How to read your gas or electricity meter

This advice applies to England

Your supplier needs regular readings from your gas or electricity meter to work out your bills. If you don't send them readings, they'll approximate your usage. This means your nib might exist too loftier or depression.

Call your supplier to give them the readings - or check if yous can submit one on their website or app.

If you can't get to your meter, your energy supplier might be able to give you extra help to read or move your meter. You can check if you tin can get actress help from your energy supplier.

If y'all have a smart meter

Smart meters are different to standard meters - they unremarkably ship readings to your supplier automatically.

You'll normally also become a portable device called an 'in-home display' - this shows how much y'all're spending on your free energy.

Find out how to:

  • read a smart gas meter
  • read a smart electricity meter

Electricity meters

Single rate digital meter

Single rate digital electricity meter

This meter reading is 75085. The red number should be ignored.

A digital meter has an electronic or digital display. It volition bear witness 5 numbers in black or white, and might exist followed by 1 or more than red numbers.

To read the meter:

  1. Write down the first 5 numbers shown from left to right.
  2. Ignore any other numbers.

Two rate digital meter

Two rate digital electricity meter

This meter has ii readings - 25404 and 54250. Y'all'll demand to give both readings to your supplier.

If yous get cheaper electricity at certain times, yous might have a 2 rate (or 'dual-charge per unit') meter. This ways it will have 2 rows of numbers.

The height row (labelled 'low' or 'night') shows how many units of cheaper electricity you lot've used.

The bottom row (labelled 'normal' or 'day') shows how many units of standard-price electricity you've used.

To read the meter:

  1. Read both the top and bottom rows.
  2. Write down the numbers shown left to right.
  3. Ignore whatsoever numbers shown in red.

2 charge per unit single brandish meter

Two rate single display electricity meter

This meter has 2 readings - 75085 and 46806. You'll demand to give both readings to your supplier.

Some ii rate (or 'dual rate') meters only accept 1 digital display. They will either flash up the different rate readings in a bike or accept a push button that you need to press to make the display bicycle through the readings for the different rates.

To read the meter write down the numbers shown left to right, for each reading.

To read this meter:

  1. Write down the numbers shown left to correct.
  2. Make sure you become both readings.

Dial meter

Electricity dial meter with 5 clock dials in a row and arrows on the screens showing the direction each dial turns.

This meter reading is1 5 64 nine

An electricity dial meter has five or more dials. They each turn to point to a number between 0 and ix.

Each punch on your meter will plough in the opposite management to the ones side by side to it. Some dial meters start with a clockwise punch and some start with an anticlockwise dial - cheque the direction of your dials before you read them.

To read the meter:

  1. Read the first v dials from left to right - ignore any cherry-red dials or dials marked 1/10.
  2. If the pointer is between ii numbers, write downwards the lower number - if information technology's between 9 and 0, write down 9.
  3. If the pointer is direct over a number, write down that number and underline it.

If you lot've underlined a number, cheque the adjacent punch to the right. If the arrow on that dial is between 9 and 0, reduce the number you've underlined by 1. For example, if you originally wrote downward 5, change information technology to 4.

Gas meters

Digital metric meter

Digital metric gas meter

This meter reading is 00544.

A digital metric meter will have an electronic or digital display, showing 5 numbers and so a decimal point, followed past some more numbers.

To read the meter:

  1. Write down the start 5 numbers shown from left to correct.
  2. Ignore the numbers after the decimal point, sometimes shown in cherry-red.

Digital purple meter

Digital imperial gas meter

This meter reading is 1860.

A digital purple meter has an electronic or digital display, showing 4 black or white numbers, followed by 2 numbers shown in scarlet.

To read the meter:

  1. Write downward the offset four numbers from left to right.
  2. Ignore the rest of the numbers, shown in reddish.

Dial meter

Gas dial meter with 4 clock dials in a row and arrows on the screens showing the direction each dial turns.

This meter reading is 7241.

A gas dial meter has iv or more dials. Each ane turns to point to a number between 0 and nine.

Each dial on your meter will turn in the opposite direction to the ones next to it. Some dial meters start with a clockwise dial and some start with an anticlockwise dial - check the direction of your dials before you read them.

To read the meter:

  1. Read the first 4 dials from left to correct - ignore the large dials or red dials.
  2. If the pointer is between ii numbers, write down the lower number - if it's between nine and 0, write downward 9.
  3. If the pointer is straight over a number, write down that number.

If you tin can't observe your meter on this page

Information technology might exist a smart meter. Check how to:

  • read a smart gas meter
  • read a smart electricity meter