On 11 July 2024, Energy Projects Plus attended National Energy Action’s first smart meter symposium in London.

The event brought together over 60 attendees from across a range of sectors to reiterate
the plethora of benefits smart meters offer; examine what challenges consumers face; and
to collaboratively discuss solutions, opportunities and priorities for the remainder of the rollout.

The following summary provides an overview of attendee’s feedback throughout the different
discussion sessions. This is reflective of the views shared by attendees on the day and not
the view of Energy Projects Plus, or National Energy Action.

Attendees were asked how the smart meter rollout campaign could incentivise customers:

• National focus/promotional plan on smart meters with targeted consistent communications. Help needed to overcome historical barriers which are still entrenched.
• Energy suppliers to link in with trusted community groups/intermediaries who can then offer follow-up support or home visits.
• Provide free smart meter training for third party advisers who are face-to-face with customers.
• Incentivise charities/community groups to make client referrals directly to energy suppliers
• Suppliers to address previous issues via a dedicated consumer-facing smart meter team. If a meter cannot be fitted at the current time, explain why and what the alternative solutions might be. This would improve the experience for households.
• Requirement for energy suppliers to offer or signpost people on the priority services register to an organisation that can provide one-to-one advice on smart meters.
• Education and info sharing – how they work/benefits/myth bust one-to-one. Manage expectations e.g. explaining how savings are not automatic, but the smart meter and in-home display can help.
• Nuanced messaging as we don’t want vulnerable people to reduce their consumption.
• Give practical examples i.e. ease of accessing financial support such as EBSS discount applied directly to smart meter accounts during the energy crisis; cost savings as not having to travel to vend.
• A referral to home energy efficiency advice (national or local) or energy efficiency measures (low cost or extensive measures).
• Energy suppliers to communicate with consumers about time-of-use tariffs to reinforce the financial benefit.
• Trust issues could be improved by guarantees for service/what they can expect.
• Further price differentials for DFS or DSR participation (but concern this would benefit EV drivers disproportionately).
• All parties need to be focused on articulating the benefits, especially for those who prepay for their energy or for people in vulnerable circumstances.
• It should be an enhanced, clear right for tenants to request a smart meter.
• Explain how half-hourly readings benefit overall management of our energy system and communicate how the energy market will change.
• Suppliers offering ‘carrots’ to consumers rather than ‘sticks’, but requirements could be enforced in some cases e.g. installed alongside grants.
• Meaningful aftercare.
• Financial incentives for consumers, e.g.:

• • Offer shopping vouchers/gift cards (although some suppliers have tried this previously and it only led to a 4% conversion rate)
  • Free energy or discounted energy
  • Welcome bonus
  • Refer a friend
  • Competitive tariffs for smart meter owners
  • Recognisable reward schemes – partnerships with Nectar/Tesco Clubcard
  • Cash rewards or household incentives for successful access to property/repeat appointments due to tech issues or cancelled visits due to supplier capacity.

Attendees were asked how we could adapt the smart meter journey for people with different vulnerabilities:

• More research needed on benefits of smart for different characteristics based on Priority Services Register needs codes and working with specialist charities to drive awareness.
• Outbound calls/texts to different types of customers based on their needs
• Vulnerability training for smart meter installers – enabling them to recognise vulnerabilities and what support might be needed leading up to, during and after an install.
• Instances of customer vulnerabilities not being known at point of installation – is there a better way of identifying vulnerable customers at the beginning of the smart meter journey?
• Priority services register – make customers aware of what this is and ensure smart meter benefits are built into the conversation.
• Promote via health service (e.g. OTs at the point of discharging patients).
• Additional support required for customers who are dependent upon electricity – could this come from a health partner e.g. include information on smart meters (and benefit of switching to credit mode if applicable) in literature/guidance on using electrical medical equipment at home?
• All parties (suppliers, consumer advocates, housing providers, local authorities etc.) to promote the accessible in-home display. Give free demo devices to charities/community groups who can then physically show them to their clients.
• Free in-home display replacements for vulnerable customers.
• Energy suppliers to partner more with trusted community organisations or charities e.g. RNIB to help visually impaired customers.
• Joining up consistent advice and referrals/handovers between advice providers or local or national agencies.
• Energy suppliers to follow up with vulnerable customers when there has been a power cut, to ensure that their smart meter is functioning correctly when back on supply.
• Education on consumer rights is needed e.g. when does the warranty run out? What are you entitled to if things go wrong with your smart meter? Who is responsible?
• Move away from app-only solutions, however there was also a request for apps to be compatible with iPads as that is often not the case. iPads have larger displays offering opportunities for larger text/design features/images.
• Review the aftercare offer – who best to provide this and address issues post install? Need to map out which agencies should be involved.
• Already have success with targeted local campaigns for people with health conditions/disabilities via the Smart Energy GB in Communities programme – draw on these learnings

Other points raised at the symposium:

• Locally based community organisations are in a position of trust, but they need funding and training to communicate the benefits and reach people face-to-face.
• Frontline advisers aware that clients have multiple issues meaning that smart meters aren’t a priority for them. Importance of building trust and recognising when it’s the right time to discuss it.
• Gas safety engineers can’t make required checks on appliances if the customer has self-disconnected and there are arrears from standing charges building up on the meter. It was queried whether a free phoneline and free energy top-ups for smart prepay could be provided in this instance to ensure they take place?
• Need to be looking ahead at the overall timescale for the rollout (and RTS replacement) and how future challenges will be dealt with.
• Danger of creating a two-tier energy system where vulnerable consumers are left behind on legacy meters.
• Need for a centralised database of properties where smart meters cannot yet be installed and
  the reason – this would help industry to identify collaborative solutions.
• What can be done with smart meter data? Understanding of what can be done/who can access this data is quite opaque. How can we make more use of aggregated/anonymised data to support vulnerable households?
• Potential for more regulation, concentrated on specific tenures.
• How could the distribution network operators play a bigger role? What might this look like?
• Greater clarity is needed around who is responsible and accountable for what with smart meters to help overcome technical challenges.

Our Smart Meter fact sheet is available on our advice page, here.

Please contact info@epplus.org for more information