Thousands of people in Salford will benefit from the smart meter roll-out that comes a step closer this week. The government has set out the options for installing the revolutionary kit in homes across the UK and on what the smart meters should be capable of doing.

Smart meters will mean:
• No more estimated bills
• No more waiting for the meter man
• More information to help with cutting energy use, saving money and reducing your carbon footprint.

Smart meters enable meter readings to be taken remotely and together with a display device give householders real time information on their energy use. In trials some households estimate they have saved as much as 10% off their bills by changing the way they use energy and cutting back when rates are at their highest.

Hazel said:

“Smart meters will offer real help to people looking to save energy and that means saving money too.

“The more information you have about the energy you use, the more chance you have to use it more wisely, cut back where you don’t need to and switch to cheaper tariffs. Smart meters are good news for everyone who wants to save money and cut back on CO2 emissions which cause climate change.”

Editors notes

Other ways to save energy on offer:

• As a major part of the Government’s Home Energy Savings Package, every household in the UK is now entitled at least 50% off the cost of getting loft or cavity wall insulation installed in their home, and households over 70 can get insulated for free.To find out more about the offers available, contact the Energy Saving Trust on 0800 512 012
• Warm Front grants are available to vulnerable and low income households. To find out if you qualify, call Eaga Partnership (the company that currently runs the Warm Front scheme) on freephone 0800 316 6011, textphone 0800 072 0156 (from 8.00 am to 6.00 pm Monday to Friday).
• Use the ACTonCO2 carbon calculator to find out how to save energy, save money and reduce your carbon footprint. http://actonco2.direct.gov.uk/index.html