Act on Energy has received a grant to spread the word about smart meters amongst several disadvantaged groups in the West Midlands. It is one of just 18 national and regional organisations to receive a large grant from the Smart Energy GB in Communities fund.

Every home in Britain will be offered a smart meter by their energy supplier, at no extra cost, by 2020. Smart meters provide gas and electricity readings directly to suppliers, meaning an end to estimated billing. They also show people how much they are using in pounds and pence, via a hand-held in-home display.

This grant fund is a central part of Smart Energy GB’s work to ensure everyone in Great Britain hears about smart meters and knows how to use them to get their gas and electricity under control. It is working with partners across England, Scotland and Wales to reach people who may face barriers to claiming or using their smart meter.

Act on Energy has received £18,000 from Smart Energy GB, the national campaign for the smart meter rollout. The funding will be used to work directly with communities in areas of Warwickshire, Worcestershire and Solihull.

The fund is managed by Charities Aid Foundation (CAF), which has 45 years’ experience in designing and delivering strategic grant-making programmes. It is part of the Smart Energy GB in Communities programme, which is being delivered by a consortium of charities – National Energy Action (NEA) and Energy Action Scotland (EAS), Media Trust, and CAF – to help ensure no one is left behind in the smart meter rollout.

“This represents a significant advance for households to only pay for the energy they’ve used rather than having estimated bills from their energy supplier” stated David Jullien, Chief Executive of local charity Act on Energy. “We encourage householders to reduce their energy use and costs in many ways and smart meters are the next logical step.”

Sacha Deshmukh, Chief Executive of Smart Energy GB, said:

“Smart meters are transforming the way we buy and use energy. Our job at Smart Energy GB is to make sure that everyone in Britain knows what a smart meter is, how to get one, and how to use it to get their gas and electricity under control.

“We know we can‘t do this job alone. We rely on expert partners to share information in ways that work for people who may need additional support to understand how to get and use a smart meter. We’re delighted to be working with Act on Energy through Smart Energy GB in Communities, to ensure everyone has the information they need to benefit from this transformative new technology.”