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 y'all don't transport them readings, they'll approximate your usage. This ways your nib might be too high or low.

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

If yous can't get to your meter, your energy supplier might be able to requite you lot extra help to read or motility your meter. You can bank check if yous can get extra help from your free energy supplier.

If yous have a smart meter

Smart meters are different to standard meters - they usually send readings to your supplier automatically.

Yous'll normally likewise get a portable device chosen an 'in-home brandish' - this shows how much you'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 exist ignored.

A digital meter has an electronic or digital display. It will show 5 numbers in black or white, and might be followed past i or more red numbers.

To read the meter:

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

Two rate digital meter

Two rate digital electricity meter

This meter has 2 readings - 25404 and 54250. Y'all'll demand to give both readings to your supplier.

If you lot get cheaper electricity at sure times, you might accept a two rate (or 'dual-rate') meter. This means information technology volition have 2 rows of numbers.

The top row (labelled 'low' or 'night') shows how many units of cheaper electricity yous've used.

The bottom row (labelled 'normal' or 'twenty-four hours') shows how many units of standard-price electricity yous'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 whatever numbers shown in red.

Two charge per unit single display meter

Two rate single display electricity meter

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

Some 2 rate (or 'dual rate') meters only accept 1 digital display. They will either flash up the different rate readings in a bike or have a push that you need to press to make the display bike through the readings for the unlike rates.

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

To read this meter:

  1. Write down the numbers shown left to right.
  2. Make sure you get 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 9

An electricity dial meter has v or more than dials. They each turn to point to a number between 0 and nine.

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

To read the meter:

  1. Read the first v dials from left to right - ignore whatsoever red dials or dials marked one/10.
  2. If the pointer is between two numbers, write downwardly the lower number - if information technology'south betwixt ix and 0, write down ix.
  3. If the pointer is directly over a number, write down that number and underline information technology.

If you've underlined a number, check the next dial to the right. If the pointer on that dial is between 9 and 0, reduce the number you've underlined by ane. For example, if you originally wrote down 5, change information technology to iv.

Gas meters

Digital metric meter

Digital metric gas meter

This meter reading is 00544.

A digital metric meter will take an electronic or digital display, showing v numbers then a decimal point, followed by some more numbers.

To read the meter:

  1. Write downwardly the first five numbers shown from left to right.
  2. Ignore the numbers later the decimal bespeak, sometimes shown in red.

Digital imperial meter

Digital imperial gas meter

This meter reading is 1860.

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

To read the meter:

  1. Write downward the starting time four numbers from left to right.
  2. Ignore the rest of the numbers, shown in scarlet.

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 4 or more than dials. Each i turns to point to a number between 0 and 9.

Each dial on your meter volition plough in the reverse direction to the ones next to information technology. Some dial meters start with a clockwise punch and some start with an anticlockwise dial - check the direction of your dials before you read them.

To read the meter:

  1. Read the showtime four dials from left to right - ignore the big dials or cherry-red dials.
  2. If the arrow is betwixt ii numbers, write down the lower number - if information technology's betwixt 9 and 0, write down ix.
  3. If the pointer is straight over a number, write down that number.

If you can't find your meter on this page

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

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