E.ON Next has taken part in NESO’s Demand Flexibility Service, which pays households to cut use at busy times — something a battery can do automatically.
E.ON also agreed in May 2026 to buy OVO’s UK retail business. The deal was still subject to regulatory approval when we checked. It also supplies Sainsbury’s Energy customers and took on npower’s customers.
Does my energy supplier matter?
The scheme is open to private households, whether you own your home or rent privately (with your landlord’s approval before installation). Tell us who supplies your electricity in your application — your home’s suitability is then confirmed through the application and the home survey. Read who can apply or how the scheme works.
Free Home Battery Scheme vs buying a battery
Free Home Battery Scheme
- Battery supplied through the scheme
- £0 battery installation for eligible households
- Scheme owner keeps ownership of the battery
- Scheme owner maintains, services and insures it
- Scheme owner replaces it where required
- Scheme owner handles end-of-life disposal or recycling
- Up to £500 a year towards electricity bills, subject to scheme terms
Buying your own battery
Buying a battery generally means you pay for it (upfront or on finance) and own the equipment, subject to the supplier or installer’s terms, warranty and tariff conditions.
E.ON Next sells batteries on their own or with solar, paid upfront or on finance, with brands including Tesla Powerwall 3 and Sunsynk.
Neither route is right for everyone: owning a battery gives you full control over it and any tariff you pair it with, while the scheme removes the upfront cost and ongoing responsibility.
Could your home qualify for a free battery?
It only takes a few minutes to start your application.
E.ON Next and home batteries: FAQs
Does E.ON Next give away free batteries?
Only through local, limited trials, such as the Northern Powergrid trial in Crowle and Starbeck. We haven’t identified a nationwide E.ON Next free battery offer.
Is the Free Home Battery Scheme part of E.ON Next’s trials?
No. The Free Home Battery Scheme isn’t one of E.ON Next’s local trials, and E.ON Next doesn’t operate, fund or endorse it.
Can E.ON Next customers apply for the Free Home Battery Scheme?
Yes. You don’t need to live in a trial area such as Crowle or Starbeck. The scheme is open to private households across the country who own their home or rent privately, subject to a property survey.
What is E.ON Next Optimise?
A dynamic tariff where E.ON’s software controls a compatible home battery, charging when prices are low and exporting when they’re higher. It launched in March 2026.
I’m with Sainsbury’s Energy — does this apply to me?
Sainsbury’s Energy is supplied by E.ON Next under licence, so E.ON Next’s products are the relevant ones. You can apply for the Free Home Battery Scheme whoever supplies you.
More on the scheme: batteries without solar · renting · free home battery FAQs
Complaints about E.ON Next
Problem with your bill, meter or customer service? See how to complain about E.ON Next — contact details, your rights and where to escalate.
Sources
- E.ON Next — tariffs
- E.ON Next — Next Optimise
- E.ON Next — solar batteries
- E.ON — Northern Powergrid battery trial
- E.ON — Coventry free battery pilot
- E.ON — Next Gen Home
Supplier information last checked 30 September 2026. We are not affiliated with E.ON Next.