Quids In Issue 33 Winter 2016

THE BUZZ
The latest news affecting you and your finances
4 IN 5 GET GAZ AND
LECCY UNDER
CONTROL
Smart meter customers take
action on energy bills
Thumbs up for Gaz and Leccy: 80% of smart
meter users say it helps drive down bills.
Qimag.uk/gazleccy @quidsinmagazine
Gaz and Leccy, the madcap characters in TV ads for
smart meters, have received the thumbs up from
customers who say the new tech helps drive down
energy bills.
Smart meters mean the end of estimated bills
and nuisance visits from meter readers forever.
Customers, as well as gas and electricity
suppliers, instantly see the energy used at home
and check how much they consume each day.
Pointing at research that found 80 per cent of
users had taken at least one step towards reducing
costs, Smart Energy GB’s boss, Sacha Deshmukh,
said: “People with a smart meter are much better
informed and have greater levels of control over
their energy use and bills.”
Now in over 4 million homes, the meters should
be available to all householders by the end of 2020.
No payment is taken for installation.
Customers in arrears or on pre-payment meters
can monitor credit on the meters and the aim is to
help all users reduce bills.
Accurate billing should reduce over-charging
for direct debit customers but those who received
estimated bills for a period worry they may face a
shock as new readings bring them up to date.
Fears have also been raised that rural residents
will wait longer due to poor wireless connection.
NUMBER
CRUNCHED
SAVINGS
Source: Money Advice Service
16
MILLION
Number of people
in the UK with
savings of less
than £100
£1,000
The amount
recommended
by debt charity
StepChange as
needed to weather
most everyday
financial setbacks
23%
Almost a quarter
of people on less
than £13,500 a
year had savings
of £1,000
£1,341
Average cost
of car repair or
replacement.
Unplanned events
cost an average £423.
Optician/ dentist/ vet
bills and replacement
of white goods
average £200-300
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