A Simple Guide to Gas, Electricity and Smart Meter Readings
Many people rarely look at their energy meter. Bills arrive, payments leave your bank account, and the numbers in between can seem confusing.
However, your meter is an important source of information because it records the amount of gas or electricity passing through it.
Therefore, knowing how to read your meter can help you check your bills, provide accurate readings and understand how much energy your home uses.
You don’t need to become an expert. You simply need to know which numbers matter and what they mean.
Why Meter Readings Matter
Your energy supplier uses meter readings to help calculate how much energy you have used.
If your supplier does not have an actual reading, it may sometimes have to estimate your consumption. As a result, your bill may not reflect exactly how much energy you used during that period.
Regular readings can help you:
- Keep your account based on accurate information
- Reduce reliance on estimated readings
- Check readings shown on your bill
- Spot unexpected changes in consumption
- Understand how your household uses energy
Even if you have a smart meter, it is still useful to know how to read the meter yourself.
First, Check the Meter Serial Number
Before taking a reading, make sure you are looking at the correct meter. This is particularly important if several meters are located together, such as in a block of flats.
Look for the meter serial number printed on the meter, then compare it with the meter serial number shown on your energy bill or account.
They should match.
If they don’t, contact your energy supplier rather than assuming you have found the correct meter.
Learn how to understand your energy bill →
How to Read a Digital Electricity Meter
Many traditional electricity meters have a digital display showing a row of numbers.
For example:
025634
In this case, your reading would be:
25634
Read the numbers from left to right. Generally, you should record the whole numbers and ignore numbers shown after a decimal point.
Some meters may also use differently coloured digits to show decimal values.
However, displays vary between meter types. Therefore, if you are unsure which numbers to submit, check the instructions for your particular meter or ask your supplier.
What Does the Electricity Reading Mean?
Electricity meters normally record consumption in kilowatt-hours (kWh).
Your meter reading is a cumulative total, so the number does not tell you how much electricity you used today. Instead, you can calculate consumption by comparing two readings.
For example:
Earlier reading: 25,634 kWh
Later reading: 25,644 kWh
The difference is:
10 kWh
Therefore, between those two readings, the property used approximately 10 kWh of electricity.
What About a Two-Rate Electricity Meter?
Some electricity tariffs use more than one meter register. For example, an Economy 7 meter may record electricity used during different periods separately.
You might therefore see:
Rate 1
and
Rate 2
or terms such as:
Day
and
Night
If your meter has two registers, you may need to provide both readings.
Importantly, don’t assume which register is day and which is night simply from the order in which they appear. Instead, check your bill, meter information or ask your supplier if you are unsure.
What About a Dial Electricity Meter?
Some older electricity meters use a series of clock-style dials instead of a digital display.
These require a different reading method because neighbouring dials often turn in opposite directions.
Read the dials from left to right.
If a pointer sits between two numbers, you generally record the number it has just passed. However, if a pointer is directly on a number, the reading can require more care.
Because dial meters can be easy to misread, check your supplier’s instructions if you are uncertain.
You may also want to take a clear photograph. That gives you a record of exactly what the meter displayed.
How to Read a Gas Meter
Gas meters can also have different types of display.
You may have a:
- Digital metric meter
- Digital imperial meter
- Dial meter
- Smart meter
For a straightforward digital gas meter, read the main whole-number digits from left to right and follow your supplier’s instructions about any decimal digits.
For example, a display might show:
01452.3
The reading you submit would normally be:
01452
However, always follow the instructions for your particular meter if its display is different.
Why Doesn’t My Gas Meter Show kWh?
There is an important difference between gas and electricity meters.
Electricity meters generally measure the energy consumed directly in kilowatt-hours (kWh). However, traditional gas meters measure the volume of gas passing through the meter.
Depending on the meter, this may be measured in:
- Cubic metres (m³)
- Cubic feet (ft³)
Your supplier then converts the gas volume into kilowatt-hours (kWh) for billing.
Therefore, the number on your gas meter will not necessarily match the kWh figure shown on your bill. That does not mean the bill is wrong.
Learn how to understand your energy bill →
How to Read a Smart Meter
A smart meter is still an energy meter. The main difference is that it can send meter readings automatically when communications are working correctly and your supplier is receiving them.
However, the meter itself still has a display.
Depending on the model, you may need to:
- Press a button
- Scroll through different screens
- Look for a particular register
- Select the electricity or gas reading
Different smart-meter models work differently. Therefore, if you need to take a manual reading, follow the instructions for your particular meter or ask your supplier.
Your In-Home Display Is Not the Meter
This is an important distinction because the two are easily confused.
Many smart-meter installations include an in-home display, often shortened to IHD. The small display in your kitchen or living room is not your actual energy meter.
Instead, it receives information from the smart-meter system and presents it in a convenient way.
An IHD may show:
- Current electricity use
- Recent energy consumption
- Estimated costs
- Daily, weekly or monthly information
- Gas and electricity information
Therefore, the IHD can be useful for understanding your consumption.
However, if you need an official meter reading, check what your supplier requires rather than assuming a figure on the IHD is the reading you need to submit.
Learn more about smart meters →
Smart Meters Can Still Need Manual Readings
Smart meters are designed to send readings automatically. However, there can be situations where readings are not reaching your supplier.
For example, communication problems or changes involving your energy account may affect automatic readings.
Therefore, don’t assume that every bill must be based on an automatic reading simply because you have a smart meter. Instead, check your bill and look at the type of reading being used.
If it shows an estimated reading, compare it with the actual meter and contact your supplier if necessary.
Compare the Reading With Your Bill
When your bill arrives, look at the meter reading used to calculate it.
It may be described as:
- Actual
- Customer reading
- Smart reading
- Estimated
The wording can vary between suppliers.
Next, compare the reading with what you know about your meter.
Remember that the reading on your meter today will normally be higher than the reading used for an earlier bill because you have continued using energy since then.
However, a large or unexplained difference may be worth investigating.
How to Measure Your Electricity Use
You can also use meter readings to see how much electricity your household uses over a particular period.
For example, take a reading:
Monday at 8am: 25,634 kWh
Then take another:
Tuesday at 8am: 25,646 kWh
Subtract the first from the second:
25,646 − 25,634 = 12 kWh
Therefore, the household used approximately:
12 kWh in 24 hours
This can be useful when you are trying to understand your normal consumption or investigate a change.
Don’t Compare Random Days Too Closely
Daily energy consumption naturally changes.
For example, you may:
- Do more washing one day
- Use the oven more often
- Spend longer at home
- Charge an electric vehicle
- Use more hot water
- Run electric heating
Weather can also make a substantial difference to heating consumption.
Therefore, one high-consumption day does not necessarily mean something is wrong. Instead, look for patterns over time.
Use Your Meter to Investigate Changes
Suppose your electricity consumption suddenly appears much higher than usual.
You could compare readings over several similar days and then think about what has changed.
Perhaps:
- Heating has been used more
- An immersion heater has been operating
- An EV is being charged
- A tumble dryer is being used more frequently
- Someone is spending more time at home
- A new appliance has been installed
The meter doesn’t necessarily tell you which appliance used the energy. However, it can tell you that consumption has changed, which gives you somewhere to start investigating.
Take a Photograph
When submitting a manual meter reading, consider taking a photograph of the meter at the same time.
Where possible, make sure the photograph clearly shows:
- The meter reading
- The meter display
- The meter serial number
This gives you a useful record if a reading is later questioned or entered incorrectly.
It can be particularly helpful when moving into or out of a property.
Moving Home? Take Meter Readings
Meter readings are particularly important when you move home.
When you move in, take gas and electricity readings as soon as possible. Likewise, when leaving a property, take final readings.
Where practical, take photographs as well.
This helps establish how much energy you were responsible for during your time at the property and may reduce the risk of disputes later.
How Often Should You Check Your Meter?
If your smart meter is communicating correctly, you should not normally need to submit regular manual readings. However, it is still sensible to check your bills occasionally.
If you have a traditional meter, taking regular readings can help prevent your account relying heavily on estimates.
For example, you might check it:
- When your supplier requests a reading
- Before or around a bill
- When moving home
- When investigating unusual consumption
- After making a significant change to your energy use
There is no need to turn meter checking into a daily chore.
Instead, think of your meter as a tool you can use when you need it.
If the Meter Reading Looks Wrong
If something doesn’t make sense, first check:
- Are you looking at the correct meter?
- Does the meter serial number match your bill?
- Have you read the correct register?
- Have you included or excluded decimal digits correctly?
- Does the bill use an actual or estimated reading?
- Are you comparing readings from the correct dates?
If the figures still appear wrong, contact your energy supplier.
However, do not attempt to open, repair or interfere with the meter yourself.
Learn who is responsible for your energy supply →
In Short
Your energy meter provides the underlying record of the gas or electricity passing through it. Therefore, learning how to read it can help you:
- Check your bills
- Reduce reliance on estimates
- Identify changes in consumption
- Provide accurate readings
- Keep a record when moving home
Start by checking the meter serial number, then identify the type of meter you have and record the correct digits or registers.
Finally, compare readings over time if you want to understand changes in your consumption.
You don’t need to watch your meter constantly. However, knowing how to read it means that when you do need the information, you know exactly where to find it.
Energility
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