Latest news with #Ofgem
Daily Record
8 hours ago
- Business
- Daily Record
Warm Home Discount Scheme to expand and pay six million people £150 this winter
A further 240,000 households in Scotland will receive the energy bill boost this winter. Millions of households will see their energy bills cut by £150 this winter, as the UK Government delivers another major package of support to ease the cost of living for working families through the Plan for Change. Over 6 million households will benefit this year - an increase of 2.7m households, including 900,000 more families with children and a total of 1.8m households in fuel poverty. Every billpayer on means-tested benefits will now qualify, removing restrictions that previously excluded many who needed help and providing peace of mind to millions more families. The move will see 240,000 Scottish households receive the discount for the first time this winter. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said the major expansion of support for working families is the latest in a raft of cost of living support made possible because the UK Government has stabilised the economy, fixed the foundations and repaired the public finances - deliberate choices which are helping provide security and more money in the pockets of working families through the Plan for Change. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: "I know families are still struggling with the cost of living, and I know the fear that comes with not being able to afford your next bill. "Providing security and peace of mind for working people is deeply personal to me as Prime Minister and foundational for the Plan for Change. I have no doubt that, like rolling out free school meals, breakfast clubs and childcare support, extending this £150 energy bills support to millions more families will make a real difference." Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said: "Millions of families will get vital support with the cost of living this coming winter, demonstrating this government's commitment to put money in people's pockets through our Plan for Change." The energy price cap is also falling in July and today's announcement adds a further £150 in direct support for millions. This expansion of the Warm Homes Discount means families can plan for winter in the knowledge that they will receive support, giving them certainty and peace of mind before summer. The UK Government said it has also protected working people's payslips from higher taxes, frozen fuel duty and are increasing the minimum wage to give pay rises of up to £1,400 a year to millions of low-income workers. Pensioners across the UK with an income below £35,000 will also receive either a Winter Fuel Payment or Pension Age Winter Heating Payment this year, worth between £200 and £305. The expansion of the Warm Home Discount will be offset by new efficiency savings across the energy system. For example, Ofgem have confirmed a decrease in the operating cost allowance of the price cap for the average billpayer which will take money off bills. Ofgem's plans to reduce the overall stock of consumer debt, which is currently recouped via a levy on all bills, will also produce savings that help to fund the Warm Homes Discount. Adam Scorer, Chief Executive, National Energy Action said: "It's hugely positive that across Great Britain, many more low-income households on means-tested benefits will get some direct support to tackle unaffordable bills and record energy debts this winter. "Vitally, this includes many more low-income working-age households with children, who are living with the daily consequences of not having access to enough energy at home." The change will mean that all households where the means-tested benefit recipient (or their partner or legal appointee) is named on the energy bill will now be eligible to receive the £150 electricity bill rebate. It's important to be aware the money is paid directly to the energy supplier. The number of families who will receive the discount for the first time, broken down by region, include: Scotland: 240,000 Wales: 110,000 North East England: 100,000 North West England: 280,000 Yorkshire and the Humber: 210,000 East Midlands: 160,000 West Midlands: 270,000 East of England: 250,000 London: 570,000 South East England: 350,000 South West England: 220,000
Scottish Sun
8 hours ago
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Major update on huge energy meter switch off affecting 314,935 as government confirms delay
We reveal how to spot if you've got one of the affected meters below ENERGY WARNING Major update on huge energy meter switch off affecting 314,935 as government confirms delay Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE Government has announced a major update on a huge energy meter switch off affecting more than 300,000 customers. Radio Teleswitch Service (RTS) meters will now be turned off in a phased approach from June 30. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 RTS meters were due to be switched off on June 30 Old-style RTS meters use longwave radio frequency to switch between peak and off-peak rates and are becoming obsolete. Energy firms had previously been given a deadline of June 30 to change customers on these types of meters onto more modern ones. However, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) said there will now be a "managed and more controlled start" to the phaseout. It comes after firms admitted some households on these meters would not have had them replaced in time. Energy UK, which represents energy suppliers, said 392,000 households still had the meters as of mid-April. Meanwhile, energy minister Miatta Fahnbulleh said yesterday the pace of RTS replacements carried out by industry had been 'too slow', leaving 314,935 RTS meters still in homes as of May 30. Regulator Ofgem has said if households are left with obsolete RTS meters and without replacement ones it could lead to a host of problems. These include: heating and hot water being left continually on or off, and electric storage heaters charging at the wrong time of day, possibly leading to higher bills. Meanwhile, it could leave energy suppliers being unable to confirm households' electricity usage during peak or off-peak times. Ms 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. How to cut energy costs and get help with FOUR key household bills "During this process, Government and Ofgem will closely monitor supplier readiness to ensure the process is smooth and vulnerable consumers are identified and protected." The Government said customers with RTS meters will be contacted by their suppliers to book appointments to replace them. In most cases, households' meters will be replaced with a smart meter, charging them peak and off-peak rates. Simon Francis, co-ordinator of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, 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.' How to tell if you have an RTS meter The oldest RTS-powered meters have a switch box labelled 'Radio Teleswitch' next to the electric meter. Others may have the RTS switch box within the electric meter as a single box on the wall. One way to tell is if you get cheaper energy at different times of the day. You might be on a tariff called Economy 7, Economy 10 or Total Heat Total Control. Another way to tell is if your home is heated using electricity or storage heaters, Energy UK suggests. RTS meters are also often used in areas with no gas supply, for example with high rise flats or houses in rural areas. If your home is in one of these locations then you should check your meter. If you are still unsure then contact your supplier and ask if you have RTS equipment. They should be able to tell you if you do. If you have one of these meters then you should book a smart meter installation as soon as possible. What is a smart meter? SMART meters are gas and electricity meters that can digitally send readings to your energy supplier. They show you how much energy you are using in pounds and pence, so can be used to help reduce your energy bill. Unlike traditional meters, which simply register a running total of energy used, smart meters can record half-hourly price and consumption data and provide automatic meter readings to your energy supplier. Most homes have two meters, one for gas and one for electricity – both will be replaced with smart meters. You will also be offered an in-home display to show you the cost and amount of energy you are using at any given time It will update every 30 minutes for gas and in near real-time for electricity. Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@ Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories
The Sun
8 hours ago
- Business
- The Sun
Major update on huge energy meter switch off affecting 314,935 as government confirms delay
THE Government has announced a major update on a huge energy meter switch off affecting more than 300,000 customers. Radio Teleswitch Service (RTS) meters will now be turned off in a phased approach from June 30. 1 Old-style RTS meters use longwave radio frequency to switch between peak and off-peak rates and are becoming obsolete. Energy firms had previously been given a deadline of June 30 to change customers on these types of meters onto more modern ones. However, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) said there will now be a "managed and more controlled start" to the phaseout. It comes after firms admitted some households on these meters would not have had them replaced in time. Energy UK, which represents energy suppliers, said 392,000 households still had the meters as of mid-April. Meanwhile, energy minister Miatta Fahnbulleh said yesterday the pace of RTS replacements carried out by industry had been 'too slow', leaving 314,935 RTS meters still in homes as of May 30. Regulator Ofgem has said if households are left with obsolete RTS meters and without replacement ones it could lead to a host of problems. These include: heating and hot water being left continually on or off, and electric storage heaters charging at the wrong time of day, possibly leading to higher bills. Meanwhile, it could leave energy suppliers being unable to confirm households' electricity usage during peak or off-peak times. Ms 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. How to cut energy costs and get help with FOUR key household bills "During this process, Government and Ofgem will closely monitor supplier readiness to ensure the process is smooth and vulnerable consumers are identified and protected." The Government said customers with RTS meters will be contacted by their suppliers to book appointments to replace them. In most cases, households' meters will be replaced with a smart meter, charging them peak and off-peak rates. Simon Francis, co-ordinator of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, 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.' How to tell if you have an RTS meter The oldest RTS-powered meters have a switch box labelled 'Radio Teleswitch' next to the electric meter. Others may have the RTS switch box within the electric meter as a single box on the wall. One way to tell is if you get cheaper energy at different times of the day. You might be on a tariff called Economy 7, Economy 10 or Total Heat Total Control. Another way to tell is if your home is heated using electricity or storage heaters, Energy UK suggests. RTS meters are also often used in areas with no gas supply, for example with high rise flats or houses in rural areas. If your home is in one of these locations then you should check your meter. If you are still unsure then contact your supplier and ask if you have RTS equipment. They should be able to tell you if you do. If you have one of these meters then you should book a smart meter installation as soon as possible. What is a smart meter? SMART meters are gas and electricity meters that can digitally send readings to your energy supplier. They show you how much energy you are using in pounds and pence, so can be used to help reduce your energy bill. Unlike traditional meters, which simply register a running total of energy used, smart meters can record half-hourly price and consumption data and provide automatic meter readings to your energy supplier. Most homes have two meters, one for gas and one for electricity – both will be replaced with smart meters. You will also be offered an in-home display to show you the cost and amount of energy you are using at any given time It will update every 30 minutes for gas and in near real-time for electricity.
The Independent
9 hours ago
- Business
- The Independent
Why millions more households will receive the £150 Warm Home Discount
The Warm Home Discount scheme has been expanded to provide £150 directly off energy bills for around six million people, including 900,000 families with children and 1.8 million households in fuel poverty. To be eligible, the bill payer must either receive the guarantee credit element of pension credit or be on a low income. An additional two million people will now receive the automatic discount, after the previous requirement for low-income households to have 'high energy costs' to qualify for the payment was removed. The £150 discount is applied automatically to eligible customers' energy bills between October and March. This positive development for households comes as energy regulator Ofgem is set to drop its energy price cap by 7 per cent for July to September. Rule change to bring £150 winter energy discount to millions more – here's who's eligible
Wales Online
11 hours ago
- Business
- Wales Online
Government update announced for those with energy meters
Government update announced for those with energy meters Hundreds of thousands of households will be affected The technology is becoming obsolete (Image: Matthew Horwood / Media Wales ) The Radio Teleswitch Service (RTS) switch-off is to be delayed, the Government has announced, following warnings that it was likely to cause considerable disruption to hundreds of thousands of households. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) said there will be a 'managed and more controlled start' to the RTS phaseout from June 30, and those with an affected meter will not face any unexpected disruption to their heating or hot water at the end of the month. The RTS system, used by older electricity meters to control heating and hot water, uses a longwave radio frequency to switch between peak and off-peak rates. The technology is becoming obsolete and energy companies had a deadline to change their customers' meters by June 30. However, firms have admitted that current rates of replacement meant it was likely that thousands of RTS meters would not have been upgraded before the technology is switched off. Energy UK, which represents firms, said 392,000 households still had the meters as of mid April. Industry regulator Ofgem has said the risks associated with not having a functioning meter include heating and hot water left continually on or off, electric storage heaters charging at the wrong time of day, possibly leading to higher bills, and the supplier being unable to confirm electricity usage during peak or off-peak times. Article continues below 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 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. "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.' 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. '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.' Simon 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. Article continues below '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. Get daily breaking news updates on your phone by joining our WhatsApp community here .
