Over 600,000 households face potential heating and hot water loss due to outdated meters needing urgent upgrades before the switch-off.
London: The UK energy regulator is sounding the alarm for over 600,000 folks with old 1980s electricity meters. They need to upgrade or risk being left in the cold—literally! Ofgem and Energy UK kicked off a campaign to get people to act fast and switch to a new meter before the old system shuts down later this year.
They even have a TV ad with Lorraine Kelly urging everyone not to wait. If you don’t upgrade, you might find yourself without heating or hot water when the old meters get switched off.
These RTS meters, which have been around since the 1980s, work by picking up signals from the BBC to manage electricity rates. But the technology is outdated, and the signal will be turned off on June 30.
Ofgem is stressing the importance of getting these upgrades done quickly. They say all customers should hear from their energy suppliers by the end of 2024. If you don’t act, you could end up with heating that’s stuck on or off, or worse, higher bills because of wrong charging times.
The good news? Replacing your RTS meter won’t cost you anything extra. Just be careful of scams—your energy supplier won’t ask for payment details when you book an appointment.
Dhara Vyas from Energy UK is also on board, saying energy suppliers are working hard to help customers upgrade their meters. The sooner you get in touch, the smoother the process will be, and you can keep enjoying the benefits of your current setup.
As of January 2025, there were still about 600,000 of these meters in use across Britain. Fuel poverty charities are backing this campaign, warning that the switch-off could hit poorer areas the hardest.
Danni Barnes from National Energy Action pointed out that many of these meters are linked to older electric heating systems, which are common in struggling communities. The switch-off could make things even tougher for families already facing high energy costs, potentially leaving some without heating or hot water altogether.
