Standard content for Members only
To continue reading this article, please login to your Utility Week account, Start 14 day trial or Become a member.
If your organisation already has a corporate membership and you haven’t activated it simply follow the register link below. Check here.
Smart Energy GB has warned the energy industry of a range of health and lifestyle factors that could prevent consumers from fully benefiting from having a smart meter.
The national consumer campaign group for the smart meter rollout, has highlighted being blind or partially sighted, poor English or Welsh language skills, being off the gas grid, and being a tenant in both the private and rented sectors as potential barriers to properly engaging with a smart meter.
The group stated in a consultation assessing the issues that could prevent consumers fully benefitting from smart meters, that the suppliers have a “joint responsibility” alongside itself to ensure consumers are able to understnad and use smart meters and realise the benefits of them.
Smart Energy GB highlighted the extent of the potential issues, using figures from the Office of National Statistic (ONS) to show that 900,000 UK residents speak little or no English, and more than a third rent their homes.
It has also identified a range of factors that when combined together will potentially affect a customer’s ability to use a meter effectively. Examples include being over the age of 75 combined with basic digital skills, or with low numeracy or literacy skills.
According to ONS figures 17 per cent of adults in England have literacy levels at or below that expected of an 11 year old, which the group said would limit their ability to understand smart meter messages.
As part of the government’s plan to modernise the energy system every household in Great Britain must be offered a smart meter by energy suppliers by 2020. The mass roll-out is expected to start at the end of 2016.
Smart Energy GB chief executive Sacha Deshmukh said: “Smart Energy GB has a big task ahead, to make sure that everyone in Great Britain can say yes to a smart meter and will understand how to use one to better manage their gas and electricity.”
The consumer group’s consultation on audience characteristics will close on 15 June. The results will inform its ongoing national engagement campaign, with television commercials expected to start towards the end of 2016.
Please login or Register to leave a comment.