Britons are being urged to upgrade to smart meters or risk paying higher energy bills, as the Government delays the switch-off of an old metering system used in thousands of homes across the UK.
The Radio Teleswitch Service (RTS), which controls off-peak electricity rates for heating and hot water, was set to shut down on 30 June.
While a last-minute delay has been announced, households still using RTS meters could lose access to cheaper energy rates if they don’t act soon.
In a written statement on Wednesday, energy minister Miatta Fahnbulleh said the pace of RTS replacements by industry had been “too slow”, leaving 314,935 RTS meters still in homes as of May 30.
She added: “Suppliers will continue contacting consumers to book replacement appointments and consumers are urged to respond as soon as possible.
“In most cases, this will involve replacing the RTS meter with a smart meter, which can work in the same way as RTS meters, with automatic peak and off-peak rates, and the ability to turn heating and hot water systems on and off, ensuring minimal disruption to households."
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero says there will now be a more "managed and controlled" phaseout starting from June 30.
This means people with affected meters should not lose access to heating or hot water at the end of the month, however failure to act could see this happening in the upcoming months.
Fahnbulleh added: "In advance of any phaseout activity in their area, households and businesses will be contacted by their energy supplier to inform them well ahead of time, if their meters will be affected."
The RTS is used by older electricity meters to control when heating and hot water turn on, using longwave radio signals to switch between peak and off-peak rates.
The technology is now outdated and energy suppliers were told to upgrade all RTS meters by the end of June. But many firms have admitted they are behind schedule and that thousands of households still have the old meters.
Nearly 400,000 homes at risk of loss of heating and hot water without smart meter upgrade
GETTYIndustry group Energy UK says nearly 400,000 homes were still using RTS meters as of mid April.
Regulator Ofgem has warned that without a functioning meter, households could face serious issues.
These include heating and hot water staying permanently on or off, electric storage heaters charging at the wrong times, and customers losing access to off-peak pricing.
The phasing out of RTS meters has been delayed
GETTYIn some cases, this could lead to higher bills and make it harder for suppliers to track accurate usage.
Households are being urged to contact their energy supplier to check if they are affected and to book a new meter installation as soon as possible.
Fahnbulleh said: "My department has worked to ensure industry will pursue a more controlled approach to the phaseout, beginning with a very small number of homes and businesses in carefully targeted local areas.
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"During this process, Government and Ofgem will closely monitor supplier readiness to ensure the process is smooth and vulnerable consumers are identified and protected.
"These steps will help ensure suppliers are ready to respond quickly in case of any issues and that working families and the elderly are protected throughout the phaseout process.
"The Government is working closely with industry and Ofgem to ensure this next period is planned effectively and consumers, particularly those who are vulnerable, are protected."
Households still using RTS meters could lose access to cheaper energy rates if they don’t act soon
GETTTSimon Francis, co-ordinator of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, which wrote to Ofgem and the Government to raise concerns about the pace and communication of the meter replacement effort, said: "The RTS switch-off process was doomed to failure after it became clear that the deadline was simply unachievable.
"Ministers are right to be getting a grip on the situation and holding Ofgem and the energy industry to account.
"We now need to see a plan published that sets out how the gradual switch-off will take place, including which regions will be affected and when.
"Crucially, we also need firm and binding reassurances that no customers will be left without heating or hot water, and that no household will face higher bills as a result of the changes."
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