If your smart meter is not sending readings to your supplier, your bills may be estimated, delayed or wrong. This is one of the most common smart meter problems in the UK — and it usually means the issue is with communication, commissioning or supplier systems, not something you have done.

Smart Meter Not Sending Readings — What It Means and What To Do

Many customers assume their smart meter is working because it is installed, the screen is on, or the in-home display still shows something. But a smart meter can still look “alive” inside your home while your supplier is not actually receiving your readings properly. That is when bills become estimated, gas readings go missing, or the supplier starts asking for manual readings again.

What is actually happening?

Your smart meter relies on a communications hub to send readings to your supplier over the WAN — the Wide Area Network. If that connection fails, becomes unreliable, or the meter was never properly set up in the first place, your supplier may stop getting your readings even though the meter itself still appears to be working. In simple terms: your meter may still be recording usage locally, but the data is not reaching the supplier properly.

Signs your smart meter is not sending readings

your bill says estimated instead of actual
your supplier asks you to send manual readings
your usage on the display does not match what appears on the bill
your bills suddenly increase or drop without a clear reason
your electricity readings work but your gas readings are missing
the problem started after installation or after switching supplier

In many homes, electricity may still appear to work smart while gas does not. That makes the problem harder to spot unless you check the bill properly.

What should you check first?

check your latest bill — does it say estimated?
check your in-home display — is it showing both gas and electric?
check whether only one fuel is affected
think about when the issue started — after installation, after a supplier switch, or more recently
take a manual reading if possible

Sending a manual reading can help correct the bill temporarily while the real issue is being investigated.

The most common causes

Weak or failed WAN signal — the comms hub cannot reach the smart meter network properly
Communications hub fault — the hub itself may have failed or become unstable
Gas meter connection issue — the gas meter may not be paired properly with the electricity meter
Commissioning problem — the meter was installed but not fully set up correctly
Supplier-side data issue — readings exist, but the supplier’s systems are not pulling or using them correctly

This is why “not sending readings” is really a branch problem, not one single fault.

When do you need an engineer?

You may need a visit if:

your supplier confirms they are not receiving data at all
your meter has not sent readings for a long time
your gas readings have never worked properly
the issue started after installation and never settled down
the communications hub or pairing needs physical work

Some problems can be fixed remotely. Others need an engineer to reconnect, recommission or replace parts of the system.

What is happening behind the scenes?

the comms hub is not connecting to the WAN network
the electricity meter is not passing readings through properly
the gas meter is not paired correctly over the HAN network
the smart meter was never commissioned cleanly
the supplier system is not collecting or using the readings correctly

That is why your smart meter can look as if it is working, but your supplier still receives no usable data.

What would an engineer or supplier check?

WAN signal strength and communications hub status
whether the electricity meter is communicating correctly
whether the gas meter is connected through the HAN network
installation and commissioning status
whether the issue is meter-side or supplier-side

What usually fixes it?

recommissioning the smart meter system
repairing or replacing the communications hub
reconnecting the gas meter to the system
dealing with WAN signal issues
the supplier correcting the data flow once communication is restored

The correct fix depends on where the break is. That is why vague replies from suppliers are not good enough.

What should your supplier do?

If you formally report that your smart meter is not sending readings, your supplier should assess the issue properly rather than just leave you on estimated bills. Under the newer smart meter Guaranteed Standards, suppliers should carry out an initial assessment, take action that helps identify the issue, and offer written confirmation of what they found and what they did within 5 working days. Important: that does not mean the full fault must always be fixed within 5 working days. It does mean the supplier should start properly investigating it and not leave the case drifting.

Could you be owed compensation?

If your supplier fails to meet one of the live smart meter standards, compensation may apply in some cases. But do not assume every long-running readings problem automatically triggers compensation. The key issue is whether the supplier has breached a live obligation, such as failing to carry out the required early assessment and action after you reported the problem. If the problem has dragged on, it is still worth asking the supplier what action has been taken, whether it considers the case a smart meter fault, and whether any compensation may be due.

Still not sending readings?

If your smart meter is not sending readings, it usually points to a communications, commissioning, pairing or supplier-system issue rather than something you have done wrong. That means the best next step is to pin down which part of the chain has failed. ← Back to Smart Meter Signal Problems Guide Related: Gas meter not connecting to electricity meter Related: Smart meter signal and connectivity problems Related: Why is my energy bill estimated? Related: Smart meter not commissioned properly Use the Smart Meter Health Check Create a complaint letter