Clear sign your smart meter is lying to you, according to expert
Millions now have smart meter displays in their homes, which should enable them to monitor how much they're spending on our gas and electricity.
For many it provides reassurance and enables them to identify where they can cut costs on gas and electricity bills. We ought to be able to rely on the readings on our displays but this isn't always the situation.
However, around four million smart meters may not be functioning properly, meaning they aren't transmitting accurate information to suppliers as they should be. This leaves households potentially paying more than they ought to for energy as suppliers are left to estimate how much they are consuming. This comes after news that UK homes are taking steps not seen for two years amid Rachel Reeves tax rise fears.
If energy companies don't receive smart meter readings, they will calculate bills based on estimates. One indication something is amiss is if you're unable to browse through the displays on the screen to see how much you're consuming, reports Birmingham Mail.
With the current cost of living, it's normal for people to want to monitor their bills and spending habits closely. Unexpected charges or bills which suddenly vary from month to month without warning may be another sign.
While smart meters don't directly help UK households save money, they enable them to track their energy bills by reducing their consumption where applicable. It's also a good method to keep up with its usage thanks to the real-time data. Smart meters are also provided and installed by the energy supplier at no extra cost, meaning that anyone can own one.
Energy giant Eon says: "Don't worry, your meter is collecting the readings, it's just not sending them automatically to us. Sometimes smart meters stop working correctly for a variety of reasons including losing connection to the network."
READ MORE: Cut energy bills by £300 using these three products found in every home
He added: "Depending on the issue, we'll let you know whether it's a simple fix you can do yourself or whether you need to get in touch. Here are the most likely reasons why the readings are not getting through to us."
You're a new client from another supplier. When you join us, it can take some time for your meter connect
You have an older version of meter (SMETS1). It means you won't benefit from a smart meter for now, but might be able to in the future
You've just purchased a new smart meter (it can take up to 6 weeks to get everything sorted)
The network in your house or neighbourhood went down
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Pensioners race to cash in pots to beat Reeves's IHT raid
Pension withdrawals have spiked in the wake of the Government's announcement of a tax raid on inherited pots. The amount taken out of retirement funds jumped by almost a quarter to £5billion in the first three months of this year, according to latest official figures. There was also a 13 per cent increase in the number of people making taxable withdrawals - meaning over and above their 25 per cent tax-free lump sums - to 672,000 compared with 2024. Rachel Reeves said in last autumn's Budget that unspent money in pension pots is going to become liable for inheritance tax like other assets, such as property, savings and investments, from spring 2027. Inheritance tax is levied at 40 per cent on estates above a certain size. Those who die after the age of 75 will see their pots hit by both inheritance tax and income tax levied on beneficiaries. This is because their beneficiaries are still going to have to pay their normal income tax rate of 20 per cent, 40 per cent or 45 per cent on pension withdrawals too. For higher rate taxpayers, the total tax will be 64 per cent for pension pots charged 40 per cent death duties and 40 per cent income tax on withdrawals. The new HMRC figures revealed a marked rise in the amount people in their 80s - who are most likely to be impacted by inheritance tax changes, taking cash out of pensions in in 2024-25. People aged 65-plus took more cash out of their pensions across the board in the year to April 2025, but older people were more likely to do so, the HMRC figures show. Among octogenarians here was an 80 per cent jump in the amount taken to £360million, compared with a more modest rise 25 per cent rise the year before. The sum withdrawn by people aged 75-80 rose 50 per cent to £1.3billion last year, also versus a 25 per cent increase the year before. The Government has said it wants wants pensions to be used for their intended purpose of funding retirement, not transferring wealth. And the recent withdrawal trends are likely to reflect a change in behaviour by people who had built up pensions intending to pass them to the next generation, who have decided to start spending or gifting the money now instead - especially if they are older already. But there are fears that in future people might withdraw cash unnecessarily, or be deterred from paying into pensions, potentially damaging their retirement prospects due to the inheritance tax changes. The latest pension contribution figures pre-date Chancellor Rachel Reeves's announcement of an overhaul of inheritance tax, and show a 13 per cent annual rise to £14.6 billion in 2023-24. 'The amount contributed to pensions has continued to increase - that is encouraging, given the UK's well-publicised retirement savings gap,' says Adrian Murphy, chief executive of Murphy Wealth. 'But it's worth remembering that these statistics are from before the Government's decision to include pensions in people's estate for inheritance tax purposes. 'It is quite likely we may see these figures plateau, or potentially decline, in the next set of figures.' He noted the increase in the number of people opting to flexibly access their pension, and says while it is good they have the scope to do this as they want, it's important to do it in a sustainable way to fund your whole retirement. Murphy says pensions are still the most effective way to save for retirement so savers should continue to contribute whatever they can afford. Claire Trott, head of advice at St. James's Place, says: 'While it's positive to see that the amount of overall pension contributions across the wider population has increased, the slight decline in the number of individuals contributing is rather worrying.
Scottish Sun
2 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
The new airline launching in one of Asia's set-to-be-big holiday destinations – and could start flights to the UK
Plus, read more about South Korea from one Sun Writer who went there last year ON THE UP ON THE UP The new airline launching in one of Asia's set-to-be-big holiday destinations – and could start flights to the UK Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A NEW airline is launching its first flight in one of the top trending Asian destinations this year. Parata Air is a South Korean low-cost airline that has plans to operate between Gimpo, Jeju, and Yangyang starting later this month - and has revealed plans for flights to Europe too. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 5 Parata Air has its first plane in Gimpo International Airport Credit: Parata Airlines 5 Seoul is the capital of South Korea - a country that's becoming popular with Brits Credit: Alamy In early August, 2025, Parata Airlines introduced the first plane through Gimpo International Airport in western Seoul. The airline's first aircraft is an A330-200 model which has the potential to fly long-distance routes to the likes of Europe and North America. Currently, Parata Airlines has lease agreements for a total of four aircraft. These are two Airbus A330-200s and two Airbus A320-200s - its aim is to operate short-haul, as well as medium-to-long-haul flights from Seoul. Along with its domestic routes, Parata Air aims to launch international routes from Incheon to Japan and Vietnam. Talking to Maeil Business Newspaper, Yoon Chul-min, CEO of Parata Airlines, said, "Based on our top priority, safety first, we will create differentiated values with punctuality and service that we have devoted our heart to. "We need to become an airline that makes us expect excitement and pleasure and become a new challenger in the aviation market." Parata Air was formerly known as Fly Gangwon which ceased operations in May 2023 after financial difficulty. Prior to that, Fly Gangwon flew to Tokyo, Clark in the Philippines as well as locations in Taiwan and Vietnam. While they haven't officially confirmed UK flights, Europe could be one of the long haul destinations, especially as Korean culture becomes more popularised. I went to the unusual holiday destination to be big in 2024 with direct flights, scrapped visas and cheap booze South Korea is becoming a bucket list destination for Brits. The capital, Seoul, was crowned the world's best solo travel destination by Tripadvisor in its Travellers' Choice Awards. Brits are enjoying the culture more too with the rise of K-pop, kimchee and makeup trends like 'glass skin'. The good news for UK citizens is that you can enter South Korea without a visa for up to 90 days. Previously, Brits had to pay for the K-ETA, a visa waiver, but this has been scrapped until December 31, 2025. Even then the price of the waiver is just 10,000 KRW which equates to £5.43. 5 Inside looks bright and airy with beige and blue seats Credit: Parata 5 South Korea has blossom season and is known for certain trends Credit: Alamy It will also be easier for Brits to get to Virgin Atlantic which will launch daily flights to Seoul from March 29, 2026. The overnight London Heathrow-Seoul flights will take off at 9:45am, landing at 6:05am the following day. The return flight will take off at 8:35am and land at 3:05pm the same day. The expansion to the Asian country will also allow connecting routes to destination like Japan, Vietnam and China. If you don't want to go as far as South Korea - here's a London suburb that's been compared to it with restaurants and karaoke bars. And more on the world's best airline, Korean Air that has new onboard suites and a unique 'honeymoon mode'. One Sun Travel Writer visited South Korea last year and here's what she found... Deputy Travel Editor Kara Godfrey visited South Korea last year where she visited the capital city as well as Gyeongbokgung Palace. The country's capital city lies just 35 miles from the border with North Korea. Start early and visit Gyeongbokgung Palace - we were there by 9am in time for the 10am changing of the guard performance, a 20-minute event that recreates the original ceremony. A bottle of local beer can be found for just a few pounds - and we made sure to add some soju, a local rice wine, to your beer too. And a visit to Korea is nothing without a K-pop dance class, where we danced to New Jeans at Frzm Studio, before partying into the early morning at a karaoke booth, also known as noraebang. The second largest city in South Korea is Busan, found on the south coast. Yet is is easy to get to, with a day trip from Seoul simple thanks to a high speed train taking between 2-3 hours. And Instagrammers can rejoice thanks to the Gamcheon Culture Village, dubbed the Machu Picchu of Korea due to the many multicoloured, photogenic houses lining the cliff side.
Telegraph
3 hours ago
- Telegraph
Britain's holiday job disaster leaves teenagers to idle their summer away
This summer, teenagers and students who would usually be serving ice creams, working the tills and pulling pints during tourist season are finding that they're no longer in demand. 'I don't understand how nobody is hiring me,' writes a student on Reddit who is desperate for summer work. 'The other day the guy interviewing me says there was 120 applicants and he was interviewing 25 people to fill two roles. I honestly just want something to do.' The plunge in part-time vacancies is not because of a lack of tourism during the summer months. Instead, bosses are being forced to cutback on summer holiday roles because Rachel Reeves's tax raid, announced during the autumn Budget, has made hiring more expensive. Since Reeves unveiled an increase in employers' National Insurance contributions (NICs) and lowered the threshold at which it is paid, around 84,000 jobs in hospitality disappeared. In June, when bars and restaurants typically staff-up for the short-lived English summer, job openings in the sector plunged by over 22,000 compared with the same month last year. The figures, from the Recruitment and Employment Confederation, have led industry groups to warn of the 'death of the great British summer job'. Pub owners admit that tax rises are wiping out temporary roles first. 'Every pub and restaurant has had to cut back on shifts – you look after your regular staff first to give them decent hours so temporary staff have been hit hard,' says Clive Watson, the founder of the City Pub Company. Parents worried that their children have been idling away their summer after failing to find any work are now taking matters into their own hands. 'A lot of parents are ringing me up trying to find jobs for their teenagers,' admits one pub boss who has been inundated with CVs in recent weeks. Bill Dowling, who runs Compton McCrae, a farm shop and cafe in Dorset, has also had parents contact him. 'I have had more inquiries this year than normal,' he says. 'Parents think their kids should be out earning their own money.' In some households, tensions are growing. 'Mum forces me to be proactive with work but I'd rather be watching cricket and playing golf,' admits one university student, who blames older graduates unable to get full-time jobs for snapping up temporary summer work. A recent graduate adds: 'The reason I've ended up doing a lower-paid job like waitressing – where I still struggle to pick up shifts – is because I applied to lots of well-paid internships [this summer] but didn't get them.' Graduate job postings fell 33pc in the 12 months to June compared with last year, according to Indeed, meaning that there are more older, experienced candidates now competing for part-time summer shifts. As more job hunters battle for far fewer roles, those with blank CVs feel stuck. Kate Nicholls, chairman of UKHospitality, the industry trade body, says young people aren't learning soft skills or gaining confidence because 'jobs which would normally have given them the ability to do that are being taxed out of existence'. 'As a parent and an employer, I'm really worried about this generation of young people,' she adds. Concerned that younger staff with no experience are paying the price for the tax raid, Nicholls wants the Government to offer tax breaks to companies that hire the unemployed or long-term sick. She has urged Sir Charlie Mayfield, the former boss of John Lewis and head of the Government's Keep Britain Working review, to take note as he prepares to publish his conclusions this autumn. 'Extending NIC holidays for those returning to work from long-term sickness, unemployment, or those who are disabled would give businesses the incentives to recruit and make it financially viable to retain these part-time, entry-level opportunities,' she says, adding that she has made this request 'explicit' in meetings related to the Keep Britain Working review. In the meantime, unemployed teenagers, students and graduates are giving each other tips online on how to secure summer work – such as avoiding traditional hospitality roles and instead considering 'more niche jobs' such as car washing – while parents are grumbling about their children playing video games for up to 12 hours a day. Many feel despondent. Already hit hard by the impact of the pandemic on their education and social lives, Nicholls says that the dearth of summer roles is yet another blow for the lockdown generation. 'This was a generation badly impacted by Covid – they missed those rite of passage summer jobs and they missed work experience at school as well. They've had no chance to build up their experience. It's not that the work isn't there or that we don't need staff, it's that we simply can't afford them [since tax rises in the Budget].' The hopelessness set in early in the summer. A 16-year-old with no work experience wrote online in early June that they had applied for more than 40 roles and only received five interviews. 'I was rejected from four of them and haven't heard back from the other one. I'm feeling ready to give up,' they wrote on Reddit. Simon Stenning, a hospitality industry expert, says that younger workers are bearing the brunt of Reeves's tax rises because although they are cheaper than older staff 'they are also less effective, which is hard for operators to afford when every labour cost is under the microscope'. Those who can't rely on family wealth to bankroll their summer plans are being hit the hardest, scrambling for work and going to interview after interview, while those who don't need the money barely notice. 'My son is too well supported by his parents [to care about the lack of summer jobs],' admits one father who works in finance. A teenager who lives in a wealthy London suburb also admits that she and her friends aren't looking for traditional summer jobs, instead preferring ad hoc babysitting or catering shifts which can slot around their holidays or movie marathons. US studies have shown that those who need these temporary jobs the most are the least likely to get them. Around 44pc of 16 to 19-year-olds from families earning $150,000 (£113,000) or more were employed between June and August 2023, according to official figures, compared with 27pc of teens from families earning less than $30,000. As the job pool for entry-level roles shrinks, those from top universities or with more experience are poised to benefit while thousands of others lose out. After a long, frustrating summer, concerns are growing for jobless teenagers. 'The danger we've got is children leaving school and looking for entry-level experience who are then potentially moving into long-term unemployment,' says Nicholls. 'We know that impacts their life chances. People are worried.'
