Money saving guru Martin Lewis has delivered a damning verdict on the rollout of sensible energy meters.

The set up of the meters into each house and enterprise within the land is massively costly and delayed.

The smart meters have been extensively criticised with experiences that as many as one in 5 fail to supply the promised actual time information on energy use and cost.

Mr Lewis mentioned: “The rollout of the smart meters has been a disgrace in this country. Twenty percent of them don’t work and meet people with nothing more than a fixed metre which is what you’ve got anyway.

“If it doesn’t work, you’re not necessarily worse off. (But) on a macroeconomic level it has been a terrible rollout.”

Consumer teams, equivalent to Which?, and political events of all stripes have supported the roll-out of sensible meters, nonetheless the programme has been dogged with delays and a rise in prices.

Initial estimates urged the mass installations would value round £13.5 billion and be accomplished by 2019. The ultimate invoice will probably be billions increased and completion of the scheme is years away.

Speaking final yr, chairman of the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee, Dame Meg Hillier MP, Chair of the Committee, mentioned: “There are functionality issues with many. Millions will have to be replaced when they become obsolete, and the evidence is unclear whether their benefits are even working as advertised.

“On top of this, smart meters have serious reputational obstacles to overcome with the public.”

The meters are central to the swap to renewable power and new variable worth regimes the place clients are rewarded for limiting power of family home equipment in periods of excessive demand.

On the identical theme, Mr Lewis mentioned he's supportive of households producing their very own power with photo voltaic panels. However, the payback time for the set up prices will be a few years.

He mentioned: “If you have the right circumstances for solar panels, with energy bills as high as they are right now, the payback time is anywhere from eight to 15 years.

“You get them installed right, fitted right, if you’ve got the cash, it certainly helps the environment.”

Smart Energy GB, who're liable for selling the rollout of the meters, not too long ago recruited Angela Rippon to assist the initiative.

The organisation’s director, Victoria Bacon, mentioned: “It’s important for people of all generations to feel like they have the tools to understand and manage their energy use – smart meters give everyone the visibility they need to do this.”

She mentioned they provide clear and sensible advantages, not least as a result of they get rid of estimated payments.