Meters
Standard credit meter
The majority of households at present have a standard credit meter. When this meter is read by yourself or your supplier a bill is generated. Those who have these meters pay for their energy after they have used it. If your supplier does not receive a meter reading they will estimate your energy usage and therefore your bill.
Prepayment meter
In contrast, those who have a prepayment meter pay for their energy before they use it. This type of meter needs to be topped up with credit in order for energy to be used, once the credit has run out the meter will need to be topped up again. Because you pay for your energy before you use it, you should not receive any bills.
Economy 7
Economy 7 meters are a dual rate meters that can charge different rates for the electricity you use during the night and day. The night rate is much cheaper than the day rate, therefore this type of meter suits households that use the majority of their electricity at night. For this reason, Economy 7 meters are most widely used in homes that have electric storage heaters and immersion heaters that heat up and use electricity at night when it is cheaper. Contact your supplier to check which kind of meter would be most cost effective for you. Your supplier will also be able to advise when your cheaper electricity rates occur.
Reading your meter
For all types of meters it is a good idea to read your meter regularly and pass on these readings to your energy supplier. This will avoid any estimated bills so you are only paying for the energy you have used in that period, it will also help you to keep track of how much your bill is likely to be. If you struggle to read your meter because of a health condition, contact your supplier as they may be able to move your meter to a different location or get someone to come out to read your meter for you more regularly. For guidance about reading your meter, Citizens Advice has created a guide to reading your gas and electric meters.
Smart meters
Smart gas and electricity meters are a new type of meter, currently being installed across the country. Smart meters can be used in prepayment or credit mode, however not all meters have an Economy 7 function at present.
A smart meter records your energy use and sends this information back to the utility company. For this reason, you will no longer need to read your meter and there is no need for estimated bills.
The meter comes with an in-home display unit that can tell customers how much energy they are using and how much this costs. In addition, the display unit can help you compare your current usage to that of the previous week, month or year. To find out more about smart meters and how they work, you can visit Smart GB's website. They are an independent organisation promoting the rollout of smart meters in the UK.
For information about when your supplier will be installing meters, contact them directly as the various suppliers will be installing meters in different parts of the country at different times.
