Knowing how to read your gas and electricity meters is essential. It allows you to keep an eye on the energy you’re using as well as ensure the bills you get from your supplier each month are accurate.
What meter type do I have?
To effectively read your electric meter, you'll first need to know the kind you have.
Standard meter
Before smart meters began being installed a few years ago, standard meters, also known as traditional meters, were the most common type of meter across homes in the UK. Standard meters will have an electronic or digital display with one row of numbers – five in black or white, followed by one or more in red.
Economy 7 or Economy 10 meter
If you’re on either an Economy 7 or Economy 10 tariff, you will have a two rate (also known as a ‘dual rate’) meter. It will have two rows of numbers: one for energy consumed during ‘peak’ hours, and one for energy consumed during the seven or ten ‘off-peak’ hours. Because each of these figures run on different unit rates, your supplier will need to know both numbers to provide you with an accurate bill.
White meter
White meters are the Scottish equivalent of Economy 7 meters in England. They work on the same tariff structure, offering a lower rate per unit of energy during the night (usually sometime between 11pm and 8am), and a higher rate during the day.
Prepayment meter
A prepayment meter works as a ‘pay as you go’ tariff, meaning your energy is purchased in advance.
When you sign-up for prepayment, your supplier will provide you with a key or card which you can use to top-up at the Post Office or a PayZone or PayPoint outlet.
Smart prepayment meters are now also available where credit can be purchased remotely via a specialised payment site or app operated by your energy supplier.
If you run out of credit, your electricity and gas will automatically switch off. However, most prepayment meters are equipped with an ‘emergency credit’ function, that will provide you between £5 - £10 worth of credit, allowing you extra time to top-up. Be aware that if you do use the emergency credit feature, this will come out of your credit when you next top-up.
Although prepayment meters may suit those who want to keep a close eye on their energy use, the available deals are not only less in number, but the unit rates on these available tariffs are usually much higher than those with standard credit meters and paying by monthly direct debit.
Smart meter
As the name might suggest, smart meters are devices that provide detailed information to both you and your supplier on when you use your energy and how much you use.
Smart meters take readings of your energy use and send this wirelessly to your supplier, eliminating the need to take manual readings or risk receiving an estimated bill from your supplier.
Smart meters are compatible with most meter types standard, prepayment, Economy 7, and smart time of use.
Your smart meter also comes with an In-Home Display (IHD).
What is an In-Home Display (IHD)?
When your smart meter is first installed, your energy supplier will offer you a device called an ‘in-home display’ (IHD). Also known as a smart energy monitor, this portable device communicates wirelessly with your smart meter and shows your energy usage in near-real time. It will display your usage in both kilowatt hours (kWh) and pounds and pence, helping you more effectively monitor your energy use.
How do I know if I’m using my smart meter or my IHD?
The IHD is a small, portable device and can be placed anywhere inside your home. Your smart meter on the other hand, is fixed in place and will usually be located somewhere out of the way, such as in a cupboard inside or outside your home.
Is the type of meter I have important?
Traditionally, the type of meter you had used to dictate the type of tariff you were on. For example, if you had a standard meter, you would either be on a fixed deal or your supplier’s standard variable tariff (SVT). But if you wanted to switch to an Economy 7 tariff, someone would need to physically come in and change the meter to one that could take dual rate readings.
However, since the introduction of smart meters, this has changed significantly. Because smart meters are connected wirelessly to your supplier, this has allowed for not only meter and tariff types to be changed remotely, but also pay types, the results of which can have significant consequences. In Februrary this year, The Times exposed that one of the biggest energy suppliers had been remotely switching some of most vulnerable smart meter customers to prepayment settings, meaning they could only access gas and electricity by purchasing top-up credit.
I have a smart meter. Do I still need to take readings?
If you have a smart meter, readings should be automatically sent to your supplier every half hour
However, there may be some instances where you might need to take manual meter readings to send to your supplier. These include:
Your smart meter is incompatible with your new supplier
If you’ve switched to a new supplier, they may not be able to connect to your smart meter if it is an older, first generation (SMETS1) model. You’re more likely to have this type of smart meter if it was installed before March 2018.
It’s important to note that the meter will still work, but it will lose its ‘smart’ capabilities, meaning you will have to send meter readings to your new provider manually.
You just switched suppliers
If you have just switched to a new supplier, you will likely have to submit your first meter reading manually. As a general rule of thumb, it takes about 14 days to transfer your meter details into your new supplier’s system, and a few days after that to fully connect and for your new supplier to receive readings automatically.
It’s a good idea to take a photo of your current meter when you apply to switch so that your new supplier is able to validate your readings. Taking a photo when you first apply to switch should be done for all meters, not just smart ones.
How to read your electricity meter
All electricity meters measure in kilowatt hours (kWh), but there are a number of ways to read your electricity meter depending on the type you have. We’ve listed them below.
Single rate digital meter
A digital meter shows your reading on a digital display.
1. Write down the first 5 numbers from left to right.
2. Ignore any numbers in red, or any numbers that appear after a decimal point.
Two rate (dual rate) digital meter
If you have an Economy 7 or Economy 10 tariff, your meter will have two rows of numbers.
The top row will be labelled as ‘low’ or ‘night’ and shows how many units of electricity you’ve used during the seven or ten hour ‘off-peak’ time period.
The bottom row will be labelled ‘normal’ or ‘day’. This shows how many units of electricity you’ve used during the day, or ‘peak’ time.
1. Read the top and bottom rows and write down the numbers shown from left to right.
2. Ignore any numbers in red and anything that appears after a decimal point.
Two rate single display meter
Sometimes, even if you’re on an Economy 7 or Economy 10 tariff, your dual rates will appear on the one digital display. In this case, the readings will either display each rate in a cycle, or there will be a button you need to press to cycle between the rates.
Dial meter
A dial meter has 5 or more dials, each pointing to a number between 0 and 9.
Each dial will move in the opposite direction to the ones next to it. For example, if the first dial moves clockwise, the second dial will move anti-clockwise.
1. Read the first 5 dials in order from left to right.
2. Ignore any red dials or dials marked 1/10,
3. If the marker is between two numbers, take down the lower number, but if it is between 9 and 0, write 9.
4. If the marker is hovering directly over a number, write down that number and underline it.
5. For any underlined number, check the next dial in sequence. If the marker on that dial is between 9 and 0, reduce the underlined number by 1.
How to read your Gas meter
How to read each type is detailed below.
Digital metric meter
A digital metric gas meter will have a digital display with 5 numbers followed by a decimal point. There will be more numbers after the decimal point.
1. Write down the first 5 numbers from left to right.
2. Ignore any numbers after the decimal point
Digital imperial meter
A digital imperial meter will have a digital display with 4 black or white numbers, followed by 2 numbers in red.
1. Write down the first 4 numbers from left to right.
2. Ignore the numbers in red.
Dial meter
Taking readings for this type of dial meter will follow the same steps as reading electricity dial meters as above.
How can I calculate my actual energy usage?
For electricity
To get your actual electricity usage over the last 12 months, take the following steps:
1. Find two meter readings that were submitted approximately 12 months apart. They do not have to have been taken on the same date, but should be from around the same time (e.g., one from 1 April 2022 and one from 5 April 2023).
2. Subtract the reading taken last year from the one taken this year.
This will give you an accurate figure for the units you've used over the last 12-month period. Bear in mind that your energy consumption is likely to spike more during the winter months due to using heating appliances.
How to use your actual usage figure to estimate your future usage
To work out approximately how much you would pay over the next 12 months for your electricity, take the figure from the previous calculation and do the following:-
1. Multiply the figure by your current unit rate (for most households in the UK, this will be the price under the Government’s Energy Price Guarantee - approximately 33.2p per kWh).
2. Take your current standing charge (this should be on your IHD if you have a smart meter or it will be listed on your energy bill under “daily unit rate”) and multiply this by 365.
For gas
To work out your gas usage over the last 12 months, you can follow the same equation as above. However, because gas is measured either in cubic metres (m3) or cubic feet (ft3 ), you will first need to convert this into kilowatt hours (kWh)
How can I convert gas units to kWh?
Unlike electricity meters, your gas supply is measured either in cubic metres (m3) or cubic feet (ft3 ). Most energy suppliers will convert this into kilowatt hours (kWh) on your energy bills. But there are times you may want to check this figure, especially if you suspect your supplier may be overestimating your usage.
To know exactly how much you’re using in kWh, below is how to convert your gas usage depending on whether you have a metric or imperial meter.
Do I have a metric or imperial gas meter?
Imperial meters have four digit readings, not including the numbers in red, or the numbers after the decimal point. It will measure your usage in hundreds of cubic feet (hcf).
Metric meters have five or six digit readings not including the numbers in red or those numbers after the decimal point, and measure your gas usage in cubic metres (m3 ).
Quick method for converting gas units to kWh
If you’re simply after an approximation of your gas units in kWh, you can take the following steps:-
1. For the volume of gas used, take a meter reading and subtract this from the reading on your previous bill.
2. Multiply this reading by 11.362
For a precise method of converting gas units to kWh:
If you have a metric meter
To convert metric meter readings to kWh do the following:
1. Take a meter reading, then subtract this from the reading on your previous bill to work out the volume of gas used.
2. Multiply by volume correction factor (1.02264).
3. Multiply by calorific value (this will be printed on your energy bill, or you can use the average calorific value of 40.0).
Divide by kWh conversion factor (3.6)
If you have an imperial meter
To convert imperial meter readings to kWh do the following:
1. Take a meter reading, then subtract this from the reading on your previous bill to work out the volume of gas used.
2. Convert from imperial to metric by multiplying the units by 2.83.
3. Multiply by volume correction factor (1.02264).
4. Multiply by calorific value (this will be printed on your energy bill, or you can use the average calorific value of 40.0).
5. Divide by kWh conversion factor (3.6)
Although most imperial meters record in hundreds of cubic feet (hcf) some may take measurements in cubic feet. If this is the case with your meter, you will need to multiply the units in step 2 by 0.0283 instead of 2.83.
If your imperial meter measures in thousands of cubic feet, you will need to multiply the units in step 2 by 28.3.
My actual energy usage is higher than I expected. What can I do?
If you’ve worked out your actual energy usage and find it to be more than you expected, it could be that you’re paying more than you need. Sign up to Switchcraft and we’ll not only find you the best energy deals to suit your circumstances, we’ll connect you to your new supplier. And all free of charge.
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