The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero published "Smart meters: Your rights and expectations" on 8 August 2025. The guidance applies to England, Scotland and Wales and sets out, in one place, what households should expect at each stage of the smart meter process1.
The document describes ten stages and the minimum service expected against each. On appointments, it states that anyone who pays for their energy, whether they own or rent, should be able to book an installation where a smart meter is expected to work in the property. On installation, it says the visit should cause minimal disruption, that key safety checks should be carried out, and that an In-Home Display (IHD) should be offered and demonstrated1.
On billing, the guidance says meter readings should be sent automatically to the supplier and that households should receive accurate bills, paying only for the energy used. Smart meters record energy use in half-hour periods, which the guidance says allows suppliers to bill on actual rather than estimated usage and to offer flexible tariffs1.
On prepayment, it states a smart meter should only ever be in prepayment mode if that method is safe and works for the household, and that top-ups should be possible in person or remotely. On monitoring, it says households should be able to track consumption and spend through a means of their choice, which could be an IHD, an accessible IHD, a mobile app, other linked devices, or a combination. On data, it says householders control who can access their energy use data, how often and for what purposes, except where access is required for regulated purposes such as billing1.
"If you do not feel the service you've received has met these standards, you can complain to your energy supplier. They have 8 weeks to investigate and resolve the problem."
The guidance also covers support for vulnerable consumers, saying suppliers should proactively identify needs and provide additional support where appropriate, and tariffs and switching, saying households should be able to take part in a flexible energy market and switch supplier without disruption to their smart service1.
| Stage | Minimum expectation set out |
|---|---|
| Appointments | Installation bookable by anyone who pays for energy, owner or renter, where it is expected to work |
| Installation | Minimal disruption, safety checks, IHD offered and demonstrated |
| Automatic readings and bills | Readings sent automatically; bills based on energy used |
| Prepayment | Only if safe and workable; top-up in person or remotely |
| Monitoring | Consumption and spend visible via a method of the household's choice |
| Data privacy and security | Household controls access, except for regulated purposes such as billing |
| Support for vulnerable consumers | Needs proactively identified; additional support where appropriate |
| Tariffs and switching | Participation in flexible tariffs; switching without disruption |
Why it matters for households
The guidance sets out what a household can expect from a supplier at each stage, which gives a reference point when a smart meter is not installed as arranged, an IHD is not demonstrated, readings do not arrive automatically, or a prepayment mode is applied. It also confirms that data access sits with the household except where billing or other regulated purposes require it, which is central to a home's ability to control its own energy information. The ten stages cover the practical points that determine whether a smart meter delivers usable monitoring and accurate billing, rather than the meter alone.
What happens next
The guidance states that the government has published a consultation on the future framework for smart metering post-2025, alongside Ofgem's consultation that would see automatic compensation for smart metering consumers where their energy supplier fails to meet certain expectations. The guide will be updated with new relevant requirements when they are in place1. No date has been reported for the outcome of either consultation.