Metering can be a fair way of charging for limited water resources. As circumstances are very different in different regions, the Government do not take a blanket approach to metering policy. In areas of serious water stress where there may not be enough water available to meet demand, a water company can include plans for metering all of their customers in their Water Resources Management Plan. In all other areas, household customers are entitled to have a meter installed free of charge by their water company on request, but cannot be required to have one fitted. The type of water meter to fit is a matter for the water company to decide.

The Government's vision is for every home and smaller businesses in Great Britain to have smart electricity and gas meters by the end of 2020. In December 2012, the Department published the smart meter Consumer Engagement Strategy which sets out the approach to how domestic and non-domestic consumers will be encouraged to use smart meters to take control of their energy—helping them to save energy and money.

Energy suppliers will have the primary consumer engagement role as they are the main interface with consumers before, during and after installation. Supplier engagement will be supported by a programme of centralised engagement undertaken by a Central Delivery Body (CDB), which the larger energy suppliers were required to set up in June 2013.

The Department also has a continuing role in consumer engagement. For example, we are working with stakeholders, such as third-sector organisations, in engaging consumers, and ensuring that accurate information on smart meters is available online.

Officials in the Department liaise regularly with the Scottish Government on a range of fuel poverty related issues.

The Budget announced that the existing £1 coin will be replaced with a more modern and secure design. After 30 years in circulation, the current coin has become vulnerable to counterfeiting.

There will be a public consultation this summer that will focus on how to manage impacts on industry and other affected parties. The Government is committed to working with these organisations to minimise costs and disruption.

The Government plans for the new coin to be introduced in 2017. This timeline was decided expressly to allow industry three years to plan for the change.

The Smart Meter Central Delivery Body intend to publish an updated Consumer Engagement Plan before the end of the year, where they will set out their plans for assisting microbusinesses.

DECC releases statistics on a quarterly basis which detail meter installations by the larger energy suppliers. The latest release details installations up to the end of quarter 3 2013, and can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/statistical-release-smart-meters-great-britain-quarter-3-2013

For the purposes of statistical reporting, smart meters are defined as those that are, or are expected to be, compliant with the technical specifications (SMETS)

defined by Government to support the smart meter roll-out. At the end of quarter 3 2013 a total of 200,400 smart meters had been installed in domestic properties by the larger energy suppliers. Suppliers have indicated that most, if not all, of these meters will need to receive software updates, which are expected to be delivered remotely, before they are fully SMETS compliant. Once the meters have received these updates, they will not need to be replaced during mass roll-out.

DECC releases statistics on a quarterly basis which detail total smart meter installations by the larger energy suppliers, but does not collect or publish information on the actual number of households with smart meters. The latest release details installations up to the end of quarter 3 2013, and can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/statistical-release-smart-meters-great-britain-quarter-3-2013

At the end of quarter 3 2013 a total of 200,400 smart meters had been installed in domestic properties by the larger energy suppliers, of which 117,500 are electricity and 82,900 are gas. We understand that, to date, suppliers have generally targeted dual fuel installations (i.e. installing both gas and electricity smart meters at the same property).

Some energy suppliers are already offering smart metering services ahead of the Government’s mandated roll-out. We do not hold detailed information on the extent of communications coverage in relation to these services, but they typically depend on standard mobile phone network services.

Wide area communications coverage for the mandated roll-out will be provided through the Data and Communications Company (DCC). The DCC is currently developing its infrastructure and services in readiness for Initial Live Operations from late 2015.

The DCC has committed to WAN coverage targets of not less than 99.25% of GB premises by 2020, when suppliers are required to complete the roll-out. In the meantime it is obliged under its licence to seek ways of providing coverage for the remaining premises subject to technical feasibility and disproportionate cost.

The Department used the following criteria, which were subject to public consultation in summer 2012, to determine which wireless standards should be used in the GB smart metering roll-out:

Is the standard developed, maintained and made available in an open manner;

Does the standard support the minimum functionalities required for GB smart meters;

Does the standard provide an appropriate equipment assurance regime; and

Has the standard been implemented in other jurisdictions and is there capacity for it to be delivered at scale and in time to support the roll-out of smart metering in GB.

The Government proposal to use ZigBee as a wireless standard for GB smart metering, which was part of the public consultation in summer 2012, was widely supported by the energy industry.

DECC releases statistics on a quarterly basis which detail meter installations by the larger energy suppliers. For the purposes of statistical reporting, smart meters are defined as those that are, or are expected to be, compliant with the technical specifications (SMETS) defined by Government to support the smart meter roll-out.

At the end of quarter 3, 2013, a total of 200,400 smart meters had been installed in domestic properties by the larger energy suppliers. A further 900 smart meters and 507,600 advanced meters, which meet supplier roll-out obligations, had been installed in smaller non-domestic sites.

Energy suppliers have indicated that most, if not all, of the smart meters currently installed in domestic and smaller non-domestic properties will need to receive updates, which are expected to be delivered remotely, before they are fully compliant with the Smart Metering Technical Specifications.

As reflected in the Smart Metering Impact Assessment published in January 2014, the estimated cost for a smart electricity meter is £43.60, with the cost estimate for a smart gas meter being £57.20:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/smart-meter-roll-out-for-the-domestic-and-small-and-medium-non-domestic-sectors-gb-impact-assessment

The Smart Meter Impact Assessment considers a period up to 2030 reflecting that some benefits will only be realised in full once the roll-out has been completed in 2020 and assets installed during the roll-out will still have value beyond that date. Over the period up to 2030 total costs are expected to be £10.9 billion, with total benefits of £17.1 billion, resulting in a net benefits of £6.2 billion:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/smart-meter-roll-out-for-the-domestic-and-small-and-medium-non-domestic-sectors-gb-impact-assessment

The Government has not undertaken an assessment of which smart phones are compatible with smart meters.

However, there are numerous ways in which the market may develop so that smart metering services or data could be made available, with consumers' consent, across a number of platforms, including smart phones. GB smart metering will support such innovation through the services provided by the DCC and by the potential to connect consumer access devices to smart meters in consumer premises, which could in turn be connected to smart phones or other platforms.

The Department of Energy and Climate Change published the second annual report on the roll-out of smart meters in December 2013. The report notes that the programme has passed a number of significant milestones on the road to smart meters being rolled out. These include:

the appointment in September 2013 of the Data and Communications Company (DCC) licensee and of the data and communications service providers. The DCC will deliver communications between smart meters and energy suppliers, network operators and other authorised service users;

designation of the Smart Energy Code (SEC) that sets out the contractual relationship between the DCC and its users;

confirmation of the regulatory approach to the Foundation Smart Market;

the establishment in June 2013 of the Central Delivery Body responsible for centralised consumer engagement;

the coming into effect in June 2013 of the Smart Meter Installation Code of Practice governing the consumer experience throughout the smart meter installation process at both domestic and micro-business premises;

the publication in September 2013 of the first quarterly report on the progress of suppliers' smart meter installations;

the publication of a range of research on consumer attitudes to and engagement with smart metering, with a further programme of in depth research under way;

the developments of arrangements for monitoring both costs and delivery of benefits.

The bills of metered customers are based on use; this varies depending on a range of factors, including household composition and consumer behaviour. Many households would see bills fall with the installation of a meter. Others, notably large households in properties with low rateable values, may see their bills increase to reflect their actual water consumption.

Any customer can opt to get a meter fitted free of charge from their water company. The Consumer Council for Water's website provides a tool to calculate a household's metered bill. Currently 41% of customers in England pay for water by a meter. In Wales this figure is 34%.

In an area where a company is rolling out metering due to serious water stress, Southern Water has assessed that 57% of customers would see a reduction in their bill with 43% seeing an increase. Across its customer base the typical range is between a £100 increase or a £100 decrease in the annual household bill, although there will be outliers.