Energy Suppliers

British Gas EnergySmart

British Gas customers can save up to £150 on their energy bills with a free EnergySmart monitor.

The EnergySmart monitor from British Gas (www.britishgas.co.uk) is a new way to monitor and reduce the energy you use.

Customers with EnergySmart monitors don’t receive estimated bills, so only pay for the energy they use.

In this guide we look at how EnergySmart monitors work and explore the pros and cons of getting one.

What is an EnergySmart monitor?

An EnergySmart monitor is a small handheld device that shows you exactly how much electricity you are currently using.

It can display this information by cost, as units of electricity or even as CO2 emissions. Plus it allows you to see what you’ve used in the previous 30 days.

It looks like this:

British Gas says that using the EnergySmart monitor to see exactly how much electricity you're using each month can help you reduce your usage and ultimately save money on your energy bills.

It’s important to note that the EnergySmart monitor is not a smart meter. Smart meters, which the government plans to have in every home by 2020, are expected to have many additional features. Most importantly, they will be able to communicate with your energy supplier and provide meter readings directly to them.

Energy monitors are not exclusive to British Gas – you can get similar models from independent companies like AlertMe or with the Energy Saver tariff from E.On.

How much money could I save with an EnergySmart monitor?

British Gas’ research shows that customers could save around £110 a year on their energy bills with an EnergySmart meter. That’s because when you can see how much energy you’re using, it can help you cut down.

On top of this, it is offering a £40 loyalty bonus to customers who use the EnergySmart service for a year.

Plus, signing up to the EnergySmart scheme and providing meter readings will result in your receiving accurate energy bills, so you’ll only pay for what you use (see below).

How will an EnergySmart monitor help me banish estimated bills?

To get a free EnergySmart meter from British Gas, you will need to sign up to its EnergySmart scheme.This means you will have to manage your account online, enter monthly meter readings and pay your bills monthly by direct debit or by credit or debit card.

Because you will be providing British Gas with regular meter readings, you will receive accurate energy bills, rather than ones based on estimated usage, and so will only pay for what you use.

As well entering meter readings online, you can also use British Gas’ range of simple, but smart, online tools to help you track your energy usage and set targets to reduce your bill.

Are there any drawbacks?

The main drawback to this scheme is that the EnergySmart monitor is not available on the cheapest British Gas tariffs, known as Online Energy tariffs.

So, you need to weigh up the benefits of reducing your bills with cheaper prices on an Online Energy tariff, against the benefits of reducing your bills through energy efficiency with an EnergySmart monitor on another tariff.

If you do sign up to the EnergySmart scheme you need to be happy to manage your energy account online, enter monthly meter readings and pay your bills monthly by direct debit or by credit or debit card. This means you won’t get paper bills anymore.

How do I get an EnergySmart meter?

The EnergySmart monitor is available to new and existing customers for free, if you sign up to the EnergySmart scheme.

Existing customers: Visit the British gas website now to sign up to the EnergySmart scheme and order your free monitor.

Request your free EnergySmart monitor

New customers: Compare energy prices first, to check how British Gas’ tariffs compare to your current tariff before switching. If you find that a British Gas tariff best suits you, it’s easy to switch and sign up to the EnergySmart scheme to get your free monitor.

Compare energy tariffs