Smart Meters for your Small Business: FAQs

Are you a small business owner looking for ways to save time and money? Are you looking to incorporate more sustainable or energy efficient practices?

9 in 10 small business owners say they are happy with their smart meter

Getting a smart meter for your small business could help you to reduce your business’ energy costs and get better control over your energy usage and bills.

What is a smart meter?

Smart meters are the new generation of gas and electricity meters that measure energy use in near real-time and send automatic meter readings directly and securely to your energy supplier. At the end of 2024 there were 38 million smart meters in homes and small businesses across Great Britain, with over 6 in 10 of all energy meters now smart meters.

Smart meters help give you greater visibility and control over your energy use, which could help you with managing finances and cash flow.

How much does a smart meter cost to install?

Many small businesses can get a smart meter at no extra cost. Depending on your business’ energy supplier and tariff, you may be charged for a part of the upgrade or for access to your energy usage data. Your supplier will let you know about any charges up front.

Will an installation disrupt my business?

Installations usually take about two hours and need to be booked in advance. The installer will need to turn off your electricity and/or gas supply to complete the installation, but your energy supplier will work with you to find a convenient time to cause minimum disruption to your business. For example, they could offer you an out-of-hours installation or other alternatives.

What are the benefits of having a smart meter?

1. Receive accurate bills: a smart meter measures energy usage in near real-time and puts an end to manual meter readings and estimated bills. This means you pay for the energy you use, which can help with managing cash flow.

   
   

2. Take control: smart meters can help give you more control over your business’ energy spend, thanks to the data they provide. This can help you better monitor your energy usage by giving you more visibility over your business’ energy spend to help you identify where cost savings could be made.

   
   

3. Get access to historic energy usage data: energy suppliers must now give small businesses with smart meters access to free and regular information on their energy use, for example, via an app, which can help you with budgeting for future energy spending and could help reduce bill shock.

   
   

4. Do your bit for the environment: the smart meter rollout is the most ambitious upgrade to our energy system in a generation, helping us move to a more efficient, cleaner and more responsive energy system. This will enable us to rely less on imported fossil fuels such as oil and gas and increase our use of renewable energy like wind and solar power.

   
   

Is my business eligible for a smart meter?

Eligibility for a smart meter is based on the number of employees a business has, annual turnover and energy consumption. You may be eligible for a smart meter if your business:

• has fewer than ten employees, or their full-time equivalent (including the business owner) or;

• has an annual turnover less that £1.67 million or;

• uses no more than 100,000 kWh of electricity per year or;

• uses no more than 293,000 kWh of gas per year

You may be eligible for a smart meter whether you own or rent your business premises – as long as you pay your own energy bills, you can request a smarter meter installation from your energy supplier. You may need to check with your landlord that changes to your meters are allowed within your rental contract.

What if my business is based at home?

You can request a smart meter if your business is run from your home and uses your home’s energy contract. If you’re on a commercial contract for your gas or electricity supply, contact your energy supplier directly to check if you’re eligible for a smart meter.

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