Smart Meters Explained: Benefits, Concerns and How to Get One
A smart meter is a newer type of gas and electricity meter that sends your readings automatically to your supplier. It comes with an in-home display that shows how much energy you are using and what it costs. They are widely promoted, but also surrounded by myths. Here is a balanced look.
How they work
Smart meters communicate through a secure national network, separate from your home broadband or Wi-Fi, so your readings go directly to your supplier. The in-home display shows current usage in pounds and pence and in kWh, so you can see the effect of switching appliances on or off.
Potential benefits
- No more estimated bills. Your supplier receives your actual use, so bills should be more accurate.
- No manual readings, which is a convenience, particularly if your meter is hard to reach.
- Awareness of your use. Seeing costs in real time can help you spot and reduce wasteful use.
- Access to smart tariffs, including time-of-use rates and some export tariffs for solar. See our guide to time-of-use tariffs.
- Easier prepayment top-ups and remote reading for pay-as-you-go customers.
Common concerns
- Do I have to have one? Suppliers must take all reasonable steps to offer you a smart meter, but in general you can decline an installation, although your supplier may keep asking.
- Do they lower my bill? Not by themselves. The meter only measures and reports. Savings come from what you do with the information.
- Will it still work if I switch? Current-generation meters, known as SMETS2, are designed to keep working in smart mode when you change supplier. Some earlier first-generation meters have been brought onto the national network. If yours loses smart functions, ask your supplier.
- Privacy: your data is protected under data protection law. Your supplier needs monthly readings for billing, and you can usually choose whether to share more frequent data, such as half-hourly readings, unless you are on a tariff that needs it.
- Health and safety: smart meters communicate using low-power radio signals, and public health bodies have reviewed the evidence. If you have concerns, you can discuss them with your supplier or use public health information.
- Signal problems: in some places the signal is poor, and the display may not connect. Your supplier can advise.
How to get one
Contact your supplier and ask for an installation. It is normally free. An engineer replaces your gas and electricity meters in one visit, usually within a couple of hours, and will briefly interrupt your supply. Make sure the engineer shows you how to use the display. If you are a tenant, check with your landlord if the meter is on their account or on a shared supply.
Making the most of it
Check the display at different times of day and make a note of your baseline usage when everything is off. The remaining use shows what runs all the time. Combine it with smart plugs and energy monitors to see what individual appliances use, and use our appliance cost calculator to estimate the effect of changes.