If you smell gas right now
Call 0800 111 999
Free, 24/7. The National Gas Emergency Service routes you to Wales and West Utilities if you are on its network. Open windows, do not switch electrical appliances on or off, and leave the property until help arrives.
Where WWU delivers your gas
Wales and West Utilities holds one of Great Britain's eight gas distribution licences. Its area covers the whole of Wales, plus a wedge from Gloucestershire through to Cornwall. If you live in one of the regions below, the pipes under your street belong to WWU.
South Wales
Cardiff, Swansea, Newport, Llanelli
North and Mid Wales
Wrexham, Aberystwyth, Bangor, Llandudno
South West
Bristol, Plymouth, Exeter, Cornwall
Wessex
Bath, Salisbury, Taunton, Yeovil
Not sure if you are on WWU's network? Use the quick check below, or check live outage maps by area.
How gas actually reaches your meter
UK gas moves through three different kinds of company before it gets to your boiler. WWU owns one specific link in that chain, and it is not the company that bills you.
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1
Transmission: the motorway
High-pressure gas travels long distances through the National Transmission System owned by National Gas. Designed for huge volumes, very few exits.
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2
Distribution: WWU's pipes
WWU steps the pressure down at offtake stations and carries the gas through about 35,000 km of local pipework, through Welsh valleys and South West towns, into your home. WWU owns and maintains the pipe; it does not own the gas inside it.
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3
Supply: your bill
An energy supplier buys gas wholesale, pays WWU a transportation charge, then resells the gas to you. The supplier is the only part of the chain you can switch.
Is WWU my gas network? Quick check
Pick the region closest to where you live. The check tells you instantly whether Wales and West Utilities is your gas distributor.
Pick the region closest to your home address.
Yes, Wales and West Utilities is your gas network.
If you smell gas or suspect a leak, call 0800 111 999 free, 24/7. For new connections, contact WWU directly.
No, your network is .
For gas emergencies the number is the same across Great Britain: 0800 111 999. Read more about your operator.
For a precise answer, use the postcode finder covering all four UK gas networks.
WWU or your energy supplier: who handles what
Confusing your network with your supplier is the most common reason people wait too long for gas help. The split below is fixed across Great Britain.
| If your issue is. | Call WWU | 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 WWU is paid, and why that matters to your bill
WWU is a regional monopoly: you cannot choose a different gas network. To stop monopolies from over-charging, the regulator Ofgem caps WWU's revenue under a multi-year framework called RIIO (Revenue = Incentives + Innovation + Outputs).
Capped revenue
Ofgem caps how much WWU can collect each year. If WWU invests more efficiently, it keeps part of the saving; if it overspends, shareholders absorb the loss.
Hydrogen and rural heat
Wales and the South West contain large pockets of off-grid homes that rely on LPG, oil or solid fuel. WWU is one of the operators trialling hydrogen blending and exploring how the gas grid might extend or retreat as net-zero policy evolves.
In your bill
Network charges typically account for a fifth to a quarter of a UK gas bill. Switching supplier only changes the supplier's wholesale and margin, not the network charge.
Wales and West Utilities: frequently asked questions
Call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999. It is the same single number for every gas network in Great Britain, and it routes your call to Wales and West Utilities if you live on its network. Open windows, do not switch electrical appliances on or off, and leave the property until an engineer arrives.
At privatisation, the UK gas market was carved into eight licensed areas, allocated to four distribution companies. Wales plus the South West of England form one of those areas, and the licence sits with WWU. The split is fixed by Ofgem and you cannot switch your gas network: only your supplier.
Just deliver it. WWU owns and maintains the pipework that moves gas from the National Transmission System to your meter. The gas itself is sold by your energy supplier, who pays WWU a transportation charge that is included in your bill.
Apply through the WWU website with the property address. WWU will tell you whether your street has a usable main, the route required for a lateral pipe, and a quote for excavation and pipe-laying. Many rural properties in Wales and the South West are not on the gas network at all, in which case heat pumps, LPG or oil are the usual alternatives.
A free Ofgem-mandated list of customers who need extra help in an outage: pensioners, people with young children, those on medical equipment, anyone with a long-term illness. WWU uses the register to prioritise its response and provide alternative heating during prolonged outages. Sign up through your supplier or directly with WWU.