Please would someone explain smart meters to me

[justgeton]

DH insists we only pay for what we use. I cannot agree with this seeing as the bill is exactly the same every month 🤨

So what is the point of them? Just to watch it and try and use less?

We’ve recently got one. Fascinated at first to see what used the most electricity, now we just ignore it but does mean you have accurate meter readings every month.

Why doesn't the bill change monthly then?

They mean you don’t have to faff around doing meter reading or paying over odds on a set monthly amount which may not be your actually use. My does nothing to change or save me money. Despite them being “sold” as everyone will save money with them. I use what I need so it’s no difference. If you are on a really tight income I imagine you could just turn off everything when your a near your limit but I’ve yet to hear any good stories.

Your bill probably doesn't change each month as you are paying a set amount to help you budget through the year. In reality you use more in the winter than in the summer. Periodically they review you account and adjust your monthly payment up or down depending on if you are paying too much or too little.

Thank you... so really they're pretty pointless 🙄

I've now got smart meters and I find it much easier as I had key/card meters. There was nothing worse than realising late at night that I'd forgot to top up and I was already on emergency credit so had to do many a late night dash to the garage to top up before it went off. Now I can just top up online which has been ideal during the coronavirus pandemic. At first I felt like I was using so much more electric without doing anything different but it seems to have settled down.

You do only pay for what you use, whatever. Say you use £1200 a year and pay £100 a month. If you use more or less, your monthly payment will be adjusted, but maybe not for a while until there's an official meter read.

Really, it's just another form of automation to cut down on labour costs (all those meter readers), but it is helpful for people who want to keep tabs. Once you know you use 10 or 20kwh a day, you can see how much having your kids home on an X box all day is going to bump it up, or how much a month your eco friendly washing machine will save you.

If you send meter readings in regularly, they won't make much difference. If you don't and you switch a lot or your consumption varies, then they will.

Many people prefer to know they have to pay £85 per month, all year round, rather than £30 pm in Summer and £140pm in Winter, so I think most people wouldn't want it adjusted month by month, even if the utility companies were up for it.
Years ago we used to have 'Owls' which you could place in front of you in the kitchen or the living room or wherever to tell you what electricity you were using whenever you glanced at it. That made people much more likely to keep monitoring it, rather than having to go and look at the meter I'd have thought.

I give monthly readings anyway and get an up to date balance without needing a smart meter. If I'm in credit I can adjust my monthly payment myself.
Smart meters only make a difference if you change what you are doing

All of the above ⬆️ but they moved our ancient meters and they are smaller than the 1970's ones we had, so good for me as they are easier to hide/ cover up

I really like mine, no more estimated bills and I know how much I spend each day.

the point of smart meters is (eventually) to allow more control over the UK's energy use. This is because our infrastructure has not kept pace with our population. The push for unreliable wind power (disastrous in a typical UK winter with cold temperatures and low wind) will make this worse. We also have greenie issues which means reliable low-carbon nuclear power isn't being built.

the smart meter (as opposed to the Fisher-price gadget with the display) will eventually allow dynamic pricing, i.e. electricity and maybe gas will get more expensive at peak times. The tech does not yet work of course.

it's not for your benefit.