Open call for evidence

Enhancing the smart meter installation journey towards Clean Power 2030

Published 8 August 2025

Applies to England, Scotland and Wales

Introduction

Clean Power 2030 and smart meters

In December 2024, the UK government published its ‘Clean Power 2030 Action Plan’^{[footnote 1]}, outlining a pathway to a clean power system by 2030. This plan aims for clean sources to produce at least as much power as Great Britain consumes in a typical year, and at least 95% of Great Britain’s generation. The plan focuses on reducing the carbon intensity of power generation and reducing reliance on fossil fuels, particularly gas, in the electricity system. This involves a significant expansion of renewable energy capacity, alongside the development of flexible low-carbon technologies (LCTs), including those focused on improving the consumer experience and prioritising energy efficiency and cost effectiveness alongside reducing carbon emissions. Key LCTs in this context include heat pumps, EV charging, solar thermal, biomass boilers, hybrid heating systems and energy storage systems.

Smart meters are a key enabler of the government’s Clean Power by 2030 Mission. They provide significant benefits to consumers and energy suppliers and enable a modernised, flexible and decarbonised energy system alongside the integration of renewable energy sources and reduced carbon emissions.

Smart meters provide consumers with detailed insights into their energy usage, enabling them to identify areas where they can reduce consumption and lower their bills. They facilitate demand response programs where consumers are incentivised to shift their energy usage to off-peak hours or reduce consumption during peak demand. Smart meters enable consumers to access optional smart tariffs, which reward consumers for using electricity flexibly, and can be particularly beneficial for consumers using clean technology like heat pumps, batteries, solar panels and electric vehicles, for example saving electric vehicle customers up to £900 per year.^{[footnote 2]}

Smart meters also help the energy industry to better understand end consumer energy demand. This insight allows them to allocate electricity generation capacity, storage systems, and grid infrastructure, more efficiently. This is important for the cost-effective integration of intermittent renewable energy sources at a distribution level. By enabling better management of the grid and promoting the use of renewable energy, smart meters play a crucial role in decarbonising the energy sector.

As at end of March 2025^{[footnote 3]}, 67% of homes and smaller non-domestic premises across GB had a smart meter. We have recently opened a consultation^{[footnote 4]} on our proposals to ensure that smart metering reaches the high installation and operational coverage levels needed to support the Clean Power 2030 objective.

The scope of this call for evidence

Alongside smart meter installations, we believe that there should be opportunities to enhance the consumer journey towards Clean Power 2030, including by looking at the potential to drive efficiencies or through integration of smart meter and LCT installations. This call for evidence therefore seeks respondent input on 3 primary areas of enquiry, focusing specifically on 3 key questions.

1. What opportunities exist for integration between smart meters and low carbon technology (LCT) installations to drive efficiencies and enhance the consumer experience as part of the transition to 2030 Clean Power and what role should individual parties play in this?
2. How do we tackle the existing challenge that installer field capacity constraints in certain locations can cause delays for some consumers trying to arrange installation appointments, thereby improving speed of access for those consumers?
3. What role is there for local coordination of smart meter installations, potentially coupled with LCT installations, particularly in areas of low smart meter penetration?

The government will consider stakeholder responses to this call for evidence on these 3 areas of enquiry.

The quality and detail of the evidence provided will support government in determining next steps and we therefore encourage respondents to provide as much information and evidence as possible to justify the rationale for each of their answers.

General information

Call for evidence details

Issued:

8 August 2025

Respond by:

3 October 2025 (before midnight)

Enquiries to (only by email):

Email: smip.sdc@energysecurity.gov.uk

Call for evidence reference:

Smart Meters_CfE

Audiences:

This call for evidence will be of particular interest to energy market participants, including energy suppliers, network operators, meter asset providers, meter operators and meter manufacturers, low carbon technology providers, potential third-party providers, trade bodies, consumer groups, industry groups and local authorities.

The call for evidence is not limited to these stakeholders - any organisation or individual is welcome to respond.

Territorial extent:

The territorial scope of this publication is GB wide, while recognising that certain energy policy areas are devolved in some jurisdictions.

This call for evidence will inform future policy development by government in areas where it is responsible for energy policy and related matters, and engagement with devolved governments in relation to devolved policy.

How to respond

We encourage respondents to use the online e-consultation platform wherever possible as this is government’s preferred method of receiving responses.

Respond online

However, responses by email will also be accepted. If you wish to submit your main response on the e-consultation platform, but provide supporting information by email, please be clear that this is part of the same response.

Email to: smip.sdc@energysecurity.gov.uk

When responding, please use the reference ‘Smart Meters_CfE’ and clearly state whether you are responding as an individual or representing the views of an organisation.

Please do not send responses by post to the department, as we may not be able to access them.

Your response will be most useful if it is framed in direct response to the questions posed, though further comments and evidence are also welcome.

Confidentiality and Data Protection

Information you provide in response to this consultation, including personal information, may be disclosed in accordance with UK legislation (the Freedom of Information Act 2000, the Data Protection Act 2018 and the Environmental Information Regulations 2004).

If you want the information that you provide to be treated as confidential, please tell us, but be aware that we cannot guarantee confidentiality in all circumstances. An automatic confidentiality disclaimer generated by your IT system will not be regarded by us as a confidentiality request.

We will process your personal data in accordance with all applicable data protection laws. See our privacy policy.

We will summarise all responses and publish this summary on GOV.UK. The summary will include a list of names or organisations that responded, but not people’s personal names, addresses or other contact details.

Quality Assurance

This consultation has been carried out in accordance with the government’s consultation principles.

If you have any complaints about the way this consultation has been conducted, please email: bru@energysecurity.gov.uk.

Area of enquiry 1: Opportunities for integration of smart metering with other low carbon technologies (LCTs)

Background

Clean Power by 2030 aims to address 3 significant challenges: ensuring a secure and affordable energy supply, creating new energy industries supported by a skilled workforce, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions to mitigate climate change.

Growing our clean energy system will necessitate deployment of low-carbon technologies in premises at scale across the country. This involves upgrading domestic and non-domestic premises with low-carbon heating systems like heat pumps, solar PV, batteries and promoting electric vehicle (EV) adoption.

Smart meters enable consumers to benefit from the flexible operation of LCTs mainly through smart tariffs, which in some cases can be tailored to the specific technology being deployed i.e. specific tariffs that best suit EV charging versus those for heat pumps or solar PV export. This allows consumers to maximise the benefits of both their smart meter and their LCT.

Some market participants are already offering bundled solutions that include the integrated installation of heat pumps, solar panels, battery storage, and/or electric vehicle charging. From a consumer perspective, having a single point of contact helps streamline the installation experience and opens up opportunities for optimised energy use, tailored pricing, and coordinated real-time feedback.

Some energy suppliers manage the entire customer journey, including smart meter installation, indicating they see value in a coordinated approach. Others collaborate with third-party LCT installers and technology providers to create technological efficiencies for consumers. In these cases, suppliers may also integrate tailored applications into their demand-side response services, offering consumers usage insights to help reduce costs.

The smart meter customer journey and the LCT customer journey share some similar stages, however each has distinct processes within those stages, as shown in Table 1 (below). These stages also vary significantly between different LCTs. For example, installing a heat pump differs considerably from installing an EV charger or a solar panel. These differences therefore need to be recognised when considering integration opportunities across the LCT spectrum and smart meter customer journeys.

Table 1: Appointment booking and installation processes (smart meters and LCTs)

Consumer Journey / Technology	Lead generation	Financing & procurement	Survey*	Appointment booking*	Installation requirement	Installation resource requirements	Installation timeframe	Operation & handover	End to end customer journey timeframe*	Historic estimated volume of monthly installs*
Smart Meter	Smart meter campaigning Direct customer request	N/A Customer is not charged for a smart meter	No Survey Remote technical eligibility check (WAN cover) Completion time: <1 hour	Range of 1-8 weeks (depending on installer availability and customer request)	Remove old meter Installation of smart meter	1 qualified electric/gas meter installer	2 hours	Testing connectivity and uploading data (e.g. tariffs etc)	1-8 weeks	c.350,000
Heat Pump	Commercially driven sales approach Direct customer engagement	Technology selection with associated financing decision Grants and financing options available Completion time: customer dependent	Detailed assessment required including an in-person home survey Assessment to cover existing heating system, plumbing & external space Completion time: up to half a day	Long lead time Range of up to 3-6 months (dependent on stock levels, installer availability, consumer demand, & planning permission for listed properties)	Removing old boiler. Installing heat pump, associated plumbing, piping and potential change of hot water unit. Potential replacement of radiators Updating electrics	Team of up to 4 installers Skill set covers: plumber, qualified electrician, skilled appliance fitter MSC accredited to avail of grants	Up to 5 days	Testing & commissioning of heat pump Usage instructions provided to consumer	Range of up to 3-6 months Can be faster depending on the simplicity of system design or requirements	c. 8,000 (monthly average 2024 installs)
Rooftop Solar PV	Commercially driven sales approach Direct customer engagement	Technology selection with associated financing decision Commercial financing options available Completion time: customer dependent	Detailed assessment required Physical visit or online Completion time: several hours	Varying lead time Range of 10-12 weeks (dependent on installer availability, stock levels and planning permission requirements – note DNO permission to connect can be required depending on scale)	Scaffolding Roof preparation (mounts) Instalment of panels and inverter (and battery)	Team of 2-3 installers Skill set covers: qualified electrician, skilled appliance fitter, roofing/building fitter MSC accredited to avail of grants	1-3 days	Connecting installation to consumer unit Usage & monitoring instructions provided to consumer	Range of 10-12 weeks	c.13,000 (average monthly installs over last 12 months)
EV Charger	Commercially driven sales approach. Aligns with sales of EV’s Direct customer engagement	Technology selection with associated financing decision. Grants available for EV charge points & EV infrastructure Completion time: customer dependent	Online/phone assessment. May require DNO work May require planning permission (for listed buildings) Completion time: several hours (longer lead time if DNO work or if planning permission required)	Varying lead time Range of 1 – 4 weeks (dependent on installer availability, possible DNO involvement & stock levels)	Cabling (wall breakthrough) & electrical connection Device fitting	1 qualified electrician	3-4 hours	Testing & commissioning charger Usage instructions provided to consumer	Range of 1-4 weeks	c.21,000 (average monthly 2022 - 2023 installs for England only)

NOTE: Historic estimated volume of monthly installs are estimates based on historical data. They are not forecasts

*Sourced from energy supplier data and publicly available information (see links below)

Smart meter data sources:

• Smart DCC – Smart meter statistics and network coverage dashboard

Heat pump data sources:

• Heat Pump Association – Heat pump statistics
• Energy Saving Trust – Heat pump installation: a step-by-step guide
• British Gas – Everything you need to know about heat pump installation

Solar data sources:

• E.ON UK – Solar panel installation
• DESNZ (2025) – Solar photovoltaics deployment

EV charger data sources:

• Electric Car Guide – Hive EV charger installation by British Gas
• ChargeUK – EV charging network can deliver half a billion miles of motoring every day
• Octopus – Everything you need to switch to cheaper, greener electric driving
• DESNZ (2023) – English Housing Survey data on parking, mains gas and EV chargepoints

We consider there are stages in the journey where further integration should be possible to maximise efficiency and improve the overall consumer experience.

On this basis we are seeking respondent views on what opportunities for integration exist between smart metering and LCTs to drive efficiencies and enhance the consumer experience as part of the transition to 2030 Clean Power, with consideration given to:

1. Lead generation/cross pollination – using smart meter installations to advise on/recommend LCT installs and vice versa, including providing clear possible next steps and actions for further smart or LCT installs. Some energy suppliers are proactively using conversations about LCTs as a strategic opportunity to reintroduce the benefits of smart meters to consumers who may not yet have one installed. By linking discussions around LCT adoption with the functionality and advantages of smart meters, energy suppliers are encouraging consumers to reconsider the benefits. Conversely, for households that already have smart meters, energy suppliers are leveraging its presence to promote smart tariffs and highlight how these can complement future LCT installations. This approach not only supports consumer engagement with energy innovation but also aligns with broader goals around decarbonisation and smarter energy use.
2. Ways to integrate the consumer journey and delivery, where possible – steps that can be taken to integrate the consumer experience, including use of smart meter data to support LCT installations and unlocking the benefits of smart-meter based tariffs. To better align smart meter uptake with LCT adoption, it would be necessary to improve how information flows between parties. For instance, if a consumer installs an LCT, could this information be shared with their energy supplier (with the relevant consumer’s consent)? If so, this would allow the supplier to offer a smart meter and/or smart tariff at a time when the consumer is more likely to see its value. Creating these feedback loops could help ensure consumers receive timely, relevant support as they transition to smarter, low-carbon energy use.
3. Further suggestions from respondents for integrating the consumer journey.

Call for evidence questions: Area of enquiry 1

What opportunities exist for integration between smart metering and low carbon technology (LCT) installations to drive efficiencies and enhance the consumer experience as part of the transition to 2030 Clean Power and what role should individual parties play in this?

1. What opportunities exist for integration between smart meter and LCT installations, including synergies in other aspects of the consumer journey, to drive efficiencies and simplify the consumer journey as part of the transition to 2030 Clean Power?

2. In your view, which other parties currently, or potentially could, operate in both the smart meter and LCT consumer journeys and could play a coordinating role in enhancing the consumer experience? What role would these individual parties play in this? – Please outline the specific roles these organisations could fulfil, including how they might support more integrated or streamlined engagement for consumers.

3. In your view, what additional actions could installers of LCTs take to help accelerate the uptake and deployment of smart meters?

4. What examples are there of existing industry-driven integration between smart meter and LCT customer journeys which are relevant to this call for evidence? – Please provide detail on examples of current arrangements, including how these integrations operate in practice and the roles played by different stakeholders.

5. How can data from smart meters be better utilised and shared across organisations to support future scheme delivery, improve consumer advice, and increase uptake of LCTs? – Please provide examples of existing or planned data-sharing arrangements, including any barriers to implementation and how these might be overcome.

6. Do you have any additional comments on any aspect of potential integration between smart meter and LCT customer journeys that have been not covered elsewhere in this call for evidence? – Please provide supporting rationale for your response.

7. Do you have any additional evidence or supporting data that could further substantiate the customer journeys detailed in Figure 1 above? – We welcome submissions that provide quantitative and qualitative insights, case studies, or user research that helps substantiate or refine the mapped journeys.

When submitting your responses, please provide comprehensive rationale to support your answer. We encourage you to address the following areas, where relevant:

• What requirements and steps are necessary for implementation of your suggestion(s)?
• What are the projected timelines for implementation?
• What are the expected costs and benefits? What impacts will this have on existingarrangements?
• What role, if any, might government need to play?

Area of enquiry 2: Speeding up smart meter installations in areas of Great Britain where it is harder to secure appointments

Background

The smart meter rollout has delivered significant benefits to date. At the end of March 2025^{[footnote 5]}, 67% of all meters were smart or advanced meters, of which 91% were operating in smart mode. The existing targets require energy suppliers to have delivered smart meters to more than 70% of relevant domestic premises in Great Britain by the end of 2025.

The government is currently consulting^{[footnote 6]} on its proposals designed to complete the smart meter rollout by the end of 2030 that support the Clean Power mission. Proposals provided in response to this call for evidence should work within this wider regulatory context.

There is an existing challenge that insufficient installer field capacity in certain locations may be causing delays for consumers trying to arrange installation appointments. If not addressed, this could result in geographical imbalance of smart meter coverage in areas such as remote regions of Scotland or parts of the southeast of the country, including London, where resource levels do not always align with consumer demand. We are therefore exploring whether there is a case for intervention to address this issue.

In considering whether there is a case for intervention, we note the recent Ofgem proposals to introduce Guaranteed Standards of Performance (GSOPs) for specific elements of the smart meter consumer journey. We welcome Ofgem’s proposals and, were they to be implemented as proposed in their March 2025 consultation^{[footnote 7]}, would expect them to drive faster fulfilment of consumer demand for smart meter installation appointments and, crucially, compensate consumers where they have been unable to book within a set timeframe. The expected impact of any new GSOPs is not in scope of this consultation.

This call for evidence invites views on whether other interventions may be required to further mitigate unacceptable delays to booking a smart meter installation, and what form these solutions could take to improve the consumer experience of access to a smart meter installation. For example, whether there is value in industry-led central provision of temporary ‘top-up’ installer capacity and if so, who might provide this. There may also be merit in introducing a further obligation on energy suppliers to ensure appointment bookings are fulfilled as quickly as possible, further incentivising energy suppliers to secure for themselves such top-up resource as required.

Call for evidence questions: Area of enquiry 2

How do we tackle the existing challenge that installer field capacity constraints in certain locations can cause delays for some consumers trying to arrange smart meter installation appointments, thereby improving speed of access for those consumers?

8. What are your views on the background outlined in Area of Enquiry 2? In your view, does timely access to smart meter installations present a significant issue for consumers in certain areas, and if so, what measures could be taken to enhance the smart meter consumer experience to ensure that those consumers do not experience delays? How might these improvements be effectively implemented?

9. What opportunity is there to create alternative and/or additional sources of installation capacity that energy suppliers could use in the smart meter installation journey? For example, could existing installation services be widened to be made available to all energy suppliers should they need it? How might such alternative and/or additional sources of installation capacity be delivered from a commercial/contractual perspective?

10. To what extent could the introduction of a new licence obligation requiring energy suppliers to install smart meters within a defined timeframe enhance the consumer experience with smart meters? Please provide supporting rationale for your response.

11. What alternative regulatory and non-regulatory approaches could address Area of Enquiry 2? Please provide an outline of any proposed approach and describe how it relates to Area of Enquiry 2.

When submitting your responses, please provide comprehensive rationale to support your answer. We encourage you to address the following areas, where relevant:

• What requirements and steps are necessary for implementation of your suggestion(s)?
• What are the projected timelines for implementation?
• What are the expected costs and benefits? What impacts will this have on existing arrangements?
• What role, if any, might government need to play?

Area of enquiry 3: Opportunities for collaboration and local coordination

Background

During the delivery of the smart meter rollout to date, there have been examples of positive collaboration between delivery partners and stakeholders, as well as effective local coordination.

Collaboration refers to the joint efforts and shared responsibilities among national-level partners and stakeholders working toward common goals, such as resolving technical challenges. Examples of this include the Alternative Home Area Network arrangements and the Crowded Meter Rooms (CMR) Project^{[footnote 8]}.

Local coordination involves the practical, on-the-ground organisation of activities such as engaging with local communities, scheduling installations, managing logistics etc. An example would be the Derby Local Pilot Smart Meter initiative^{[footnote 9]} which involved a city-wide industry-led campaign in Derby in collaboration with Derby City Council and supported by the government and Smart Energy GB. The pilot aimed to raise awareness about the benefits of smart meters and support rollout in the Derby area. In essence, the Derby pilot was a local effort to accelerate the adoption of smart meters, aligning with broader national goals for energy efficiency and net zero. While the additional costs of these approaches would need to be considered, an evaluation of the pilot conducted by Verian Group^{[footnote 10]} found positive impacts on the number of appointments and installations over the pilot period.

The Smart Metering Implementation Programme has collaborated with London local authorities to help energy suppliers address operational challenges that face them in the capital, such as access to communal meter locations and parking. One energy supplier in particular has been able to achieve notable success with their recent efforts collaborating with local authorities in London. With the support of energy company senior management and close collaboration with partners, they have implemented several measures to address operational barriers that were resulting in low levels of appointment success in London. These efforts have led to a significant increase in their success rate in the capital, enabling them to leverage untapped demand and improve previously low smart meter coverage. We plan to showcase this work in relevant industry forums to share best practice and demonstrate the potential achievements that can be realised.

Recent examples from the RTS replacement programme have also seen some level of local surge activity to address areas with low supplier installation resource availability, particularly in remote areas of Scotland. In other areas, like Brighton and Leicester, the focus has been on driving coordinated awareness and consumer engagement, which has benefited all energy suppliers. This is supported by some of the findings from the Derby Local Pilot, where evaluation concluded that direct, partner-led communications and support has its place alongside general marketing in increasing awareness, promoting the benefits and mythbusting. These examples highlight that while local approaches can be impactful, their effectiveness may vary depending on regional context and delivery model. On this basis, and given the potential additional costs associated with doing so, we consider that any local coordination would likely be best targeted at areas with lower levels of smart meter penetration, where we can maximise the benefits of any coordinated activity to address untapped demand.

Figure 1 below highlights the percentage of domestic electricity smart meters by local authority (end of Q1 2025) displaying areas with low smart meter coverage.

Figure 1: Domestic electricity smart meter coverage by local authority

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Description of figure 1: A heat map of Great Britain showing the percentage of domestic electricity smart meter coverage by local authority. Local authorities in Scotland and Wales have the lowest percentage of smart meters.

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Beyond examples specific to smart meters, local coordination has also been demonstrated in the implementation of LCTs. In some instances, local authorities have assumed a central role in orchestrating and facilitating equitable access to LCTs in specific areas by implementing programmes that aggregate demand, streamline supplier interactions, and optimise installation processes. This strategic approach enables participants to receive efficient services and supports broader LCT adoption.

This call for evidence seeks views on opportunities to enhance collaboration and/or local coordination to improve the end-to-end consumer journey, particularly in areas of lower levels of smart meter penetration and potentially coupled with LCT installations. Where views are provided, it would be helpful to indicate where they are being suggested as alternatives to initiatives discussed in earlier sections, or whether they are a complement to them.

Call for evidence questions: Area of enquiry 3

What role is there for local coordination of smart meter installations (potentially coupled with LCT installations), particularly in areas of lower smart meter penetration?

1. 12.What are your views on Area of Enquiry 3? What role do you see for further localcoordination and/or wider collaboration particularly in areas of lower smart meterpenetration? If you see such a role, please answer the following questions:

   1. a.Please state your suggestions/proposals for local coordination and how this wouldtake place, what parties it would involve, what would be required to enableimplementation, and associated timelines etc. Please also state whether the localcoordination would be in relation to smart meter installations or would also includeother Low Carbon Technologies installations.
   2. b.Please state your suggestions/proposals for wider collaboration and how this wouldtake place, what other parties would it involve, implementation timelines etc. Pleasealso state whether the local coordination would be in relation to smart meterinstallations or would include both smart meter installations and other Low CarbonTechnologies.
   3. c.Please state whether your suggestions/proposals are complementary to anysuggestions/proposals you have provided in response to enquiry areas 1 and/or 2, orwhether they are an alternative.

13.What are your views on the potential benefits or challenges of coordinating thedeployment of LCTs and smart meters at a local level, particularly in relation to demand-side management and consumer-led flexibility? - Please provide a reasoned explanation to support your answer including considerations around deployment models and the roles of the different parties potentially involved.

When submitting your responses, please provide comprehensive rationale to support your answer. We encourage you to address the following areas, where relevant:

• What requirements and steps are necessary for implementation of your suggestion(s)?
• What are the projected timelines for implementation?
• What are the expected costs and benefits? What impacts will this have on existingarrangements?
• What role, if any, might government need to play?

1. DESNZ (2024) Clean Power 2030 Action Plan ↩

2. DESNZ (2024) Default energy tariffs for households: call for evidence, Table 1 ↩

3. DESNZ (2025) Smart meters in Great Britain, quarterly update March 2025 ↩

4. DESNZ (2025) Smart metering policy framework post 2025 ↩

5. DESNZ (2025) Smart meters in Great Britain, quarterly update March 2025 ↩

6. DESNZ (2025) Smart metering policy framework post 2025 ↩

7. Ofgem (2025) Smart meter guaranteed standards: Supplier Guaranteed Standards of Performance ↩

8. Alt HAN Co Crowded meter rooms ↩

9. Derby City Council (2020) Energy upgrade is a smart move for Derby ↩

10. Verian Group Increasing take-up of smart meters for electricity and gas ↩