Particle.news

Ofgem Orders Automatic £40 Payouts for Smart‑Meter Failures Starting Today

The regulator is shifting focus to working meters to protect customers when suppliers fall short.

Overview

  • From 23 February, energy suppliers across the UK must issue £40 automatically to eligible households without requiring a claim.
  • Payments are triggered if a first‑time installation appointment takes longer than six weeks to schedule, if an appointment fails for reasons within the supplier’s control, or if no action plan arrives within five working days of a reported issue.
  • Suppliers must pay within 10 working days, with an extra £40 due if the compensation itself is late, limited to once per incident.
  • The change moves enforcement away from installation quotas toward whether meters work and are fixed, addressing complaints over faulty devices and poor service.
  • Ofgem says further measures could follow later in 2026 and it will review the policy in early 2027 while awaiting the Government’s response to its standards review.