A MAJOR energy supplier has announced to its 5.2 million customers the exact date on which they must read their meters. Otherwise they risk higher bills.
Households across the country have just one day left to submit their figures or risk getting into trouble.
EDF customers have until 30 June (the day of the meter reading) to report their consumption.
However, customers can also reverse their meter readings at any time up to and including July 9.
Customers can leave their meter readings via the EDF App, or online via their MyAccount.
Readings can also be submitted by telephone, email, text message or WhatsApp.
EDF’s Customer Support Fund, which now totals over £40 million, is available to vulnerable customers in difficulty.
It offers the opportunity to have their debts written off as part of EDF’s ‘fresh start’ initiative, with eligible customers receiving an average of £1,250.
The company encourages any customer struggling with their energy bill to get in touch so that any support they may be eligible for can be identified.
It is important to submit readings by June 30 as the average price of an energy bill will fall by £122 per year on July 1, when the change officially takes place.
Energy regulator Ofgem confirmed the new price cap last month and it will come into effect on Monday.
The cap will drop from the current rate of £1,690 a year to £1,568 – the lowest level in two years.
But keep in mind that the energy price cap changes every three months, so there is a chance that your monthly bill will increase again.
It is important that you check your energy bill every three months when the price cap changes. This way you can be sure that you are not paying too much.
In the latest MoneySavingExpert newsletter, Martin Lewis encouraged households to submit their meter readings before midnight on June 30.
The team wrote: “With monthly direct debit, companies estimate your usage so that costs can be settled over the year.
“As prices fall, unless you have a working smart meter, companies will estimate how much your current usage is during the higher rate period, and how much afterwards.”
The deadline for submitting a lecture varies from supplier to supplier.
Some companies will allow you to backdate your filing if you miss the exact date the filing was due.
However, this may not always be the case, so it’s worth speaking to your energy supplier’s customer service team to double check.
If you have a smart meter, you do not need to perform a reading, it will be sent automatically to your supplier.
How do I calculate my energy bill?
BELOW we show you how to calculate your own energy bill.
To calculate how much you will pay for your energy bill, you need to know your unit rate for gas and electricity and the standing charge for each fuel type.
The unit rate is usually shown on your bill in p/kWh. The fixed rate is a daily rate that you pay 365 days a year, regardless of whether you use gas or electricity.
You must then record your own annual energy consumption from a previous bill.
Once you have this information, you can calculate your gas and electricity costs separately.
Multiply your consumption in kWh by the unit price in p/kWh for the corresponding fuel type. This is how you get your consumption costs.
You then need to multiply each fixed charge by 365 and add this figure to your totals for your consumption. This will give you your annual costs.
Divide this amount by 12 to determine how much you have to pay per month from April 1.
However, it is worth checking that your meter is giving the correct meter readings, as there can sometimes be problems with smart meters.
On July 1, take a photo of your meter and compare it with what you see when you log in to your energy bill.
It’s worth keeping the photo because you can submit it to your provider later if there are any disputes.
An updated meter reading helps prevent your supplier from setting bill prices that are not accurate for your usage.
If you do not agree with a bill, it is also necessary to provide the meter readings.
How do I record my meter reading?
If you do not have a smart meter, your energy supplier usually needs regular readings of your gas and electricity meters to calculate your bill.
Customers who do not send regular measurements to their suppliers will have their bills calculated based on estimated consumption, and will likely pay more. So it’s always worth knowing how to send the numbers.
After you have taken a measurement, you can submit it in various ways, for example via text message or online.
You may also be able to submit it online or through your provider’s app.
It is best to contact your supplier to see what the options are.
It’s always worth taking a photo of your meter reading when providing it to your supplier, in case you need it as evidence in a future dispute.
The way you take a meter reading depends on the type of meter you have. We have explained how to take a meter reading, depending on your meter type.
Electricity meters
If you have a digital electricity meter, you will only see a row of six numbers: five in black and one in red.
Write down the five black numbers and ignore the red number.
If you have an Economy 7 or 10 tariff, which gives you cheaper electricity at night, you will get two rows of numbers. In that case, write down both readings.
If you have a traditional dial meter, you should read the first five dials from left to right. Don’t pay attention to the red dials.
If the hand is between two numbers, write down the lower numbers, and if the hand is between nine and zero, write down the number nine.
What to do when you’re having a hard time
THERE are several ways to get help paying your energy bills if you are struggling.
If you find yourself in debt, you can always contact your supplier to ask if they can offer you a repayment plan before purchasing a prepaid meter.
This means that you pay off what you owe in installments over a certain period.
If your supplier offers you a payment plan that you don’t think you can afford, contact them again to see if you can negotiate a better deal.
Several energy companies have subsidy schemes available for customers who have difficulty paying their bills.
But eligibility criteria vary depending on the provider and the amount you can get will depend on your financial circumstances.
For example, British Gas or Scottish Gas customers who are struggling to pay their energy bills can get grants of up to £1,500.
British Gas also offers assistance through its British Gas Energy Trust and Individuals Family Fund.
You do not need to be a British Gas customer to apply for the second fund.
EDF, E.ON, Octopus Energy and Scottish Power are also offering grants to struggling customers.
Thousands of vulnerable households are missing out on extra help and protection by not registering with the Priority Services Register (PSR).
The service helps support vulnerable households, such as the elderly or ill, and some of the benefits include advance warning of power cuts, free gas safety checks and extra support if you’re struggling.
Contact your energy company to see if you can apply.
If the dial is directly over a number, write down that number and underline it.
Once you underline a number, check the next number to the right.
If the hand on that dial is between 9 and 0, decrease the number you underlined by 1.
For example, if you originally wrote down 5, change it to 4.
Gas meters
If you have a digital metric meter that displays five numbers and then a decimal, you only need to write down the first five numbers from left to right.
If you have a digital imperial meter, your meter will display four black numbers and two red numbers. Only record the four black numbers.
If you have a dial gas meter, follow the same steps as those with a dial electricity meter, but ignore underlining numbers.