The end of Radio Teleswitch Service (RTS) meters in Great Britain is swiftly approaching, as the technology that supports RTS will be turned off on 30th June 2025. RTS meters rely on a specific radio frequency to work – without this technology, they will stop functioning properly and will no longer be fit for purpose. 

Lead times to upgrade your RTS meter can sometimes be longer than expected, so it’s important that you begin the process of upgrading your meter as soon as possible, to avoid being caught out and causing potential impacts to your electricity bill. Here, we explain everything you need to consider, from how to identify an RTS meter, what this change could mean for your business, and the benefits that come with upgrading to a smart meter. 

How can you tell if your meter uses RTS?

You might have an RTS meter if you heat your business premises using electricity, if you have electric storage and water heaters, or if the price of your electricity varies by the time of day. If you’re not sure whether you have an RTS meter, there is a way that you can check. On an RTS meter, there should be a ‘Radio Teleswitch Service’ label on either your meter or a separate black box next to your meter. 

You can learn more and find examples of this on the Citizens Advice website, here, or contact your electricity supplier to confirm. 

What does this change mean for your business?

If you have an RTS meter, choosing not to upgrade to a smart meter doesn’t only mean that you will be unable to use your meter – it can also have the following implications:   

  • Your heating and hot water may be left continuously on or off.   
  • Your electric storage heaters may charge at the wrong time of day.  
  • Your supplier may be unable confirm your electricity usage during peak or off-peak times.   
  • You may also have a more limited choice of electricity supply contracts.  

All of these factors could lead to significantly higher bills. 

Smart meters

If your business has an RTS meter, you will need to upgrade to a smart meter to avoid these impacts – typically, this will be an Automated Meter Reading (AMR) meter, or if required, a second-generation smart meter (SMETS2). Through automated meter reads, smart meters avoid the need to manually submit meter reads. This also provides more accurate bills, ensuring that you only pay for electricity you use. 

That’s why, here at Bryt Energy, we’re on a mission to get all eligible customers switched on to smart meters. 

Next steps

It may take longer to upgrade your RTS meter than you think, so it’s crucial that you start the process of upgrading your meter as soon as possible, to avoid any negative implications and start enjoying the benefits of a smart meter. 

If you would like our assistance in making the switch, please get in touch us at heretohelp@brytenergy.co.uk to discuss upgrading your meter. We will also be glad to provide you with further information or arrange an appointment with you to talk through specific details for your business.   

Similarly, if you would like to learn more, you can visit the FAQs page on our website. 

*Please note that the Government’s Energy Bills Discount Scheme ended on 31st March 2024. If you have any questions regarding this scheme, or anything at all, you can get in touch with our friendly customer service team at heretohelp@brytenergy.co.uk.

Updated 1st September 2023

The UK Government has announced a new ‘Energy Bills Discount Scheme’, which will replace the current ‘Energy Bill Relief Scheme’ that ended in March 2023. 

Set to come into effect on 26th April 2023, the new Energy Bills Discount Scheme will (retrospectively) run from 1st April 2023 – 31st March 2024, to help support businesses with the cost of wholesale energy for an additional 12 months. 

The EBDS proposal contains 3 types of discounts – baseline, Energy and Trade Intensive Industry (ETII) discount, and Heat Networks (QHS) discount. 

For the baseline discount, eligible non-domestic consumers will receive a per-unit discount to their electricity bills during the 12-month period, subject to a maximum discount, and those in energy intensive sectors are set to receive a higher level of support. 

The new scheme will see a big reduction in the amount of discount being offered to businesses compared to EBRS and for many eligible businesses the discount looks likely to fall below 2p per kWh.

 

Eligibility 

The eligibility for the scheme has been defined by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) as follows: 

 

Everyone on a non-domestic contract including: 

  • businesses 
  • voluntary sector organisations, such as charities 
  • public sector organisations such as schools, hospitals and care homes 

 

who are: 

  • on deemed/out of contract or variable tariffs: the baseline discount looks likely to be set at zero at present and the Government will update the discount quarterly. 
  • on fixed price contracts: as with EBRS, this is based on the date the contract was signed (you can find this on the final page on your contract) and only customers with contracts signed after December 2021 are eligible. Please be aware that the discount may still be set at zero. 
  • on flexible purchase or similar contracts: any discount applied will depend on your wholesale energy price. 

You can see the recently published discount rates here. 

If you are eligible for the EBDS baseline discount, you will not have to take any action or apply to receive support. We will apply your discount automatically in line with the Government’s guidelines and this will be clearly included on your monthly energy bill, subject to the required legislation being in place.    

 

Energy and Trade Intensive Industries discount 

The ‘Energy and Trade Intensive Industries’ (ETII) is an additional discount introduced by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) for businesses in energy and trade intensive industries. 

This higher discount will be available to specific businesses on their energy bills. To check whether you are eligible, you can review the applicable SIC (Standard Industrial Classification) codes, here.

Whilst the original deadline for the Energy and Trade Intensive industry (ETII) discount was 25th July, if you have since become eligible after 26th April 2023, or were previously eligible and have since switched suppliers, please notify the The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) so that they can update your records. DESNZ will then determine whether your business qualifies. We will then be in touch with you within 10 working days of DESNZ notifying us of your eligibility, with further details of your discount.

For more information on this discount, visit our FAQs or the Government’s website, here.

 

Qualifying Heat Suppliers discount  

‘QHS’ stands for ‘Qualifying Heat Suppliers’ discount. This discount is extra to the Energy Bills Discount Scheme (EBDS) and is available to Qualifying Heating Networks (QHNs). The discount is payable for QHNs that have domestic properties within their network.

Whilst the original deadline for the Qualifying Heat Suppliers (QHS) discount was 25th July, if you have since become eligible after 26th April 2023, or were previously eligible and have since switched suppliers, please notify the The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) so that they can update your records. DESNZ will then determine whether your business qualifies. We will then be in touch with you within 10 working days of DESNZ notifying us of your eligibility, with further details of your discount.

Please note that Heat Networks with domestic end consumers will be required by law to apply for this support and pass on the benefit they receive to their end consumers.

For more information on this discount, visit our FAQs or the Government’s website, here.

If you cannot apply online, or have any questions about these discounts, please get in touch with DESNZ’s EBDS customer support team on: 

Email: support@ebds.beis.gov.uk

Telephone: 030 0400 5251

Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm 

 

Learn more 

You can learn more about the new scheme on the Government’s website, here. You can also find our comprehensive list of Frequently Asked Questions, here, or you can get in touch with our friendly customer service team at heretohelp@brytenergy.co.uk. 

We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Queen Elizabeth II. Our thoughts and condolences are with her family and all those affected during this time. 

It is a period of time that most of us in the UK have never experienced in our lifetimes, and we understand that this change will have an impact on many. The wellbeing of our employees has always been a priority for us, and we are providing support through our team of qualified Mental Health First Aiders. They are there to listen and offer confidential support to any of the Bryt Energy team who may need it, during this time and beyond. 

The country will now enter a period of official mourning, until the State Funeral takes place next week. During this time, we will be keeping our online activity to a minimum out of respect. However, rest assured that we are continuing to support both our customers and employees as we navigate the current challenges in the energy market.

Ian Brothwell, Managing Director at Bryt Energy