By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Updated: 23:19 BST, 30 April 2025

More than 300,000 homes are at risk of losing their hot water and heating when their electricity meters are switched off on July 1, the industry said yesterday.

Energy firms admitted current rates of replacement mean it is likely thousands of Radio Teleswitching System (RTS) meters will not be upgraded in time.

The RTS system uses a longwave radio frequency to switch between peak and off-peak rates. 

But the technology is becoming obsolete and companies have a deadline to change them by June 30.

Energy UK, which represents firms, said that at the end of March, 430,000 homes remained on an RTS meter with some 1,000 being replaced each day. 

Energy firms admitted current rates of replacement mean it is likely thousands of Radio Teleswitching System (RTS) meters will not be upgraded in time

The RTS system uses a longwave radio frequency to switch between peak and off-peak rates

The RTS system uses a longwave radio frequency to switch between peak and off-peak rates

Campaigners said this implies that more than 300,000 households could be left with a meter which does not work from July 1.

Ned Hammond, of Energy UK, told the BBC that the rate of replacement is rising, but added a ‘significant’ increase is needed. 

Asked whether it is impossible to get every RTS meter switched by June 30, he said: ‘I wouldn’t want to say impossible – but clearly very, very difficult.’

The End Fuel Poverty Coalition has written to watchdog Ofgem and the Government about the ‘dangerously behind schedule’ replacement effort. 

Co-ordinator Simon Francis said: ‘There is a very real risk that over 300,000 households will find their RTS meter stops working properly come July 1. Government, regulators and energy firms need to face up to the looming crisis and ramp up efforts to help people switch.’

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Warning 300,000 could lose heating and hot water when meters are switched off in just two months

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