Meter reading week: 9 need-to-knows

Andrew Capstick | Edited by Gary Caffell

Updated 8 October 2024

On 1 October energy prices rose for most households. To avoid being charged more than you should, it's a good idea to give a meter reading to your supplier as soon as possible to avoid a dispute over what you used before and after prices changed. You can still do it for a few days after, and some firms even let you feed in backdated readings after 1 October. We've a full supplier-by-supplier breakdown below.

Why it's worth considering giving a meter reading

If, like about 85% of households, you're on a standard variable tariff, annual prices rose by 10% on average on 1 October, due to the latest Price Cap change.

To make sure there are no discrepancies in the amount you're charged on the lower rate, it's a good idea to give a meter reading to your supplier on or around 1 October. This stops your supplier from estimating your usage, and potentially assuming you've used more at the new higher rate than you actually have.

There will be winners and losers here – as some will gain and others lose against what their supplier would have estimated – but if you do a meter reading, you know it's fair.
If you have working smart meters, you don't need to do anything

If you have smart meters that are working properly in smart mode, so they're regularly sending meter readings to your provider, there's no need to do anything, as they do it automatically.

You may want to double-check your meters are sending reads, though. You can usually see this in your account or on your bill. You can also take a photo of your meters on the day, so you have the readings for safety.

If you don't have smart meters, it's a good idea to give meter readings, but it doesn't have to be on 1 October

Giving a meter reading means your supplier will know exactly how much you used when prices change, so you're fairly charged.

Yet if all of us rush to do this on the same day, it can lead to suppliers' websites crashing and phone lines becoming jammed, which can affect vulnerable people (as we saw in March 2022).

To avoid that, you can give a reading a few days before or after and any discrepancy should be minor. Or, some firms let you backdate your reading, so if you take the actual meter reading on the day, note it down, but then submit it at a later date.

When to give a meter reading for 1 October Price Cap change

Supplier	How can I give a meter reading?	Will it backdate meter readings after 1 October?
British Gas	In your online account, via its app, a web form or over the phone.	Yes, until 14 October
EDF Energy	In your online account, via its app, via an online form, or by email, WhatsApp, text or over the phone.	Yes, until 9 October
E.on Next	In your online account, via its app, by email or over the phone.	Yes, until 8 October
Octopus Energy	In your online account, via its web form, its app or by email.	Yes, until 8 October
Ovo Energy	In your online account, via its app or over the phone.	Yes, until 11 October
Scottish Power	In your online account, via its app or over the phone (0800 027 8000), 24 hours a day.	Yes, until 5 October
So Energy	In your online account, by email or over the phone, 24 hours a day.	Yes, if you have proof of the date you took the reading
Utility Warehouse	In your online account, via its app or over the phone.	The supplier is encouraging customers to give meter readings in the five days leading up to 1 October

Updated September 2024.

How to give a meter reading

The easiest way is to take a picture of your meters, so you have the readings to hand. Then you can log in to your online account and enter the readings.

Most also let you send readings via text message, or through mobile apps such as WhatsApp. You can also call them up – most have automated telephone lines where you can give the readings, to save you joining a queue or clogging up the lines for those who need help.
Some ask: 'Can I give a higher meter reading now, so I'm charged for more use at the current lower rate?' That'd be fraud

We get asked this one a lot – can you submit a higher meter reading ahead of a price drop, so more of your usage is charged at the lower rate?

The short answer is no, you shouldn't do this – it's fraud.
On a (non-smart) traditional electricity prepayment meter? Hold off topping up after 1 October to delay the new higher rates

With most prepayment meters – both smart meters and all gas meters – you pay the rate on the day you use energy. Yet with many non-smart, prepay electricity meters, you pay the rate on the day you top up.

If you can afford to, try to delay topping up your meter after 1 October for as long as you can, as you could delay paying the new higher rates.

Most suppliers have said they won't look to recover the extra you should have paid before this happens (however Scottish Power told us it would). Though there are no guarantees with this, and firms could always change their approach.
Check your Direct Debit is right under October's Price Cap rates

If you're on a price-capped standard tariff – and about 85% in England, Scotland and Wales are – then you should check if your Direct Debit amount is along the right lines based on the new October rates.

If you're heavily in credit, then before asking your supplier to lower the Direct Debit, try to get a chunk of the amount you've overpaid back.

See your unit rates and standing charges from 1 October

The Price Cap sets a limit on the rates and standing charges you pay. For a full region-by-region breakdown of the rates you'll pay from 1 October, see our Energy Price Cap rates guide.

The table below shows the average unit rates per kilowatt hour (kWh) and standing charges per day (these vary by region) under the new Price Cap from 1 October to 31 December 2024.

What are the average standing charges and unit rates for gas and electricity from 1 October to 31 December 2024?

	Gas	Electricity
Direct Debit	Unit rate: 6.24p per kWh Standing charge: 31.66p per day	Unit rate: 24.50p per kWh Standing charge: 60.99p per day
Prepayment	Unit rate: 6.01p per kWh Standing charge: 31.66p per day	Unit rate: 23.68p per kWh Standing charge: 60.99 per day
On receipt of a bill	Unit rate: 6.57p per kWh Standing charge: 36.31p per day	Unit rate: 25.79p per kWh Standing charge: 67.06p per day
Rates and standing charges are averages, which vary by region.

There are energy deals worth switching to now
Based on current Price Cap predictions, we think fixing is worth considering if a fixed deal is priced at less than October's Price Cap, especially if you value certainty over what you'll pay. You can use our Cheap Energy Club to ensure you're on the cheapest deal possible. The links below go via Cheap Energy Club so you can get a bespoke comparison based on where you live and how much energy you use...

You can undercut the Price Cap with E.on Next's Pledge tariff. It promises to remain roughly 3% below the Price Cap for a year (so £50 a year at typical use) by discounting unit rates, so when the Cap changes, so too will this tariff. Therefore if you're going to remain on the Price Cap, it's worth considering this option.

Similarly, EDF Energy's Ensure tariff also tracks the Price Cap, with a fixed discount on standing charges – good for lower energy users – meaning everyone who joins this tariff on dual-fuel will save £50 (£25 for single-fuel) over the next 12 months.

There are several top standalone fixes that are all priced at 9% less than the October Price Cap, so could be worth considering for some. Outfox the Market Outfox the Price Cap (Oct 24) Fix'd Dual v2.0 is only available as dual-fuel only and you must pay by Direct Debit and manage your account online, but you don't need smart meters. British Gas 1yr fix v5 and Octopus 12M Fixed October 2024 v1. similarly don't require smart meters.

Existing Octopus customers could consider its Octopus Tracker tariff (if you're not already with Octopus, you can try switching to its standard variable tariff, then switch to this). Its rates change daily based on wholesale costs, meaning it's been substantially cheaper than the Price Cap in recent months.

Alternatively, Octopus' electricity-only Agile tariff has rates that change half-hourly, based on wholesale prices – good for those who can shift their electricity use out of peak hours.

If you're still on the Price Cap, our Cheap Energy Club comparison will give you a bespoke prediction of what it'll cost you over the next year, so you can compare that with fixing (though our comparison's currently only optimised for dual-fuel price-capped monthly Direct Debit users – we're working on improving that).

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