If you smell gas right now
Call 0800 111 999
Free, 24/7. The National Gas Emergency Service routes you to Cadent if you are on its network. Open windows, do not switch electrical appliances on or off, and leave the property until help arrives.
Where Cadent delivers your gas
Cadent runs four of Great Britain's eight licensed gas distribution areas. If you live in any of the regions below, the pipes under your street belong to Cadent.
North West
Manchester, Liverpool, Lancaster, Carlisle
West Midlands
Birmingham, Coventry, Wolverhampton, Stoke-on-Trent
East of England
Cambridge, Norwich, Peterborough, Ipswich
North London
most postcodes north of the Thames
Not sure if you are on Cadent's network? Use the quick check below, or check live outage data for your power cut in my area.
How gas actually reaches your meter
Most people picture one company doing the lot: producing gas, billing for it, fixing pipes. The reality is a chain of three very different jobs, and Cadent owns one specific link.
-
1
Transmission: the motorway
High-pressure gas travels through the National Transmission System, the cross-country backbone owned by National Gas. Think of it as the motorway: long distances, big volumes, almost no exits.
-
2
Distribution: the local streets
Cadent takes the gas off the motorway at a pressure-reduction station and steps it down to safer, lower pressures. From there, around 80,000 miles of Cadent pipe carries it under your road, your pavement, and into your home.
-
3
Supply: your bill
An energy supplier (British Gas, Octopus, EDF, and so on) is the one that bills you. The supplier buys gas on the wholesale market, pays Cadent a transportation charge, then resells the gas to you at a price set by the energy regulator.
Is Cadent my gas network? Quick check
Pick the region nearest to where you live. The check below tells you instantly whether Cadent is your gas distributor, and who to call if it is not.
Pick the region closest to your home address.
Yes, Cadent is your gas network.
If you smell gas or suspect a leak, call 0800 111 999 free, 24/7. For new connections, contact Cadent directly.
No, your network is .
For gas emergencies the number is the same across Great Britain: 0800 111 999. Read more about your operator.
Cadent or your energy supplier: who handles what
The single biggest source of confusion on a UK gas bill: people call their supplier for things only the network can fix, then wait for help that never comes. Here is the clean split.
| If your issue is. | Call Cadent | Call your supplier |
|---|---|---|
| Smell of gas in the house | Yes, on 0800 111 999 | No |
| Carbon monoxide alarm sounding | Yes, on 0800 111 999 | No |
| New gas connection for a build | Yes | No |
| Move or upgrade the gas meter | No | Yes |
| Switch tariff or compare prices | No | Yes |
| Bill, payment, direct debit | No | Yes |
| Damaged pipe in the street | Yes | No |
How Cadent is paid, and why that matters to your bill
Cadent is a monopoly in its four areas: you cannot choose a different gas network. To stop monopolies from over-charging, the regulator Ofgem sets the maximum revenue Cadent can earn over a multi-year period under a framework called RIIO (Revenue = Incentives + Innovation + Outputs).
Capped revenue
Ofgem caps how much Cadent can collect from gas suppliers each year. If Cadent invests more efficiently, it keeps some of the savings; if it overspends, its shareholders absorb the loss.
Hydrogen and net zero
Cadent runs trials blending hydrogen into local networks. The end-of-life question for the gas grid is the single biggest strategic decision in UK heat policy, and the network operators sit right at the centre of it.
In your bill
The portion of your gas bill that funds Cadent (and your local electricity DNO) typically sits between a fifth and a quarter of the total. Comparing energy tariffs only changes the supplier's margin and wholesale cost, not the network charge.
Cadent: frequently asked questions
Call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999 straight away. It is the same number for every gas network in Great Britain, and it routes your call to the right operator. Do not call your energy supplier first: your supplier sells you the gas, but Cadent maintains the pipes that bring it to your meter. Open windows, do not switch lights on or off, and leave the property until help arrives.
The UK gas market is split. A part of every gas bill, called the "transportation charge", funds Cadent and the other gas distribution networks for maintaining the pipes. Your supplier collects this on their behalf. You cannot switch your gas network: it is fixed by your postcode. You can only switch your supplier.
No. Meter installation, replacement and reading is the responsibility of your gas supplier. Cadent owns the pipework up to the meter and the emergency control valve. If your meter is faulty, contact your supplier. If you smell gas around the meter, call 0800 111 999.
Cadent runs a connections service for new builds, extensions and alterations. You apply through the Cadent website with the property address and a rough timeline. Quotes for standard domestic connections are typically free, and Cadent will tell you whether your street already has a gas main or whether new pipe needs to be laid.
No. British Gas is an energy supplier that sells gas and electricity to households. Cadent is a network operator that maintains the pipes. The two share part of their history: British Gas was privatised in 1986, the network was eventually spun out as a separate company, and the gas distribution arm became Cadent in 2017 after National Grid sold a majority stake to a consortium of investors.
The Priority Services Register is a free Ofgem-mandated list of customers who need extra help in an outage, for example pensioners, people with young children, those who rely on medical equipment, or anyone with a long-term illness. Cadent uses the register to prioritise its response, deliver hot meals and lend electric heaters during long outages. Sign up through your energy supplier or directly on the Cadent website.