Living Room (EE)

Smart meters can be a helpful way to keep track of your energy use. Smart gas and electricity meters can record half-hourly price and usage information and send automatic meter readings to your energy supplier. There is usually a display unit provided as part of your smart meter, which shows you your energy use and cost. You do not need to send manual gas and electricity meter readings to your energy supplier if you have a smart meter.

Smart meters mean that you are only charged for the energy you use, rather than giving you estimated bills, and will help you have a better idea of the cost of your next energy bill. This can help you with budgeting. Smart meters can also be set with a daily, weekly or monthly budget for your power use, and your display will alert you if you go over this amount. Smart meters will also help you see which of your appliances use the most electricity so that you can manage their use or switch them off. Having a smart meter may also mean you are eligible for different tariffs from your energy supplier.

Smart meters can be useful to people who pre-pay for their energy as they allow you to top-up remotely without leaving home, let you see your credit balances so you know if you are about to run out of credit, and allow you to top-up automatically, so that if credit runs out at night or when the shops are shut, you will not be left without power.

To get a smart meter, you need to contact your energy supplier and request one.

Free Smart meters, and their installation, are free. An energy company installing a smart meter may offer other products and services as part of their visit, but you do not have to take these up.

The UK Government have published some information on smart meters:

Smart meters: a guide for households - GOV.UK

Do smart meters save money? | Smart Energy GB