Hundreds of thousands of UK households face an increase in their energy bills – because their non-smart gas and electricity meters are being switched off and replaced with smart meters.
A huge change to the network of energy meters which power meter readings and energy use tracking for as many as 800,000 homes is coming into effect in 2025.
And it means that those households who use Economy 7 tariffs, and other tariffs which change depending on the time of day, face paying more for their energy because their Economy 7 meters will no longer work.
These meters operate on the Radio Teleswitch Service – RTS – which broadcasts a signal along with the longwave channel for BBC Radio 4.
The meters will be switched off in summer 2025 and it means households will have to swap to a smart meter.
It will mean price hikes for customers who will no longer be able to access cheap Economy 7 rates and will instead have to switch to another tariff.
Economy 7 is a tariff which offers cheaper electricity at night. So if you move your usage to the night – usually between midnight and 7am – you pay much less than someone on a standard tariff.
Those on Economy 7 usually have night storage heaters, which take in energy at night on the cheaper rate, then release it through the day when energy is more expensive. Economy 7 users also use washing machines, tumble dryers, dishwashers and other high energy items at night on the cheaper rate where they can.
But customers who won’t be able to access cheaper rates at night any more will end up paying more overall when the RTS switch off is made.
Customers will be forced to swap to a smart meter if they want to continue using Economy 7.
British Gas, EDF, EON, Utilita, OVO, Octopus, Scottish Power, SSE, So Energy, Total Energies, and Utility Warehouse have all pledged to work together to help customers transition through the switch off.
