Smart Meter Not Sending Readings? Your £40 Compensation

If your smart meter stops sending readings, report it to your supplier and note the date. Since 23 February 2026, Ofgem's guaranteed standards mean the supplier must assess the problem, take appropriate action and offer you an update within five working days, or pay you £40 automatically. Keep sending readings yourself in the meantime. Proposed compensation for meters out of smart mode for more than 90 days is not in force. Facts below were checked on 13 October 2026.

What compensation rules started in February 2026?

Ofgem's final decision, published on 30 January 2026, brought three smart meter guaranteed standards into force. Suppliers must make automatic payments for breaches from 23 February 2026.

The £40 figure comes from Ofgem's announcement, which says customers receive it automatically. Citizens Advice adds that the supplier should pay within 10 working days and must pay another £40 if it does not.

What should you do when readings stop?

1. Check your bill. Citizens Advice says the word "estimated", or an E near the readings, suggests automatic readings are not reaching your supplier.
2. Use the smart meter checker to see whether your meter should be on the smart meter network.
3. Contact your supplier and keep a record. The five-working-day clock in Citizens Advice's guidance runs from when you contact the supplier, so note the date and any reference.
4. Send readings yourself once a month through the supplier's website or app, or by phone if you cannot.
5. Ask for help reading the meter if you need it. The Priority Services Register can include meter reading services.
6. Do not try to repair the meter yourself. Citizens Advice says to ask the supplier to repair or replace a faulty meter.

Will you get estimated bills?

Possibly, while readings are not arriving. Monthly readings keep your bill close to your real use. If a large catch-up bill follows, Ofgem's back-billing rules mean you do not have to pay for energy used more than 12 months ago if you were not billed accurately for it, unless you acted unreasonably, for example by blocking access to the meter. Our direct debit guide explains how estimates feed into your payments.

Does it matter whether you have a SMETS1 or SMETS2 meter?

It can. Citizens Advice says the upgrade of a first-generation smart meter should happen automatically, with no engineer visit needed, and that the supplier may fit a second-generation meter if the upgrade runs into a problem. If a new supplier cannot read your meter after a switch, you may need to wait, or you might be able to switch back to the supplier that installed it, but check your contract for a cancellation fee first.

Our guides explain switching with a smart meter and how SMETS1 upgrades work.

What is not in force yet?

Two 90-day measures are easy to confuse, and neither pays you automatically today.

• The 90-day compensation standard. Ofgem decided in January 2026 not to make a final decision on GSOP 4 yet, and said it would aim to implement it later in 2026 once accountability, technical and regulatory issues are worked through. We could not find a later Ofgem decision bringing it in as of 13 October 2026.
• The 90-day repair duty. In March 2026 the government decided to strengthen supplier licences so that suppliers must take all reasonable steps to get meters in traditional mode back into smart mode as soon as possible, and no later than 90 days after they first know. It said the obligations would be in place in 2026, but we could not confirm a start date. This is a duty on suppliers, not a payment to you. Citizens Advice already tells customers the supplier should give a target fix date within 90 days.

Ofgem says it will review the smart meter standards in early 2027.

How do you claim and escalate?

You do not need to claim the £40; it should arrive automatically. If it does not, or the fault is not fixed, complain to your supplier first. Ofgem says you can take the complaint to the Energy Ombudsman if it is still unresolved after 8 weeks or you receive a deadlock letter. Citizens Advice's consumer service can help in England and Wales, and Energyadvice.scot in Scotland.

These standards come from Ofgem, which regulates suppliers in England, Scotland and Wales.

Where Taupia fits

Taupia monitors your energy bills, compares tariffs against your own usage and switches only once you approve. It is free, and it never guarantees a saving. A smart meter does not stop you switching, though a first-generation meter may pause smart readings with a new supplier until it is connected.