Why You Need to Take a Meter Reading
Millions of households in the UK need to take action to avoid being overcharged on their energy bills. By taking a meter reading, you can ensure that your supplier has an accurate idea of your usage and bills you accordingly. This is especially important as Ofgem is set to increase the price cap from £1,834 to £1,928 a year starting January 1.
What the Price Cap Increase Means for You
With the price cap increase, the average household will see their bills go up by £94 a year. The cost of electricity will rise from 27.35p per kWh to 28.62p per kWh, while the unit rates for gas will rise from 6.89p per kWh to 7.42p per kWh.
Send Your Meter Reading by December 31
To ensure that you are billed accurately, it is crucial to send your updated meter reading to your supplier before the price cap increase. This is especially important for those without a smart meter, as they will be billed based on estimated usage if they don't provide a reading. The deadline for submitting your reading is December 31.
How to Take a Meter Reading
If you don't have a smart meter, you can submit your meter reading in various ways, including text message, phone, online, or through your supplier's app. It's always a good idea to take a picture of your meter reading as evidence for any future disputes. The method of taking a reading depends on the type of meter you have.
Electricity Meters
If you have a digital electricity meter, write down the five numbers in black and ignore the red number. If you're on an Economy 7 or 10 tariff, which offers cheaper electricity at night, there will be two rows of numbers to record. For traditional dial meters, read the first five dials from left to right, ignoring any red ones.
Gas Meters
If you have a digital metric meter, write down the first five numbers from left to right. For digital imperial meters, note down the four black numbers only. If you have a dial gas meter, follow the same steps as with a dial electricity meter.
By taking a meter reading before the price cap increase, you can ensure that you are billed accurately for your energy usage. Don't forget to submit your reading by December 31 if you don't have a smart meter.
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