When you look after someone, it can sometimes be easy to lose track of your energy spending. One way you can help manage your bills is by using a smart meter.
Carers First has teamed up with Smart Energy GB to show how a smart meter can help you manage your bills. With a smart meter, you can keep a close eye on how much energy you or the person you care for are using with an in-home display. This device comes with your smart meter and will show you how much energy is being used in near-real time, as well as how much money you’ve spent throughout the day.
Smart meters are a helpful way to get more information about your energy usage, they can help to take the guesswork out of balancing the budget for you and the person you care for.
Smart meters can help you save energy but it's not automatic. You can use the in-home display to work out how to save energy around the home.
With a smart meter, the readings are sent directly and securely to your energy supplier. So, there’s no need for you – or the person you care for – to climb a ladder or crawl into a cupboard to read the meter. That means one less item on your busy to-do list.
The only people who can see how much energy is being used are you, the person you care for and their energy supplier, and the only information that gets sent to suppliers is how much energy is being used and when. They can’t see what’s plugged in, or if the washing machine is on!
Smart meters are installed by gas and electricity suppliers. They replace your old energy meters, and do it all safely and securely. There is no extra cost to you and the installation only takes a couple of hours.
Some homes can't get a smart meter yet. Your energy supplier can tell you if you can have one and how soon it can be installed.
Are smart meters or the IHD connected to the internet? Smart meters aren’t connected to the internet. The in-home display isn’t connected to the internet, either. So, you don’t need to have internet access to get one.
Does a smart meter mean my energy can be cut off more easily? No. You are protected by strict regulations against your energy supplier switching off or disconnecting your gas or electricity supply. This protection remains as strong with smart meters as it is with traditional meters.
How much does it cost to run my smart meter? The smart meter itself doesn’t cost you anything because it doesn’t use your energy supply. Your In-Home Display – the handheld, digital device that sits in your home - is powered by your electricity supply. It uses a very small amount of energy and costs very little to run.
Do you need one smart meter for gas and another for electricity? Yes, you will need to have both meters replaced if you are a dual-fuel customer. Suppliers will aim to install both meters on the same visit to make things as easy as possible. You will only need one in-home display to view both the gas and electricity usage. If the two meters were installed by two different suppliers, you should still be able to view both the electricity and gas information on one IHD.
There can be uncommon circumstances where you would have two IHD’s (one for gas data and one for electricity data), such as if the gas meter was installed first so it has its own communications hub rather than being synced with the electricity’s communication hub.
If your gas and electricity accounts are with different suppliers, you will have two separate smart meter installations - one from each of the suppliers
Can you get a smart meter if you are on prepay? If you are on a prepay meter, you can get a smart meter. With a prepay smart meter, you can top up online or via a mobile phone as well as in a shop. The prepay smart meter comes with an in-home display that shows when it’s time for you to top up.
Can you get a smart meter if you rent? If the gas and electricity bills are addressed to you and you pay them, you can ask your energy supplier for a smart meter. You don’t need their landlord’s permission, but you should let them know. If you don’t pay your energy bills, you should ask your landlord to get one installed for you.
If you have a smart meter, is it easier for suppliers to switch it from credit mode into prepay mode, or to disconnect you? There are clear regulatory obligations on energy suppliers regarding customers in payment difficulty, these protections remain as strong for smart meters as for traditional analogue meters.
Energy suppliers are only allowed within the terms of their licence to cut off an energy supply in very specific circumstances, and there are very strict rules set by Ofgem relating to disconnection. If you are facing financial difficulty, then suppliers are obliged by their licencing conditions to discuss repayment options before taking other options such as switching your meter.
At the same time, switching your smart meter from credit to prepay mode due to falling into significant debt can only take place after an energy supplier has gone through all due process – just as with replacing a traditional credit meter. Energy suppliers must only switch your smart meter to prepay mode where it is safe to do so, with clear obligations on energy suppliers regarding customers in payment difficulty, and extra protections for more vulnerable customers.
We encourage you to let your energy provider know as soon as possible if you are having difficulty with payment. If you are in a vulnerable situation, we encourage you to join your energy provider's Priority Services Register. Find out more about the support available to you with your energy bills here.
If you are unhappy with your energy company's service, you can find advice on making a complaint here.
Smart meters bring lots of important benefits to people in both credit and prepay mode, including no more meter readings and being able to top up remotely online. Most importantly right now, the visibility over energy spend that smart meters provide enables you to make decisions about your energy use based on clear, accurate information.
If you or the person you care for are interested in getting a smart meter, click here to get started
Dave looks after his wife Lena
My smart meter lets me see how much electricity and gas we use each day and understand how much energy is used by things like boiling the kettle, vacuuming and the washing machine. This helps me keep an eye on our energy use. This is especially important as Lena's oxygen machine needs to be on 15 hours a day!
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