Martin Lewis has hit out at the “incredibly frustrating” roll out of smart meters across the UK.
The Money Saving Expert founder made the claims on a Panorama investigation which showed that there is a north/south divide regarding how well meters work and how accurate their readings are.
Smart meters first began to be rolled out under the coalition government, with the goal of helping people save money on their bills while lowering carbon emissions as part of the government’s net-zero plan.
But the rollout has been besieged with issues, with different companies installing meters with differing software and systems on a voluntary basis.
Government figures show that installation across the country has come at a cost of £13.5 billion, although 10% of smart meters currently installed are believed to not work properly.
The smart meter had been hailed as a revolutionary piece of technology that would allow users to track their energy usage and take advantage of off-peak tariffs which would be of benefit to the consumer and the environment.
But complications caused throughout the roll out have meant that in some cases, those advantages have not been realised and have left people worse off.
Martin Lewis said: “I find it incredibly frustrating how bad the rollout has been.
“It has taken far too long and it has cost billions. Our bills are higher because of it.
“We haven’t reaped the benefit yet because it hasn’t been done right.
“Somebody needs to grab the bull by the horns and make the smart meter system finally work.”
Current government targets aim to get smart meters into 75% of households by the end of next year.
British Gas has stated publicly that they believe that the government should make smart meter possession mandatory for all customers.
A Department for Energy Security and Net Zero spokesperson said: “It is a legal requirement for suppliers to make sure meters are working in smart mode,” as it stated that it expects suppliers to resolve issues at a much faster pace.
