Smart meters proving to be a vital support for households during cost-of-living crisis

A third of households with a smart meter are using their in-home display more than usual this winter

Over half of UK billpayers are worried about their ability to afford their energy bills

With energy prices soaring, new research has found that a third of households with a smart meter are using their in-home display more than usual this winter, with over half (53 per cent) of UK billpayers saying they’re worried about their ability to afford their energy bills.

The research, commissioned by Smart Energy GB, also found that more than a third (36 per cent) of respondents said that they don’t know how much they are paying for electricity, while 46 per cent are unsure how much their monthly outgoings are for gas.

Smart meters, which are replacing analogue energy meters across the country, come with an in-home display which shows your energy usage in pounds and pence, in near real-time. Nearly half of all energy meters in Great Britain are now smart meters, and 2022 is set to be the year that smart meters outnumber traditional meters.

According to the research:

• 57% of respondents said that being able to see their energy use in pounds and pence was the most useful aspect of the smart meter’s in-home display
• 47% use it to monitor how much they have spent over a particular day, week and month.
• 55% know how to use their in-home display to help manage their daily energy use, with the early evening being the most popular time to track energy usage for the day.
• 44% said they feel more in control of their energy due to their in-home display.

With talk of bills increasing into spring, the research also found that:

• 94% of UK billpayers with a smart meter have implemented at least one of the energy saving habits listed in the survey
• 38% of these changes directly inspired by their in-home display. These changes include:
• turning off lights in a room no-one is using (60%)
• only boiling the water they need in the kettle (51%)
• using energy efficient lighting (48%)
• washing clothes at a lower temperature (43%).

“It is an extremely challenging time for many households at the moment and there are no quick fixes or easy answers, but a smart meter can be a really helpful tool for people wanting to feel a bit more in control, with more visibility on their energy use and avoiding the uncertainties of estimated bills.”

“As we can see from our survey, more people are actively using their smart meter and in-home display during this difficult time and many are feeling more in control of their energy use as a result. There’s a lot of really helpful information available on how to use energy more efficiently on the Smart Energy GB website.”
Victoria Bacon
Director at Smart Energy GB