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Daily Mirror
5 days ago
- General
- Daily Mirror
Electricity meter warning as fears 300,000 will stop working after tech axe
Fears are growing that around 300,000 households will be cut off from their electricity - or face sky-high bills due to their hot water and heating being stuck on constantly Hundreds of thousands of Brits risk being "cut off" from electricity ahead of a looming tech shakeup. The urgent warning comes as a phased shutdown of Radio Teleswitch Service (RTS), which was first introduced in the 1980s, will commence on June, 30 this year. RTS meters use radio signals to switch between different types of electricity rates or turn certain appliances on/off at specific times of the day - and are still being used in almost 400,000 households. As previously reported, RTS was originally supposed to be switched off last year, but this was scrapped to allow energy suppliers more time to replace the out-of-date system. However, energy firms have admitted it will be 'very, very difficult' to meet the new deadline despite the extension. Now, campaigners fear 300,000 homes are at risk of their hot water and heating remaining continually on - or being cut off from electricity altogether. Energy UK says more than 1,000 RTS meters are being replaced each day - but based on end-of-March figures, firms would need to remove 5,000 meters daily to remove every single one. Simon Francis of End Fuel Poverty Coalition warns Brits with RTS meters could end up receiving sky-high bills if their energy is stuck on constantly. "We need to ensure contingency measures are in place for those who do not make the deadline and require energy suppliers to ensure fair metering and billing practices," he told the Guardian. RTS meters were mainly installed for Economy 7 or Economy 10 tariffs for cheaper night-time electricity, as well as RTS-only tariffs like Comfort Plus and Total Heat Total Control, and controlling storage heaters or water heaters. According to experts over at Energy Savings Trust, you might have an RTS meter if you: Use electric heating to heat your home. Have a tariff where the price of electricity changes at different times of day. Have a separate box near your electricity meter with the words 'radio teleswitch' or 'radio telemeter'. You have two codes on your electricity bill that start with the letter S. These are 'supply numbers' or 'S numbers'. Live in a house with no gas connection (more common for those living in rural regions). Get the best deals and tips from Mirror Money WHATSAPP GROUP: Get money news and top deals straight to your phone by joining our Money WhatsApp group here. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Brits with RTS meters are being urged to get in contact with their energy supplier as soon as possible to get it replaced. Your supplier has a responsibility to replace your meter and make sure that there is 'no disruption' to your electricity supply. "Your supplier should upgrade you to a smart meter for free," Energy Savings Trust said. "If you can't have a smart meter, it still has to replace your RTS meter with a suitable alternative." If your supplier says it can't replace your meter before June 30, you have a right to make a complaint. You can view Citizens Advice's example letter here.
BBC News
27-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Thousands in line for payouts over forced meter fitting scandal
Tens of thousands of energy customers are set to receive payouts of up to £1,000 each, and could see debts written off, in response to the scandal over the forced fitting of prepayment companies are paying out more £70m in compensation and financial support to follows a review by the regulator, Ofgem, of the way suppliers switched often vulnerable customers to paying upfront, without their agreement, after they fell behind with their UK, representing energy firms, said suppliers had worked hard to "put things right", following the intervention by Ofgem. Eligible customers could receive payments starting at £40, rising to £250 or £500, depending on the way they were treated by their energy supplier, or where processes were not followed £1,000 payments were for customers who had faced "inappropriate installation", Ofgem may already have received help, or have been contacted by their energy supplier. If not, customers did not need to take any action, Ofgem said, as compensation would be paid directly into customer accounts."Our priority has been to put things right for those who weren't treated properly, and ensure we don't see bad practice repeated," said Tim Jarvis, Ofgem's director general of scandal erupted two years ago, at the peak of the cost of living crisis, with energy prices spiking after Russia's invasion of emerged that energy firms were switching people who were struggling to pay their bills onto prepayment methods, either by remotely changing their smart meter to prepay mode, or by entering the property to install a new was a particular outcry when agents for British Gas were found to have forced their way into the homes of vulnerable people. Ofgem responded by suspending all forced installations and launching a review of the practice from January 2022 to January review has found that suppliers "fell short of required standards" in the way they had treated the nearly £74m Ofgem announced was being dispersed applies only to customers at eight suppliers: Scottish WarehouseGood EnergyTru EnergyEcotricityThese firms had already disbursed £55m in financial support, Ofgem said. Another £5.6m would be paid in compensation to 40,000 affected customers. A further £13m would be used to write off debt for customers who had had a forced meter investigations are continuing for British Gas, Utilita and Ovo, representing tens of thousands more customers. A new code of practice is now in place with stricter conditions that suppliers must meet if they want to install prepayment meters without customer Vyas, chief executive of Energy UK, which represents energy firms, said suppliers had been working closely with Ofgem to meet the regulator's requirements, but said there were instances where forced fittings were appropriate."Involuntary installations have been a last – but necessary – resort for cases where repeated attempts to address debt with the customer through other means have been unsuccessful," she said."It's bad for customers to fall further and further into arrears, and bad debt ultimately drives up the prices that is paid by all customers," she Clare Moriarty, chief executive of the charity, Citizens Advice, said she would like to see the sector work quickly to disburse compensation to the worst affected."While it's right that those rules have been tightened, it's also vital that consumers get compensation for the distress that was caused," she said.
Daily Mirror
27-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Warning issued as 300,000 homes risk energy supply being cut off next month
Ofgem recently released an advert featuring Lorraine Kelly to warn households about the switch-off. In the ads, the Scottish TV presenter urges people to contact their supplier, with the tagline adding: 'Don't delay. The RTS switch-off is on the way' Around 300,000 households are potentially at risk of having their energy supply cut off from next month as the Radio Teleswitch Service (RTS) is set to be turned off. This service charges households with linked electricity meters cheaper rates depending on the time of day. The devices, such as Economy 7 and other multi-rate energy tariffs, pick up the different energy rates through the RTS signal. Some RTS electricity meters can also automatically turn heating and hot water systems on and off during certain hours. The RTS is broadcast to energy firms alongside the long-wave channel for BBC Radio 4, and many date back to the 1980s. However, the signal is set to be shut off from June 30 this year as the technology which produces the signal can no longer be maintained. Households which do not upgrade their meter risk being disconnected, as the meter will no longer function as intended. These meters could also be left jammed on peak time electricity rates, depending on when the RTS signal dies. This could lead to huge bill hikes for households affected by the switch-off. Energy suppliers across the board have warned customers of the upcoming switch off over the last few years with many households being put onto a smart meter. However, Ofgem was forced to step in last year as suppliers had been initially slow at switching people over. Ofgem recently released an advert featuring Lorraine Kelly to warn households about the switch-off. In the ads, the Scottish TV presenter urges people to contact their supplier, with the tagline adding: 'Don't delay. The RTS switch-off is on the way.' Although the advertised date is June 30, the process will happen by area from July 1 through to September 30. Currently, energy suppliers are switching around 1,000 old RTS meters each day. However, to ensure that the 400,000 homes with one are covered by the deadline, this number would need to rise to 5,000. Campaigners fear that more than 300,000 homes could be left with a meter that does not work at the current rate. According to the latest figures, in April, there were still 392,000 households with RTS meters in Great Britain. The UK's trade association for the energy industry, Energy UK, said suppliers were accelerating the rate of installations ahead of the deadline. It said that in recent weeks it had seen evidence of suppliers significantly 'stepping up their activity'. Ofgem is also pushing hard on suppliers currently requires them to provide fornightly updates. A spokesperson for Energy UK said: 'It will undoubtedly be challenging to replace all these meters by 30 June,' "It means getting access to every single property to carry out the installation, many of which are in remote areas, and ultimately it requires all customers to respond to contact from their supplier.' Join Money Saving Club's specialist topics "We urge any customers who may have previously struggled to get their RTS meter replaced to please contact their supplier again to arrange an appointment." "Ofgem has also demanded action plans from every supplier, which we are scrutinising on an ongoing basis to ensure that robust contingencies are in place to protect any customers who remain on RTS meters after the phased switch-off process begins." Commenting on the rate of installations, Simon Francis, the coordinator of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition said: "We need to ensure contingency measures are in place for those who do not make the deadline and require energy suppliers to ensure fair metering and billing practices."
Daily Record
22-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
Campaigners urge Ofgem to draw up ‘crisis plan' ahead of RTS meter switch off next month
Nearly 400,000 homes are still waiting to switch over to a smart meter before the June 30 cut-off date. Energy campaigners have urged Ofgem to draw up a 'crisis plan' for July 1 when the Radio Teleswitching System (RTS) is switched off, saying hundreds of thousands of households remain likely to face considerable disruption. Simon Francis, co-ordinator of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, warned MPs that the switch-off is 'doomed to failure', adding that hundreds of thousands of RTS meters will still be in people's homes on the date they are due to be switched off for good. Energy UK, which represents firms, said 392,000 households still had the meters as of mid April, including 129,814 in Scotland. The RTS system, used by older electricity meters to control heating and hot water, uses a longwave radio frequency to switch between peak and off-peak rates, however, the technology is becoming obsolete and energy companies have a deadline to change their customers' meters by June 30. But firms have admitted that current rates of replacement mean it is likely that thousands of RTS meters will not have been upgraded before the technology is switched off. Mr Francis told the Work and Pensions Committee: 'The process is doomed to failure. We are not going to see the RTS switch off on the first of July. 'There's still going to be hundreds of thousands of RTS meters in people's homes on the date that they're saying they're going to start winding down the signal. 'We don't know what is going to happen. The risks that have been outlined are either that your hot water and your heating are always on and you're going to be running up a massive bill, or it's always off, and even in the summer that's going to be disastrous for people, especially pensioners, in not having access to hot water, or it's going to fix in to a mode where it's going to start charging you at the higher rate, and again, that's going to be a real problem. 'And I don't think we've heard anything from industry about which of those is most likely, indeed, it might be a combination of different factors in different areas.' He added: 'So, it's really concerning and we need the industry and Ofgem to present a crisis plan as to what is going to happen on the first of July, to offset this challenge.' Most homes have standard meters and will not be affected, whether or not they have a smart meter. Ned Hammond, Energy UK's deputy director for customers, told the committee that there was 'a lot of work to do here still'. He said: 'While the replacement rate has increased a lot, it is clearly not at the point it would need to get to, to get down to zero customers by the end of June. 'We're working incredibly hard as an industry with Ofgem and Desnz (The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero) on a carefully managed phase out plan to ensure than we can replace all the RTS meters over time and minimise any of those impacts on customers. 'We're very focused on vulnerable customers in these circumstances, in particular as well, to make sure that we are as much as possible trying to engage with them through different methods to help them through that and also be ready to provide them with any support if there are any of those issues. 'We are working very hard on that plan at the moment and we'll have it in place in time for the end of June.' Industry regulator Ofgem has said the risks associated with not having a functioning meter include heating and hot water left continually on or off, electric storage heaters charging at the wrong time of day, possibly leading to higher bills, and the supplier being unable to confirm electricity usage during peak or off-peak times. Charlotte Friel, director for Retail Pricing & Systems for Ofgem, said: 'We have been continually monitoring the industry's efforts to replace RTS meters as this ageing infrastructure reaches the end of its life. Last year we decided more needed to be done so convened the sector and made clear to suppliers they have to move faster. 'Following that intervention, the rate of meter replacements has increased from around 1,000 a month to more than 1,000 a day. 'However suppliers need to do more and ensure customers are protected from detriment, which is why industry is putting in place a phased area-by-area shutdown beginning from 30 June. We have made clear that the signal serving a specific area should not be switched off until suppliers have demonstrated that they are ready and able to respond quickly to any issues customers experience. 'While this carefully managed phaseout should reassure customers that they will be protected, it remains crucial that these meters are replaced so I would urge customers to engage with their supplier when offered an appointment - even if it is after the 30 June date that marks the beginning of the process.' The End Fuel Poverty Coalition has written to the watchdog and the UK Government to raise concerns about the pace and communication of the meter replacement effort. According to Ofgem, you may have an RTS meter if: Your home has a separate switch box near your meter with a Radio Teleswitch label on it Your home is heated using electricity or storage heaters There is no gas supply to your area You get cheaper energy at different times of day, for example, on an Economy 7 tariff If you haven't been contacted, Ofgem recommends contacting your supplier to arrange the replacement as soon as possible. Ofgem also warns that if someone contacts you claiming you need to pay to change your meter it is likely to be a scam.
Wales Online
22-05-2025
- General
- Wales Online
Call for 'crisis plan' as hundreds of thousands face disruption on July 1
Call for 'crisis plan' as hundreds of thousands face disruption on July 1 392,000 households are currently in the line of fire A man investigates his fuse box at home - by the light of a candle - in a blackout Energy campaigners have urged Ofgem to draw up a 'crisis plan' for July 1 when the Radio Teleswitching System (RTS) is switched off, saying hundreds of thousands of households remain likely to face considerable disruption. Simon Francis, co-ordinator of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, warned MPs that the switch-off is 'doomed to failure', adding that hundreds of thousands of RTS meters will still be in people's homes on the date they are due to be switched off for good. The RTS system, used by older electricity meters to control heating and hot water, uses a longwave radio frequency to switch between peak and off-peak rates. The technology is becoming obsolete and energy companies have a deadline to change their customers' meters by June 30. However, firms have admitted that current rates of replacement mean it is likely that thousands of RTS meters will not have been upgraded before the technology is switched off. Energy UK, which represents firms, said 392,000 households still had the meters as of mid April. Mr Francis told the Work and Pensions Committee: 'The process is doomed to failure. We are not going to see the RTS switch off on the first of July. 'There's still going to be hundreds of thousands of RTS meters in people's homes on the date that they're saying they're going to start winding down the signal. 'We don't know what is going to happen. The risks that have been outlined are either that your hot water and your heating are always on and you're going to be running up a massive bill, or it's always off, and even in the summer that's going to be disastrous for people, especially pensioners, in not having access to hot water, or it's going to fix in to a mode where it's going to start charging you at the higher rate, and again, that's going to be a real problem. Article continues below 'And I don't think we've heard anything from industry about which of those is most likely, indeed, it might be a combination of different factors in different areas.' He added: 'So, it's really concerning and we need the industry and Ofgem to present a crisis plan as to what is going to happen on the first of July, to offset this challenge.' Most homes have standard meters and will not be affected, whether or not they have a smart meter. Ned Hammond, Energy UK's deputy director for customers, told the committee that there was 'a lot of work to do here still'. He said: 'While the replacement rate has increased a lot, it is clearly not at the point it would need to get to, to get down to zero customers by the end of June. We're working incredibly hard as an industry with Ofgem and Desnz (The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero) on a carefully managed phase out plan to ensure than we can replace all the RTS meters over time and minimise any of those impacts on customers. 'We're very focused on vulnerable customers in these circumstances, in particular as well, to make sure that we are as much as possible trying to engage with them through different methods to help them through that and also be ready to provide them with any support if there are any of those issues. 'We are working very hard on that plan at the moment and we'll have it in place in time for the end of June.' Industry regulator Ofgem has said the risks associated with not having a functioning meter include heating and hot water left continually on or off, electric storage heaters charging at the wrong time of day, possibly leading to higher bills, and the supplier being unable to confirm electricity usage during peak or off-peak times. Charlotte Friel, director for Retail Pricing & Systems for Ofgem, said: 'We have been continually monitoring the industry's efforts to replace RTS meters as this ageing infrastructure reaches the end of its life. Last year we decided more needed to be done so convened the sector and made clear to suppliers they have to move faster. Following that intervention, the rate of meter replacements has increase from around 1,000 a month to more than 1,000 a day. 'However suppliers need to do more and ensure customers are protected from detriment, which is why industry is putting in place a phased area-by-area shutdown beginning from 30 June. We have made clear that the signal serving a specific area should not be switched off until suppliers have demonstrated that they are ready and able to respond quickly to any issues customers experience. 'While this carefully managed phaseout should reassure customers that they will be protected, it remains crucial that these meters are replaced so I would urge customers to engage with their supplier when offered an appointment – even if it is after the 30 June date that marks the beginning of the process.' The End Fuel Poverty Coalition has written to the watchdog and the Government to raise concerns about the pace and communication of the meter replacement effort. According to Ofgem, you may have an RTS meter if: Article continues below
