MILLIONS of households have just days left to ensure they are not overcharged on their energy bills.
Ofgem’s latest price cap has risen from £1,834 a year to £1,928 a year after coming into effect on January 1.
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It means the average household will see their annual bill increase by £94 with the price of electricity increasing from 27.35p per kWh to 28.62p per kWh.
Meanwhile, the unit rate for gas has risen from 6.89p per kWh to 7.42p per kWh.
Households are usually urged to take meter readings on or around the date a new price cap comes into effect.
This stops suppliers from estimating your usage and potentially charging you too much.
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But even if you took your meter reading close to January 1, you don’t have to submit it straight away.
Below, we reveal the dates you need to submit any meter readings, depending on your supplier.
It’s worth bearing in mind that you don’t need to submit a meter reading if you’re on a fixed energy tariff, a smart meter or traditional prepayment meter.
You may want to double-check that any smart meter readings being sent are correct so you’re not overcharged though.
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British Gas
You can submit your meter reading any date before January 14.
Customers can do this on their online account, via the British Gas app, over the phone or a form which can be found on the firm’s website.
You can call 0330 100 0056 Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm.
Scottish Power
Scottish Power customers have until January 5 to submit any meter readings.
They can do this on their online account, via its app or over the phone on 0800 027 8000 24 hours a day.
E.On Next
You can submit your backdated meter reading by January 8.
Households can do this via their online account, app, by email or over the phone on 0808 501 5200.
The phone line is open from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Thursday and 9am to 4pm on Fridays.
EDF
EDF customers can send backdated meter readings until the end of January 8.
They can do this via their online accounts, WhatsApp, SMS or a form on the supplier’s website.
Octopus Energy
Octopus Energy is letting customers submit their meter readings up until the end of January 8.
They can do this via their online accounts, a form on its website, app or email.
Ovo Energy
Households with Ovo Energy have up to 10 days after January 1 to submit their backdated meter readings – January 11.
Customers can do this via their online accounts, app, or over the phone on 0330 303 5063 Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm.
Shell Energy
Shell Energy customers have up to 30 days from January 1 to submit their meter readings.
They can do this via their online accounts, the firm’s app or over the phone.
The number to call is 0330 094 5800 from 8am to 6.30pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 4pm on Saturdays.
Utility Warehouse
Utility Warehouse customers have until the end of January 8 to submit their meter readings.
They can do this on their online accounts, via the app or over the phone on 0333 777 0777.
The Sun approached So Energy to find out what dates customers have to send meter readings by and we will update this story when we have heard back.
How to take a meter reading
Electricity meters
If you have a digital electricity or gas meter, you will see a row of six numbers on the display dashboard – five in black and one in red.
You will need to note down the five numbers in black and ignore the red number.
If you are on an Economy 7 or 10 tariff you may see two rows of numbers.
You should take both down.
If you have a traditional dial meter, you will have to read the first five dials from left to right and ignore any red ones.
If the pointer is between two numbers, write down the lower number. If it’s between nine and zero, write down nine.
If the pointer is directly over a number, write down that number and underline it.
Citizens Advice says that if you’ve underlined a number, check the next dial to the right.
If the pointer on that dial is between 9 and 0, reduce the number you’ve underlined by 1. For example, if you originally wrote down 5, change it to 4.
Gas meters
If you have a digital metric meter showing five numbers then a decimal place, you only need to write down the first five numbers from left to right.
If you have a digital imperial meter your meter will read four black numbers and two red numbers – note down the four black numbers only.
If you have a dial gas meter follow the same steps for those with a dial electricity meter but ignore underlining any figures.
Once you have taken a meter reading you can take a picture of it and send it to your supplier through whichever means.
According to comparethemarket.com, how often you should submit readings will depend on how often you pay.
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If it’s every month, you should submit a reading two days before your payment date every four or so weeks.
If you are billed quarterly, you’ll only need to take meter readings every three months.
You can also join our new Sun Money Facebook group to share stories and tips and engage with the consumer team and other group members.
This post first appeared on thesun.co.uk
