Millions of households have only a few days left to take an energy meter reading before the Ofgem price cap drops.
The Ofgem price cap is set to decrease from £1,928 a year to £1,690 this coming Monday (April 1). This is what the typical dual fuel household with average energy use, paying by direct debit, can expect to pay.
It is the lowest price cap level since February 2022 – although bills are still far higher than before Covid.
You should aim to take a meter reading by this Sunday (March 31) so you’re not accidentally charged higher rates after the price cap falls. If you don’t manage to take a meter reading by this Sunday, it is still fine to do one after the price cap has changed – just try to do it as close to this date as possible.
For most standard electricity meters, you’ll need to write down the first five numbers shown from left to right to take down a meter reading. If it shows red numbers, you can ignore these, reports the Mirror.
If you are on an Economy 7 or 10 electricity tariff, you may see two rows of numbers – you should note down both rows of numbers.
If you have a dial electricity meter, you’ll need to read the first five dials (these are numbered between zero and nine) from left to right – always check the direction of each dial before you start your reading, as each one turns in the opposite direction to the one before. Ignore any red dials.
Citizens Advice says if the pointer is between two numbers, write down the lower number. But if the pointer is between nine and zero, Citizens Advice says you should write down nine.
If the pointer is directly over a number, write that number down and underline it – then, if you’ve underlined a number, check the dial to the right and if the pointer on that dial is between nine and zero, reduce the number you’ve underlined by one.
If you have a digital metric meter, you only need to write down the first five numbers from left to right – you can ignore the numbers after the decimal point. For a digital imperial meter, you only need to read the four black numbers – ignore the two red numbers.
If you have a dial gas meter, the steps are the same as those with a dial electricity meter, but you don’t need to underline any numbers where the pointer has landed directly on it. Once you have your reading, you’ll need to send it to your supplier, either online or over the phone.
If you’ve got a smart meter, there’s no need for you to take a meter reading – these clever gadgets should automatically send your usage details for you. But if you think you’re paying too much, it’s a good idea to get in touch with your energy supplier.
Recent numbers from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero reveal that nearly 4 million devices weren’t working in smart mode at the end of 2023.
