If the in-home display that came with your smart meter has broken or gone missing, your supplier may no longer be legally required to fix it. Suppliers only have to maintain the display for 12 months after installation. Beyond that, the main protection is a set of voluntary principles, and the government updated the list of suppliers backing them on 29 October 2026.
The principles themselves are not new: they were first published in February 2024. The government says evidence shows a growing number of people need a replacement after the 12 months but cannot always get one.
Which suppliers have signed up
The list now reads:
- British Gas
- E (Gas & Electricity)
- E.ON Next Energy
- Ecotricity
- EDF
- Good Energy
- Octopus Energy
- Outfox Energy
- OVO Electricity & OVO Gas
- Scottish Power Energy Retail
- Utilita Energy
- Utility Warehouse
What they have agreed to
There are four principles. They are voluntary, not licence conditions.
- A clear route to a fix. Suppliers should help you troubleshoot the problem. Good practice includes clear information on their website and trained customer service staff.
- A replacement or a way to buy one. If the display is broken or missing and cannot be repaired, the supplier should offer a replacement or a means to purchase one. This does not promise a free display for everyone.
- Making sure it works. The new display should be working and paired with your meters in a timely manner.
- Keeping records. Suppliers should record how many displays are requested, repaired and replaced, and share this with the government and Ofgem when asked.
Who should get extra help
The principles’ good practice singles out two groups:
- Vulnerable customers and those on the Priority Services Register should be offered a replacement free or at the lowest possible cost.
- Prepayment customers who top up through the display need extra support and a replacement more urgently.
Suppliers should also check whether an accessible display would suit you. They can mention alternatives such as apps or consumer access devices, but in addition to discussing a replacement, not instead of it.
What to do if yours has stopped working
- Contact your supplier, say the display is broken or missing, and ask what it can offer.
- Ask whether it follows the voluntary replacement principles, and whether there is a charge.
- Tell it if you top up through the display, or if you are on the Priority Services Register or may qualify for it.
- Use Citizens Advice’s in-home display help pages, which the principles recommend suppliers point customers to.
To keep an eye on costs in the meantime, you can compare your use with current rates in our energy price cap tracker.