Millions of energy customers must submit a meter reading TODAY – or risk higher bills
MILLIONS of households must submit a meter reading today to avoid paying more than necessary for their energy.
Today (July 9) is the final day for EDF customers to submit a meter reading to ensure their bill is accurate following the energy price cap change.
Energy bills fell by an average of £122 a year on July 1, when the price cap was lowered from £1,690 a year to £1,568 – the lowest level in two years.
But, if customers fail to provide a meter reading, they will be issued an estimated bill, which could see them charged for more energy than they have actually used.
This is because the supplier may base some of your usage on the previous price cap, which was higher than the current one.
EDF confirmed that July 9 will be the final day for its 5.2million customers to submit a backdated meter reading to ensure they receive an accurate bill.
Readings can be submitted via the EDF app, online or via telephone, email, text or WhatsApp.
If you have a smart meter, you don’t need to take a reading, as this is sent to your supplier automatically, but it’s still sensible to check it is reporting your usage accurately.
There’s also no need to submit a meter reading if you’re on a fixed energy tariff or have a traditional prepayment meter.
Energy costs have spiralled in recent years leaving many homeowners struggling.
But, there was positive news in May when energy regulator Ofgem announced the price cap would be lowered following its quarterly review.
Despite bills going down, it’s important bear in mind that the energy price cap changes every three months, so there is a possibility monthly bills could rise again in future.
The price cap is also still considerably higher than it was this time in 2021, before the energy crisis began.
It is important to take a reading every three months when the price cap changes to make sure you are not being overcharged or even underpaying, which could leave you owing money later on.
The deadline for submitting readings varies from supplier to supplier, and some companies will allow you to backdate the reading even if you miss the date it was meant to be submitted.
But, that may not always be the case, so it is worth speaking to the customer service team at your energy supplier to check.
Here are the dates you need to submit a reading for other suppliers:
EDF
EDF customers can send backdated meter readings until the end of today (July 9).
They can do this via their online accounts, WhatsApp, SMS or a form on the supplier’s website.
British Gas
British Gas customers can submit their meter readings on any date before July 14.
Customers can do this on their online account, via the British Gas app, over the phone or via a form, which can be found on the firm’s website.
You can call British Gas on 0330 100 0056 Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm.
Ovo Energy
Households with Ovo Energy have until July 11 to submit their backdated meter readings.
Customers can do this via their online accounts, app, or over the phone on 0330 303 5063 Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm.
Octopus Energy
Octopus Energy had let customers submit their meter readings until the end of July 8 but is no longer accepting them now.
Generally, meter readings can be submitted via online accounts, a form on its website, app or email.
E.On Next
E.On Next was also accepting backdated meter readings up until July 8.
Scottish Power
Scottish Power customers had until July 5 to submit their meter readings.
How do I calculate my energy bill?
BELOW we reveal how you can calculate your own energy bill.
To calculate how much you pay for your energy bill, you must find out your unit rate for gas and electricity and the standing charge for each fuel type.
The unit rate will usually be shown on your bill in p/kWh.The standing charge is a daily charge that is paid 365 days of the year – irrespective of whether or not you use any gas or electricity.
You will then need to note down your own annual energy usage from a previous bill.
Once you have these details, you can work out your gas and electricity costs separately.
Multiply your usage in kWh by the unit rate cost in p/kWh for the corresponding fuel type – this will give you your usage costs.
You’ll then need to multiply each standing charge by 365 and add this figure to the totals for your usage – this will then give you your annual costs.
Divide this figure by 12, and you’ll be able to determine how much you should expect to pay each month from April 1.
How do I take a meter reading?
If you don’t have a smart meter, your energy supplier will usually require regular readings from your gas and electricity meters to calculate your bill.
Customers who don’t send their suppliers regular readings will have their bills calculated by estimated usage, and they will likely pay more – so it is always worth knowing how to send the numbers.
Once you’ve taken a reading, you should be able to submit it in a number of ways, including text message or online.
You might also be able to submit it online or through your supplier’s app.
It’s best to check with your supplier to see your options.
It’s always worth taking a picture of your meter reading when you submit it to your supplier – just in case you need it as evidence in a future dispute.
The way you take a meter reading depends on the type of meter you have – we’ve explained how to take a reading depending on your meter type.
Electricity meters
If you have a digital electricity meter, you will just see a row of six numbers – five in black and one in red.
Take down the five numbers in black and ignore the red number.
If you are on an Economy 7 or 10 tariff which gives you cheaper electricity at night – you will have two rows of numbers, so take both readings down.
If you have a traditional dial meter you will need to read the first five dials from left to right ignoring any red ones.
If the pointer is between two numbers, write down the lower figure and if it is between nine and zero write down the number nine.
If the dial is directly over a number, write down that number and underline it.
If you’ve underlined a number, check the next dial to the right.
If the pointer on that dial is between nine and zero, reduce the number you’ve underlined by one.
For example, if you originally wrote down five, change it to four.
Gas meters
If you have a digital metric meter showing five numbers and then a decimal place, you only need to write down the first five numbers from left to right.
If you have a digital imperial meter your meter will read four black numbers and two red numbers – note down the four black numbers only.
If you have a dial gas meter, follow the same steps as those for those with a dial electricity meter, but ignore underlining any figures.
What to do if your struggling
THERE’S a number of different ways to get help paying your energy bills if you’re struggling to get by.
If you fall into debt, you can always approach your supplier to see if they can put you on a repayment plan before putting you on a prepayment meter.
This involves paying off what you owe in instalments over a set period.
If your supplier offers you a repayment plan you don’t think you can afford, speak to them again to see if you can negotiate a better deal.
Several energy firms have grant schemes available to customers struggling to cover their bills.
But eligibility criteria varies depending on the supplier and the amount you can get depends on your financial circumstances.
For example, British Gas or Scottish Gas customers struggling to pay their energy bills can get grants worth up to £1,500.
British Gas also offers help via its British Gas Energy Trust and Individuals Family Fund.
You don’t need to be a British Gas customer to apply for the second fund.
EDF, E.ON, Octopus Energy and Scottish Power all offer grants to struggling customers too.
Thousands of vulnerable households are missing out on extra help and protections by not signing up to the Priority Services Register (PSR).
The service helps support vulnerable households, such as those who are elderly or ill, and some of the perks include being given advance warning of blackouts, free gas safety checks and extra support if you’re struggling.
Get in touch with your energy firm to see if you can apply.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.
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