Page last updated on 16th March 2026
Are smart meters dangerous: smart meter radiation and health risks
Are smart meters safe? Yes, is the short answer.
You might have heard that smart meters could be dangerous to your health, or you might be worried about smart meter side effects. If you have these concerns, you can rest assured - there’s no evidence that smart meters pose any risk to your health or the health of your family.
What’s more, our research has found that, in the future, data from smart meters could help to transform health and social care.
Read on to understand the scientific evidence for smart meter safety. Find out why there’s no need to worry about smart meter radiation or other smart meter dangers.
Smart meter health effects: Are smart meters bad for your health?
No, smart meters are not bad for your health.
Smart meters used across Britain have undergone one of the most rigorous smart safety testing regimes in the world and are installed by trained professionals. Furthermore, all smart meters meet the same safety standards, regardless of your energy supplier, and they must have undergone checks to ensure they meet UK and EU safety standards.
Are there any smart meter side effects: are smart meters dangerous to health?
No, smart meters do not have side effects. Since smart meters have undergone one of the most rigorous safety testing regimes in the world, you can rest assured that there are no side effects from using a smart meter.
You can benefit from having a smart meter, safe in the knowledge that there is no reason to worry about smart meter health issues.
How smart meters can actually support carers
Smart meters can be helpful for carers. If you’re a carer, smart meters are a great way of giving the person you care for back some of their independence.
Smart meters can help you and the person you care for manage their energy bills. It also takes meter readings off your list, giving you the time for the things that really matter.
If you care for someone, a smart meter can make life easier, and give the person you care for more independence at home. For more information, read our page about the benefits of smart meters for carers. Or check out Carers UK’s guide to smart meters.
Smart meter EMFs (electromagnetic fields) and smart meter radiation risks
Got questions about smart meter EMFs or smart meter radiation? You’re not alone.
Do smart meters give off radiation or do smart meters emit radiation?
While smart meters do emit radiation, it’s a much lower amount than other everyday devices such as your mobile phone, or your Wi-Fi router. Public Health England has said that the level of radiation from smart meters is well within guidelines and peer-reviewed research indicates that exposure to the radio waves produced by smart meters does not pose a health risk.
How safe are smart meters?
Smart meters are one of the safest pieces of equipment in people's homes. The level of radio waves that smart meters produce is typically one million times less than guideline levels. It is much lower than the items we use every day such as microwaves, TVs, and mobile phones.
To provide some more context, smart meters record the amount of electricity and gas that your property uses over time. They use radio waves to send the information they collect to your supplier.
Your energy supplier receives your meter readings at intervals arranged between you and them. It is up to you to decide how often you want your meter to send a reading to your supplier. For example, this could be half-hourly, daily or, in some cases, monthly. Read our guide for more information about smart meter data collection.
Why shouldn’t I worry about smart meter radiation?
Radioactive materials occur in nature. In fact, we encounter radiation every day – from the food we eat and the air we breathe, to the materials our buildings are made from and the household items we use. The amount of radiation you’re exposed to every day depends on where you live, what job you do, and many other factors. The radiation emitted from smart meters is well within guidelines and does not pose a health risk.
But you don’t need to take our word for it! Public Health England carried out extensive research to make sure that smart metres are safe.
The research is composed of 3 elements:
Phase 1:
Measuring exposure to radio waves from a selection of smart meter devices. This was done under laboratory conditions.
Phase 2:
Calculating and mapping the ways radio wave energy from smart meters is absorbed in the body.
Phase 3:
Assessing a sample group of homes to determine the level of exposures under normal operating conditions.
The results confirmed PHE’s existing advice that exposure to radio waves from smart meters is well below the guidelines set by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP). In fact, radio waves from smart meters are likely to be much lower than that from other everyday devices, like your mobile phone or Wi-Fi router.
We put it to the test – how much radiation to common household items produce? And how do smart meters compare?
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Anything with an electrical current will give off an EMF reading…
A smart meter, or an analogue meter, or your vacuum cleaner, or your microwave, or your mobile phone, or even your kettle.
None of these are dangerous to your health.
Smart meters are as safe as your toothbrush.
Now you know more about smart meters, and hopefully, you have an answer to whether a smart meter is bad for health, or if it poses any risk to you and your family.
Ready to get yours? Enter your energy supplier’s name below and we’ll get you started.
Find about more about smart meters
If you have any other concerns about smart meters, check out our myth-busting pages:
- Learn about smart meter safety and security.
- Can you get cut off with a smart meter? Know your rights.
- Do you need wifi for a smart meter? Learn how smart meters share information.