Yorkshire households urged to delay the dishes and even their cuppa to save money and water

The simple switch can help ease pressure on both Britain's electricity grid and Yorkshire's water network – and for many households, it could also save money.

Customers on Octopus' smart tariffs already pay less when there's lots of renewable electricity on the grid, meaning shifting energy-hungry jobs to quieter times of the day can help bring bills down.

Kieron Stopforth, head of flexibility at Octopus Energy, said: "Most of us don't think twice about putting the kettle on or running the dishwasher after dinner, but even small changes to when we use electricity can make a real difference.

"Moving those jobs by just an hour or two helps make better use of renewable energy, supports the grid and can put money back into people's pockets too.

"Saving Sessions prove that thousands of households making small changes together can have a huge impact."

Andy Shaw, head of water quality and production at Yorkshire Water, said: "Our reservoirs are currently in a healthy position, sitting at 75.7 per cent, and our network is more resilient than ever.

"As always, we’re asking customers to use water wisely to ensure that our network can continue to meet demand during peak periods in the hot weather.

"A really simple way to do this is by holding off using your dishwasher or washing machine until after the evening rush, or by making simple switches in your usual routine.”

According to Water Wise, kitchens use 22 per cent of household water. In addition to using appliances later in the day, customers can also support the local network by:

- Using full dishwashers on eco settings, rather than washing by hand

- Scraping rather than pre-rinsing dishes, as most modern detergents are designed to work effectively without extra rinsing

- Filling washing machines to recommended load sizes, and using the most water-efficient (eco) setting