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Cardiff revealed as Britain's smart meter capital as more than 800,000 UK households get one amid energy crisis

  • Cardiff has been revealed as the smart meter capital of Britain, with devices in two thirds of homes (67%), compared to only a third (36%) in Southampton[1]

  • More than 800,000 households have had a smart meter installed[2] and another one million have requested one since the start of the energy crisis[3]

  • Over half of consumers (54%) with smart meters are using them to track their energy use and a fifth (21%) say it has already helped them save money[4]

  • Households that have saved energy say boiling the kettle, running the washing machine and having heating on too high are the biggest power guzzlers[5]

  • With three million people saying they don’t know any of the benefits of smart meters, Uswitch.com offers tips on how to use them to save energy.

 

Cardiff is the smart meter capital of Britain, with two thirds of homes (67%) having one, almost double the rate of lowest-ranked city Southampton[1], according to research by Uswitch.com, the comparison and switching service.

This comes as Government data released this morning shows that half of all homes have now had a smart meter installed, with over 800,000 households getting one since the start of the energy crisis[2].

Another one million households have requested a smart meter, and almost three million more are considering getting one in the next 12 months[2], according to Uswitch research[1]. 

However, a significant number of households continue to resist getting a smart meter, with a third (33%) saying they do not have one and have no plans to do so. 

With bills rising and a new £1,971 price cap taking effect on April 1, a third of those (32%) who have requested a smart meter or already have one say they want to monitor their energy use[6]. 

In fact, over half of consumers (54%) who have a smart meter are proactively using them to track and modify their energy, and a fifth (21%) of those doing so say it has saved them money[3]. 

A significant number of people are still unsure about the purpose of a smart meter, with three million households saying they do not know what the benefits are[7].

Households who have saved energy by using a smart meter say they have found boiling the kettle, running the washing machine and having the heating on too high to be the biggest energy guzzlers. These activities were followed by using the tumble dryer and having the heating on for too long[4]. 

Uswitch is offering tips on how to save money on their energy bills ahead of the rise in the price cap.

Richard Neudegg, head of regulation at Uswitch.com, said: “Most people are already feeling the pressure of the rising cost of living, and this will only get worse when the new price cap comes into effect on 1st April.

“Consumers have been trying to find ways to reduce their energy use, and it is good to see that millions of households have turned to smart meters to save money.

“Installing smart meters in half the homes in the country is an impressive milestone, but it’s important to remember that four million of these are operating in ‘dumb’ mode, so there’s still a lot of work to be done.

“At a time when energy bills are rising, it is more important than ever to stay on top of your energy use. Smart meters are an easy way to keep an eye on this, as people can use the in-home display to check how much energy they are using in real time.

“Knowing what energy you’re using can help you adjust your behaviour — for instance, turning the thermostat down by one degree can save up to £130 a year.”

Find out how you could save with Uswitch here.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Charlottte Nunes
Phone: 020 3872 5614
Email: charlotte.nunes@uswitch.com
Twitter: @UswitchPR

Notes
Research conducted online by Opinium, 25 February to 1st March 2022, among 2,000 UK adults, weighted to be nationally representative.
1. Respondents were asked ‘Do you have a smart meter’? See table for breakdown of responses. 
2. BEIS data showing how many people have smart meters and how this increased in the last quarter.
3. Respondents were asked ‘Do you have a smart meter?’ 10% said yes - I have got one since 1 October 2021 35% yes - I got one prior to 1 October 2021, 6% said no - but I have requested one from my provider, 10% said no - but I’m considering getting one in the next 12 months, 33% said no - and I don’t plan on getting one. 6% of 27.8 million UK households = 1,668,000. 10% of 27.8m households = 2.8 million. 
4. Respondents were asked ‘​​Are you proactively using your smart meter to monitor your energy usage? (i.e. checking it regularly, changing the way you use energy as a result)’ 54% said yes. 21% said yes - I have saved money as a result. 
5. Respondents were asked ‘By monitoring your energy use, what have you found is the biggest use of energy?’ 31% said boiling the kettle, 31% said washing machine, 29% said having the heating on too high, 27% said tumble dryer, 26% said having the heating on too long, 23% said oven, 17% said electric appliances left on standby, 9% said fridge, 8% charging devices, 8% said freezer, 6% old lightbulbs. 
6. Respondents who have or have requested a smart meter were asked ‘Why did you, or have you requested to get a smart meter?’ 36% said my supplier arranged for me to get one, 32% said I wanted to monitor my energy use, 31% said so my supplier is automatically sent meter readings, 18% said to see how my energy usage changes during the year, 16% said to see how much energy certain appliances use, 14% said I am on a tariff which requires me to get a smart meter, 12% said because of rising costs, 12% said to reduce my carbon footprint. 
7. Respondents were asked ‘What, if anything, do you think are the main benefits of a smart meter?’ 12% said I don’t know. 12% of 27.8 million UK households = 3.3 million. 

About Uswitch 

Uswitch is one of the UK’s top comparison websites for home services switching, including broadband, mobiles, SIM Only and insurance. We’ve saved consumers over £2.5 billion off their bills since we launched in September 2000.

In 2022, Uswitch launched its free mobile app, Utrack, to help consumers manage their home energy costs. By connecting to their smart meter, users can track their energy usage hourly, get dynamic insights and calculate potential savings with handy tips. 

Uswitch is part of RVU, a global group of online brands with a mission to empower consumers to make more confident home services, insurance and financial decisions.