Warning: 300,000 UK Homes at Risk of Being Left Without Heating
A concerning situation is unfolding in the UK, where approximately 300,000 households are facing the possibility of being left without heating or hot water due to the impending switch-off of the Radio Teleswitch Service (RTS) signal. According to a report by York Press, the RTS signal, which is used by older electricity meters to control heating and hot water, will be switched off on June 30, rendering the meters useless.
The RTS meter replacement programme has been ongoing, with Energy UK reporting that 430,000 households remained on an RTS meter at the end of March 2025, with efforts to replace them standing at 1,000 installations a day. However, concerns have been raised about the pace and communication of the meter replacement effort, which affects hundreds of thousands of households across the UK.
In a letter addressed to Miatta Fahnbulleh MP, Minister for Energy Consumers, and Ofgem Chief Executive Jonathan Brearley, the Coalition raised serious concerns about the looming crisis. The letter, obtained by York Press, highlights the risks faced by households that do not replace their RTS meters before the service is switched off. If an RTS meter is not replaced, households risk losing access to heating and hot water, particularly where electric storage heating is used.
Customers may also lose the ability to access cheaper off-peak tariffs, leading to higher energy bills, and could face inaccurate or inconsistent billing or, in some cases, the meters may stop working properly altogether. Simon Francis, coordinator of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, warned: “Our member organisations across the country will continue to do all they can to support the transition and raise awareness of the switch, but urgent action is now required. There is a very real risk that over 300,000 households will find their RTS meter stops working properly come July.”
Francis added: “With pressures on the replacement programme growing and with limited engineer availability, especially in rural areas, there’s a real risk of prolonged disruption, particularly for vulnerable households. Government, regulators and energy firms need to face up to the looming crisis and ramp up efforts to help people switch. At the same time, we now need to ensure contingency measures are in place for those who do not make the deadline and require energy suppliers to ensure fair metering and billing practices.”
The concerns raised by the Coalition have been echoed by Frazer Scott, Chief Executive of Energy Action Scotland, who stated: “Time and time again consumers are left in the dark by the Government and an energy industry failing to deliver on its promises to deliver improvements. Let’s not forget that many of these firms are making significant profits from customers and yet their customers, including many vulnerable people, may be left without working heating and hot water or facing the prospect of spiralling costs in just a few weeks time. The impact of failure in the switchover process on the health and wellbeing of people across Scotland don’t bear thinking about.”
The letter was also copied to devolved administrations in Scotland and Wales, including Gillian Martin MSP and Rebecca Evans MS. As the deadline for the RTS signal switch-off approaches, it remains to be seen whether the government, regulators, and energy firms will take urgent action to mitigate the risks faced by hundreds of thousands of households across the UK. York Press will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as more information becomes available.
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