Local charity the Community Council for Berkshire (CCB) are working with partners in the ACRE (Action with Communities in Rural England) Network and Smart Energy GB to raise awareness of the smart meter rollout. We’re promoting smart meters to off mains gas residents in Berkshire.

Smart meters will replace the traditional meters we currently have in our homes and every home in Great Britain will be offered one at no extra cost by 2020. Smart meters take regular meter readings and share these wirelessly, through a secure network, with your energy supplier. You don’t need Wi-Fi in your home for it to work and it won’t use your Wi-Fi if you have it, and even rural locations will be covered by the network which covers 99.25 per cent of Great Britain.
What are the benefits of installing a smart meter?
A smart meter will enable you to see exactly how much energy you’re using, as you use it, and what it is costing in pounds and pence. Once you have a smart meter, you’ll only get accurate bills from your energy supplier, just as you do with your phone bill. No more estimated bills. No one from an energy supplier having to come and read your meter and there’s no extra cost to you the householder.

In the future, smart meters will make switching between suppliers, or between credit and prepay, quicker and easier. If you are a prepay customer, you will also be able to top up online or via mobile phone.

Smart meters can only be installed by energy suppliers in a pre-arranged appointment and you will not be charged for installation.  When you are eligible depends on many factors, such as the age of your existing meter and the type of housing you live in. To find out more please visit the Smart Energy GB website. smartenergyGB.org