The exact date UK households must take an energy meter reading ahead of the Ofgem price cap has been revealed. The Ofgem price cap will rise from January 1 for typical usage, with UK households having to fork out £1,928 – nearly £2,000 – after a £90 increase.
The price cap rises on January 1 – so UK households should take a meter reading by this date. On its website, Money Saving Expert – founded by Martin Lewis – explains: “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 or to a web form on your provider’s site to enter in 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 phone queue or clogging up the lines for those that need help.”
READ MORE UK set for snow blast ‘from Birmingham to Edinburgh’
Speaking previously, Mr Lewis himself shared the important of taking a meter reading, saying before the October price cap change: “With prices changing on Sunday what we want to do is reduce an error where the energy firms assume more of your usage is at the current high rate rather than after Sunday’s lower rates.”
The BBC Sounds and ITV The Martin Lewis Money Show star went on: “So you get the meter reading in, it doesn’t matter what day you do it if you do it on Saturday or Sunday. (It’s) fine if you do it a few days afterwards you can always backdate the reading you’ve given.”
“The vast majority of energy firms let you backdate a meter reading, but bear in mind some, such as So Energy, don’t.” He explained: “If I had one of those what I’d be doing is trying not to top up this week, unless you really need to in which case just top up what you’ll use this week.
“And then go and top up on Sunday, because by topping up on Sunday that’s what tells your meter you should be charged the new lower price. So even if you don’t need any extra energy on Sunday, go and top up your electricity just by a quid so that your meter knows to charge you less.”
Robert Johnson is a UK-based business writer specializing in finance and entrepreneurship. With an eye for market trends and a keen interest in the corporate world, he offers readers valuable insights into business developments.
