Recommendation 11

Smart meter coverage across Great Britain in 2023 varies by local authority from 5% in the Isles of Scilly to 69% in Chesterfield. Installation rates in London are only 43%, which the Department considered is due to the challenges of installing smart meters in a densely populated city, particularly in inner-London. The Department told us that technical issues have posed a problem when installing smart meters in blocks of flats (where it is more difficult to place meters and in-home displays in sufficient proximity to each other).35 The Department said progress has been made in resolving this issue and it was piloting a solution.36 However, the Department told us it was piloting this technology in only tens of properties (rather than tens of blocks of flats). It nevertheless expects that number to increase over time, subject to the outcome of the pilot, and particularly from the end of July.37 The Department also said that supplier recruitment of engineers in London is more difficult as installers cost more and are less available.38 Remote areas such as the Highlands and Islands of Scotland also have lower coverage, as do some rural areas such as the Cotswolds.39