Get smart about your energy bills

Polish money saving expert calls on people in Britain to get their gas and electricity bills under control, with the help of a smart meter

 

Polish people in Britain, including the eight in ten who rent their homes, could be saving money on their energy bills with the help of a smart meter. This is the message from Mateusz Masłoń, an expert on saving money while living in Britain.

 

 

Smart meters are the new generation of gas and electricity meters – and everyone can ask for one at no additional cost from their energy supplier, including people who rent or share with friends. Five million have already been installed as part of the national rollout, and eight in ten people who’ve got one would recommend it to others. 

 

 

The new meters send gas and electricity readings straight to your supplier, meaning you get accurate bills, rather than estimates. And they come with a digital in-home display, which shows you exactly what you’re spending in pounds and pence, in near real time – so you always know how much gas and electricity you’re using, and can take action to cut it down.

 

 

If you have a prepay meter, your new smart meter will allow you to top up credit immediately on the phone, online or in a shop. And you won’t need to access your meter, which may be outside or in a hard-to-reach cupboard, to top up with a key or card. So there’s no more need to worry about running out of energy in the middle of the night, or running into expensive emergency credit.

 

 

Mateusz Masłoń provides money-saving tips and information to the Polish community in Britain via his website, Tania Brytania. He is encouraging Polish people to contact their supplier to get their smart meter.

 

 

Mateusz said: “I’m always on the lookout for the best ways to help Polish people in Britain to save money. Smart meters are definitely a solution worth recommending. They show you clearly how much you are spending on gas and electricity, making it much easier for you to manage and take control of your household budget. Smart meters also mean you can be certain that your bills are accurate. Energy bills are a big expense, particularly in the colder winter months, and smart meters help us all to get our gas and electricity under control.

 

 

“Most Polish people in Britain will be renting their homes and it’s important to know that you can still get a smart meter, even if you rent – so don’t miss out.  Smart meters are installed in our homes at no extra cost! I’m getting one, so I’d encourage you to contact your energy supplier for your smart meter as soon as possible."

 

 

Smart Energy GB is the voice of the smart meter rollout. Claire Maugham, Director of Policy and Communications, said: “Energy bills are one of our biggest costs, but we often have no idea how much gas and electricity we’re using day to day, or how much our next bill will be.  Smart meters give us control over our gas and electricity use. When you know how much you’re using, you can see where you’re wasting money, and take action to cut down.” 

 

To get a smart meter, contact your energy supplier. Or for more information about smart meters, in Polish, visit smartenergygb.org/pl

 

 

 

 

Top facts about smart meters

 

 

 

1. What is a smart meter?

 

Smart meters are digital gas an electricity meters replacing out-dated traditional meters in Britain. They send automatic meter readings to your energy supplier, meaning you always get accurate bills. They also send information to an accompanying in-home display, which shows you exactly how much energy you’re using and what it’s costing you in pounds and pence – in near real time.

 

 

2. How can smart meters help me save money?

 

They show you how much energy you’re using as you use it, so you have all the information you need to manage your budget, make energy-saving changes at home, and bring down your bills. Eight in ten people with smart meters have taken at least one step to reduce their energy use at home.

 

 

3. What if I have a prepayment meter?

 

Smart meters make prepayment as easy as pay-as-you-go on your mobile. They allow you to:

 

• See how much credit you have left on your in-home display
• Add credit immediately when and where you want to – online, on the phone, or in a shop
• Top up without having to access your meter with a key or card

With a smart meter, you don’t need a new meter installed if you want to switch to credit mode, or back to prepay. Smart meters will reduce the costs of running prepay meters, so the price of prepaying for your energy will go down.

 

 

4. How and when can I get one?

 

Everyone in England, Wales and Scotland will be offered a smart meter by their energy supplier – including people who rent their home. Contact your supplier to get yours

 

 

5. Will it cost me anything to get one?

 

There is no additional charge for a smart meter or for the in-home display. You won’t have an extra charge on your bill when you upgrade to a smart meter. The costs will be spread across everyone’s bills, just as the cost of running and maintaining traditional meters is.

 

 

6. Can I get a smart meter if I rent my home?

 

If you pay your bills, you can get a smart meter. You don’t need to get permission from your landlord.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Notes to editors

 

About Smart Energy GB

 

Smart Energy GB is the voice of the smart meter rollout. It’s our task to help everyone in Great Britain understand smart meters, the national rollout and how to use their new meters to get their gas and electricity under control. Our national campaign has already begun and will reach all households and microbusinesses in England, Scotland and Wales. For more information visit our website smartenergyGB.org

 

About smart meters and the rollout

 

Smart meters replace the traditional meters we currently have in our homes. They enable accurate bills, near real time information on energy use in pounds and pence, and greater control over the way we buy and use energy. The smart meter rollout is an essential technology upgrade, unprecedented in its scale, to improve Great Britain’s energy infrastructure. 

 

Almost 5 million smart meters have already been installed in homes and microbusinesses, and between now and 2020 every household in England, Scotland and Wales will be offered one at no additional cost. Contact your energy supplier today about installing your smart meter. 

 

Media contacts 

 

For more information including interview requests, case studies of smart meter users, infographics, photography and video content please contact: 

 

Janqui Mehta: [email protected]; 07715 665 112 / 0203 019 1063