Energy prices: Why are people being paid to switch off?

People use smart meters to try reduce how much electricity they use

Normally people pay to use their energy - and the cost of bills is high at the moment.

Well now a new scheme in the UK - which started on Monday - gives people the chance to get money off their bills if they use as little electricity as possible at a specific time of the day.

It only works for people with smart meters - special electricity monitors that tell you how much power you use in a day.

The National Grid - a big company that manages energy across the UK - says that more than a million households and businesses have signed up.

The company is trying to reduce the amount of energy used across the whole of the UK.

How does the National Grid plan work?

The National Grid - which supplies the UK with energy - wants people to switch off to save more money

People agree to use as little energy as possible during peak times - which is between 4:30pm and 6:00pm.

This is a time of day that lots of people are using electricity, by putting ovens on, using TVs or boiling kettles after work.

The less they use during these times, the more they can be rewarded by their energy company.

National Grid says savings can range from a few pounds to as much as £20 depending on the amount of energy used.

But as the scheme is only available to homes with smart meters, some people have told the BBC they are frustrated they can't take part because they don't have one.

Why has the scheme been introduced?

People use smart meters to try reduce how much electricity they use

The National Grid wants to reduce pressure on the demand for energy - but what does this mean?

When the weather is cold, more people are using energy to heat up their homes, meanwhile wind power is forecast to be lower than usual at the moment.

It is also uncertain whether the UK will be able to import the power it needs from other countries.

To try to reduce demand, National Grid has activated its scheme.