Urgent Action Needed as RTS Meter Deadline Approaches, 300,000 Households at Risk

Hundreds of thousands of UK households, particularly in Scotland, are at risk of losing automated heating and hot water controls as the aging Radio Teleswitch Service (RTS) electricity meters are set to be switched off by June 2025. The RTS system, used since the 1980s, relies on a soon-to-be-discontinued longwave radio signal to manage off-peak electricity tariffs, especially for homes using electric storage heaters. Energy suppliers are replacing about 1,000 meters daily, but this pace is insufficient to meet the deadline, leaving vulnerable and rural households most exposed to disruptions and higher energy bills. Consumer advocacy groups and regulatory bodies have sounded alarms over the slow progress, calling for urgent action, contingency plans, and guarantees to ensure fair billing and continued service. Ofgem, the energy regulator, has labeled the issue an 'urgent consumer welfare' matter, and campaigners warn that without swift intervention, some households could face a loss of heating or permanent system malfunction from July onward. The switch-off deadline, initially planned for March, was pushed to June to give providers additional time, but concerns remain over the industry's ability to meet the revised schedule.