Find the cheapest tariff
Smart & traditional meters
Estimated bills are how UK households quietly overpay. A correct reading every month, the right meter for your usage pattern, and the right tariff alongside it can shave up to £250 off the annual bill.
While you're getting your meter sorted, check what the same usage would cost on the cheapest tariff in your region.
10
Meter guides on this hub
32M+
Smart meters installed in UK
21
Digits in your MPAN number
0
Cost of a meter installation
Your meter is the box that measures every kWh of gas and electricity you use. Pick the wrong type, misread the dials, or sit on a forgotten prepayment key, and you can quietly overpay for years.
This hub gathers our 10 meter guides in one place — how to read every UK meter, how to spot whether you have a smart, prepayment, single- or two-rate meter, and how to find the MPAN, MPRN and serial number your supplier asks for.
An electric meter is the device that records how many kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity your home uses, so your supplier can bill you. UK homes have one of five common meter types: single-rate, two-rate (Economy 7 or 10), smart, prepayment, or a separate gas meter. The quickest way to tell which you have is to look at the front: one row of digits means single-rate, two rows mean a two-rate meter, a digital screen with an in-home display means a smart meter, and a key or card slot means prepayment.
| Meter type | How to spot it | What it means for your tariff | Readings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single-rate electric | One row of numbers, no key or screen | Standard flat unit rate | You submit monthly |
| Two-rate (Economy 7/10) | Two rows: "Normal" + "Low" (or 1 + 2) | Cheap night rate, dearer day rate | Submit both rows |
| Smart (SMETS1/SMETS2) | Digital meter plus an in-home display | Any tariff, including time-of-use and EV | Automatic, half-hourly |
| Prepayment (PAYG) | Top up with a key, card or app | Pay-as-you-go; standing charge still applies | No reads needed |
| Gas meter | Measures cubic metres (m³) or cubic feet | Converted to kWh on your bill | You submit monthly |
The meter on your wall sets which tariffs you can pick. A prepayment or single-rate meter locks you out of the cheapest time-of-use and EV deals, which is why the meter type, not just the supplier, decides your bill.
The four most-read guides
These four guides answer the meter questions UK households ask before every switch, top-up or bill check.
Half-hourly readings
How SMETS1 and SMETS2 meters send readings, what the in-home display tells you, and how to fix a smart meter that has gone dumb.
Smart meter guideEvery UK electricity meter
Single-rate, two-rate (Economy 7/10), three-phase and smart. How to spot which one you have and what it means for your tariff.
Electric meter guidePay-as-you-go energy
How prepayment keys, cards and smart top-ups work, what the standing charge does when the meter is empty, and why PAYG is changing.
Prepayment guideEvery method & speed
How to top up a smart prepayment meter: app, online or in-store key/card, how fast credit arrives, and why the standing charge eats into every top-up.
How to top upStep-by-step read
How to read every type of UK gas and electricity meter — dial, digital, smart — and submit accurate readings without paying for an estimate.
How to read a meterEvery meter in one place
Filter by what you actually need — pick the right meter type, identify your supply, learn to read the dials, or move payment method.
Half-hourly readings · Most installed
How SMETS1 and SMETS2 meters send readings, what the in-home display tells you, and how to fix a smart meter that has gone dumb.
Every UK electricity meter · Meter type
Single-rate, two-rate (Economy 7/10), three-phase and smart. How to spot which one you have and what it means for your tariff.
Metric, imperial & smart · Meter type
How UK gas meters measure cubic metres or cubic feet, why your bill shows kWh, and the conversion every household should check.
Pay-as-you-go energy · PAYG
How prepayment keys, cards and smart top-ups work, what the standing charge does when the meter is empty, and why PAYG is changing.
Every method & speed · How-to
How to top up a smart prepayment meter: app, online or in-store key/card, how fast credit arrives, and why the standing charge eats into every top-up.
Step-by-step read · How-to
How to read every type of UK gas and electricity meter — dial, digital, smart — and submit accurate readings without paying for an estimate.
Electricity supply ID · Identification
The unique 21-digit number that identifies your electricity supply point. Where to find it, what each block means, and when you need it.
Gas supply ID · Identification
How to find the Meter Point Reference Number for your gas supply, used when switching supplier or moving home.
Identify the physical meter · Identification
Where the MSN sits on every UK meter, what it looks like, and why suppliers and engineers ask for it during faults and switches.
Switch off PAYG · Switch
Eligibility rules, credit checks and step-by-step process to move from a prepayment meter to monthly Direct Debit billing.
Pick what you see on the wall. We tell you the meter type, what it means for your bill, and the guide that explains it.
A quick visual guide, not a diagnosis. If two answers fit, check the full meter-types table above.
Six questions, the right guide
Different meter, different bill. Pick the question that matches what you see on the wall — or what your supplier just asked you for.
Two registers — usually labelled "Normal" and "Low" or 1 and 2 — means a two-rate meter for Economy 7 or Economy 10. Submit both readings every time.
Electric meter guide →A digital display plus an in-home display usually means a smart meter (SMETS1 or SMETS2). Half-hourly readings are sent straight to your supplier.
Smart meter guide →You are on a prepayment meter. Standing charges still apply when the meter runs empty, and you can usually switch to Direct Debit if your credit score allows.
Prepayment guide →That is your 21-digit electricity supply ID. You will find it on a recent bill — never on the meter itself. Use the dedicated guide to decode each block.
Find your MPAN →The Meter Point Reference Number is a 6 to 10-digit number identifying your gas supply. You can find it on a bill or by calling Xoserve on 0870 608 1524.
Find your MPRN →Whether it is a dial meter, a digital screen or a smart display, our step-by-step guide shows exactly which numbers to copy down so your bill is never estimated again.
How to read a meter →Where the UK meter market stands
A national upgrade is replacing every traditional UK gas and electricity meter with a smart meter. Where things stand right now:
32M+
Smart meters installed in UK homes & SMEs
£0
Cost to upgrade — installation is free
30 min
Typical install time per meter
Indicative figures, last updated . Rollout statistics from the DESNZ quarterly smart meter report.
Keep exploring
Meters are one part of the bill. Pair them with the right tariff, check what support you qualify for, or learn how the UK market works.
Every UK tariff type explained — fixed, variable, Economy 7, EV and dual fuel.
Read your bill, fix mistakes, go paperless, change the name on it.
How much energy a UK home uses and how to cut it down.
Warm Home Discount, Winter Fuel Payment, ECO and more.
Green suppliers, solar, wind and biogas explained for households.
Ofgem, the price cap, the Ombudsman and how the UK market works.
Every boiler type explained, plus service, cover and Gas Safe rules.
Who delivers your gas and electricity, and what to do in a power cut.
Meters FAQ
SMETS1 meters were the first generation rolled out from 2011. They sometimes lost their smart functions when you switched supplier. SMETS2 meters, used since 2018, connect to the national DCC network so they keep working with every UK supplier. Our smart meter guide walks through both generations.
The MPAN is not on the meter itself — it is on your electricity bill, usually in a box labelled "Supply number" with an "S" prefix and three rows of digits. The full step-by-step is in our MPAN guide.
If you have a smart meter, readings are sent automatically — usually every half hour. With a traditional meter, submitting a reading once a month keeps your bills accurate and avoids estimates. Our meter reading guide covers every meter type.
Yes. Suppliers will run a credit check, but Ofgem rules introduced in 2023 make it much easier to switch off prepayment, especially for vulnerable customers. Read the eligibility rules in our prepayment to Direct Debit guide.
Yes. Smart meter installation is free to every UK household — the cost is spread across all bills. You can opt out, but a smart meter is required for most modern tariffs (including all EV plans).
Every UK meter carries a Meter Serial Number (MSN), usually printed on the front, near a barcode. It is also shown in the "meter readings" section of your bill. Our MSN guide shows exactly where to look on every model.
This usually means the meter has dropped its connection to the DCC network. Restart the in-home display, check the signal indicator on the meter, and if it does not recover within 24 hours, call your supplier — they can run a remote reconnect.
Get the right meter, get the right bill
The right meter unlocks the right tariff. Compare UK suppliers in minutes and see whether a smart, two-rate or EV plan would shave hundreds off your annual bill.
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