UK energy meter switch-off delayed amid fears over heating and higher bills

RTS meters in 300,000 homes to be phased out rather than turned off on 30 June deadline

As the temperature climbed towards 30C the peril of turning off a system that could leave people with their heating stuck on full must have looked like an avoidable disaster.

On Thursday ministers confirmed the “widespread switch-off” of the Radio Teleswitch Service (RTS), which controls an old type of electricity meter, “will not happen” on 30 June.