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Meters come in many different shapes and sizes, and each one is read differently. Just to complicate things further, your electricity and gas meters record your usage in different units (electricity in kWh, and gas in m³ or ft³).

We’ve compiled a list to help you work out which type of meter you have and how to read it. If you've got a smart meter try our guide How to read your smart meter.

Once you know how to read your meter, make sure you regularly submit your readings online to keep you on top of your energy. You can also set up email reminders online.

• Does your electricity meter look like any of these?
  • Single rate meter
  • Two rate meter
  • Dial meter
• Does your gas meter resemble any of these?
  • Gas imperial meter
  • Dial meter
  • Gas metric meter

Single rate meter

Digital:

Analogue

• If so, write down all the numbers from left to right including any zeros. Ignore any numbers after the decimal point or which may be shown in red.
• The reading for the above meter is 07220

Two rate meter

• If you have a 2-rate meter, that means the meter records how much energy you use during you the day and night time.
• The row marked 'LOW', 'L' or 'NIGHT') shows how many units of off-peak electricity you have used.
• The row marked 'NORMAL', 'N' or 'DAY') shows how many units of peak electricity you have used.
• If your meter isn't clearly labelled, we can help you find out which is day and which is night.
• Write down all the numbers from left to right including any zeros. Ignore any numbers after the decimal point or which may be shown in red.
• The reading for the above meter is 556315 & 217457.

Dial meter

• Each dial turns in the opposite direction to the one before it, so check which way each dial turns. Read the dials from left to right, ignoring the dial marked 1/10.
• Write down the number that the pointer has just passed e.g. if the pointer is between 2 and 3 write down 2.
• The reading for the above meter is 26929.

Does your gas meter resemble any of these?

Gas imperial meter

• Write down all the numbers from left to right including any zeros. Ignore any numbers after the decimal point or which may be shown in red.
• The reading for the above meter is 2988.

Dial meter

• Each dial turns in the opposite direction to the one before it, so check which way each turns.
• Read the dials from left to right.
• Write down the number that the pointer has just passed e.g. if the pointer is between 2 and 3 write down 2.
• The reading for the above meter is 2692.

Gas metric meter

• Write down all the numbers from left to right including any zeros. Ignore any numbers after the decimal point or which may be shown in red.
• The reading for the above meter is 75793.

This energy bills discount has been set up by the Government to help households as energy bills rise, due to increasing wholesale costs. This scheme had ended - the last payments were made in March 2023.

As always, we want our customers to be safe and informed so we’d like to warn you to be aware of potential scams as they have been reported. Please remember you do not need to apply to receive the Government grant and we will keep you informed via email about this scheme but we will not text, call or email you asking for your direct debit details so please do not give your details to third parties.

Visit TakeFive - Stop Fraud for more information.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• How the payments will work 
  • If you already have a debt payment plan with us:
  • Can I get the full £400 at once?
  • Can I have the money paid to my bank account?
  • Will I receive the discount if my account is in debt?

How the payments will work 

All customers that have an electricity supply with us will receive £66 in October and November 2022, followed by four payments of £67 from December to March 2023 for a total of £400. If you have a gas only account with So Energy, you won’t qualify - though you'll still receive this amount from your domestic electricity supplier if you have one. 

This will be automatically applied to your account. How you receive this will depend on the payment method you have set up:

• Fixed Direct Debit customers (inc. seasonal and equal payments):  we will apply your monthly discount as credit to your So Energy account and bills, typically in the first week of the month. To ensure you’re not paying too much, we’ll include the discount when we review your monthly Direct Debit. Read more about your Direct Debit review in October, here. This discount will then be used to set your monthly Direct Debit £66/£67 lower than it otherwise would be. For most of our price-capped customers on our So Flex tariff, you monthly Direct Debit is still expected to rise to rise overall in October as the price cap is expected to increase by more than £66 per month.
• Variable Payments or Pay on Receipt of Bill customers: we will apply your monthly discount to your So Energy account and bills, typically in the first week of the month. You will see this as a credit in the breakdown of balance on page one of your statement. 
• Smart prepayment meter customers: we will apply your monthly discount to your So Energy account, typically in the first week of the month. This credit will then reduce the amount you need to top-up.

Please remember that the charges for your energy usage are likely to be higher than £66 per month so you’ll need to make monthly payments to avoid falling into debt. We highly recommend setting up a Direct Debit through your online account if you haven’t already done so. 

It’s important to note that even with the Energy Bills Support Scheme helping out, most people will see their Direct Debit rise in October anyway. For a typical price-capped household, using 2,900kWh of electricity and 12,000kWh of gas per year, costs will rise from £164 per month to an estimated £304 per month. Even when you subtract the £67 Energy Bills Support Scheme discount from £304, that typical household’s monthly cost still rises from £164 to £237. In reality everyone’s circumstances are different but for the most part customers should expect to see their costs rise despite the Energy Bills Support Scheme discount.

We have more information on what support we have for our customers and what to do if you’re struggling to pay your energy bills.

Please note that credit will not reach all customers on 1 October 2022. We aim to apply the credit in the first week of each month during the scheme which will run between October 2022 and March 2023. 

If there are any issues or delays with applying your credit you’ll be informed. We’ll ensure no one misses out.

If you already have a debt payment plan with us:

We will reduce the payment in accordance with your debt repayment plan. If you don’t have a debt repayment plan agreed and you think you need one we have more information on what to do if you’re struggling to pay your energy bills.

Can I get the full £400 at once?

The short answer is, No. The £400 is to help you with higher bills during winter. Which is why the credit is spread across 6 months. Additionally, the government will be giving energy suppliers the money in instalments, so it's not possible to give any of our customers £400 in one lump sum.

Can I have the money paid to my bank account?

The government has asked suppliers to apply the Energy Bill Support Scheme to be applied as a credit to your energy account. As per our refund policy, if your account is in significant credit, you can ask for your balance to be refunded. 

Will I receive the discount if my account is in debt?

Yes, you will still be eligible for the scheme. 

If you’d like to find out more about the Energy Bill Support Scheme, you can head to the government website.

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has announced that the Energy Price Guarantee (EPG) will be kept at it's current level (around £2,500/year for the average household) until the end of June 2023. 

However, the Energy Bill Support Scheme (EBSS), which was worth £67/month, has ended, with the last payments being made in March.

This article will outline the Energy Price Guarantee, a measure announced by the Government on 8 September 2022 (and updated on 15 March 2023) to provide further support for energy customers.

The Energy Price Guarantee (EPG) and Government Energy Price Guarantee (GEPG) are the same thing, you may have heard the name used interchangeably in the media or publications. 

The Energy Price Guarantee (EPG) is however different to the Energy Bill Support Scheme (EBSS). The Energy Bill Support Scheme (EBSS) delivered a flat £400 credit to electricity customers over 6 months until it ended in March 2023.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• What energy support has the Government announced?
• When will the Energy Price Guarantee be available?
• How will this change my Direct Debit?
• Where can I find more information?

What energy support has the Government announced?

The Government has outlined its Energy Price Guarantee (EPG) that caps energy prices for typical households until the end of June 2023. This is the maximum cost of each unit of gas or electricity a household uses. From 1 April 2023, the annual energy bill of the typical household will remain the same at £2,500, but remember this is not a limit to how much your annual bills will be. Your actual annual costs will depend on how much energy you use so your yearly bill could be greater or smaller than £2,500.

The EPG reduces the unit rates for gas and electricity from the values announced under Ofgem's quarterly price cap plans. Standing charges will not be affected and will change in line with Ofgem's guidance.

From 1 April, the Government's Energy Bills Support Scheme discount will no longer be applied to your monthly bills. Learn more here.

When will the Energy Price Guarantee be available?

From 1 October, all customers on our standard variable tariff So Flex will benefit from the Energy Price Guarantee. The Government has announced the new unit rates and you can check them here. 

What will I need to do to receive the Energy Price Guarantee discount? 

Don't worry, there's nothing for customers to do - we'll handle all of that for you and apply the discount automatically if you're on an eligible tariff - see below for which tariffs will benefit from the EPG.

Which tariffs will be affected by the Energy Price Guarantee?

All customers on our standard variable tariff, So Flex, and customers on some of our fixed rate tariffs will benefit from the Government’s Energy Price Guarantee.

Until the end of June 2023, the Government’s goal is to set the energy bills of typical-use households at around £2,500 a year by offering subsidised energy rates. For over 70% of our fixed tariffs, the unit rate is already priced below the Energy Price Guarantee unit rate, so they will not receive an Energy Price Guarantee discount.

The remaining 30% of fixed rate tariffs are priced above the discounted unit rates so will be eligible for the discount. For customers on these tariffs, the discount will bring their rates down to the discounted unit rates. This will be reflected in your monthly statement. 

A very small number of customers fixed their energy at a high price and so, despite being eligible for the discount, their discounted unit rates will still be higher than the Energy Price Guarantee’s target rates.

At the moment, our only available tariff is So Flex, our standard variable tariff. If your fixed rate tariff is coming to an end, you will automatically be moved onto So Flex.

How will this change my Direct Debit?

All customers will see a change in their Direct Debit to reflect the new rates set by the Government and the impact of the end of the Government's Energy Bills Support Scheme. Here, you can check how the Energy Price Guarantee will affect your tariff rates, but as a guide, we expect:

• low energy users to pay less than they do today

• typical users to pay about the same as they do today

• high users to pay more than they do today but still a lot less than what was previously projected

Where can I find more information?

Our blog is a really useful source of information for your energy-related questions, including details of the Energy Price Guarantee, a guide to energy assistance ahead of winter, reasons for energy price changes, and much more.

This article also outlines everything you need to know about your energy this April.

We understand many customers are worried about energy bills, so we’re here to keep you informed about changes in the energy industry, how it affects you and what support we can offer.

When there is a price increase, we’ll get in touch with you with as much notice as possible before there are any changes to your payments and let you know what your options are. 

If you decide to fix your rates or remain on the standard variable tariff, your direct debit amount will automatically be adjusted, in line with your new rates on our next payment date. You may be able to adjust your direct debit amount to something more affordable in your online account. However, please be aware that you cannot decrease your direct debit via your online account below a certain amount that we forecast would result in your account falling into debit. 

Here at So Energy, we can’t get enough of smart meters. That’s why we’re committed to offering one to all of our customers. Interested to know more?

Quick links:

• What is a smart meter?
• What's so good about smart meters?
• Can I get a smart meter?
• Already receiving emails from us? Book now!
• Can So Energy support my existing second-generation (SMETS2) smart meter?
• Can So Energy support my existing first-generation (SMETS1) smart meter?
• What does this mean for me and when will my SMETS1 become smart again?
• Is my smart meter first or second generation?
• Can I get a smart meter if I rent/am a landlord?
• I'm an electricity only customer, can I get a smart meter?
• Our Smart Metering Mission

What is a smart meter?

Smart meters are revolutionary, next-generation technology that capture and send meter readings straight to your energy supplier, all without you having to lift a finger. This ensures accurate bills across the board, putting an end to estimates. Smart meters also come complete with an in-home display (IHD), which enables you to track and monitor your usage in a real-time pounds & pence view. You may see us referring to smart meters as SMETS here and there, which stands for Smart Metering Equipment Technical Specification. 

What's so good about smart meters?

Smart meters save money, they save time and they save energy (gas, electricity and your own).

1. No more meter readings - Smart meters send us regular, automatic readings, meaning you’ll never need to root around under the stairs, using the torch on your phone, to take a reading to send us ever again. 
2. No more estimated bills - Since smart meters send us regular readings, we always have accurate data for your energy usage, so we’ll never again need to base a bill on estimated usage. This helps you by ensuring you’re not overpaying, and it helps us to know how much energy to buy in advance for all So Energy customers.
3. Save energy and money - Smart meters come with an in-home display (IHD), a little monitor that shows your real-time energy usage. With this, you can keep an eye on the appliances that use the most energy, make changes and see instant improvements in your consumption!

Can I get a smart meter?

We are now well established in our second-generation smart meter rollout, having installed tens of thousands of meters up and down the country. Our metering partners are doing a fantastic job in helping us to deliver on this project but if you haven’t heard from us already, fear not as you likely will soon!

When we do have availability in your area, we will be in touch through smart.install@so.energy with a prompt to book an appointment via your online account, so be sure to keep an eye out for that!

Once you've made a booking, you can amend or cancel your appointment at any time without getting in touch. All you need to do is use the link provided in your booking confirmation or reminder emails and you'll be able to manage the booking completely by yourself!

Already receiving emails from us? Book now!

If you are receiving smart meter emails from us and can see the below banner on your online account, click here to book now, it only takes 5 minutes! 

Can't see the above banner? Fear not, if you register your interest with us here, we promise to contact you as soon as we can with the offer of a smart meter.

For information on how to prepare for your installation, check out our section here. Or, to find out more about our metering partners and their no-contact smart meter installations, please check out this page here.

Can So Energy support my existing second-generation (SMETS2) smart meter?

So Energy support all second-generation smart meters, also known as SMETS2 meters. If you have a SMETS2 and wish to join our supply, your meter should automatically connect to us and start providing us with reads when we take over supply.

If you have a SMETS2 meter and you are already on our supply, these should be 'woken up' and communicating with us. However, if you feel your smart meter has not yet woken up, please get in touch with us via help@so.energy.

Can So Energy support my existing first-generation (SMETS1) smart meter?

Good news, The Data Communications Company (DCC) is in the process of updating all first generation smart meters by moving them over to the new smart communications network. This migration is being carried out in three stages, with a planned finish at the end of 2023* after the latest Government update. This is being done so that we can provide you with an even more reliable service, all while ensuring your smart meter(s) can continue to work should you decide to switch suppliers in the future. 

What does this mean for me and when will my SMETS1 become smart again?

We've been working hard to start communicating with newly-enrolled smart meters. That being said, the time and date your SMETS1 will be enrolled and adopted into the new smart communications network depends on a few things, such as the meter manufacturer and the energy supplier who originally installed it. As it’s an industry-wide change that is largely out of our control, we are currently unable to provide exact timings for each meter. 

After we’ve taken care of the boring stuff in the background, if your meter is successfully enrolled and communicating with us, you will receive an email from us with the good news that your SMETS1 meter is now smart enabled. This means your meter will be able to do all the useful smart stuff. If both your gas and electricity are first-generation smart meters on supply with us, you will receive this email for each meter we successfully wake-up, so don’t be alarmed if you get it twice (it’s good news!).

If for any reason the Data Communications Company (DCC) are unable to wake up your meter, we will be in contact to offer you a brand new SMETS2 meter, free of charge. For the time being though, sit back and relax until you hear from us. Your first generation smart meters will behave like a ‘normal’ meter, meaning you will need to provide us with meter readings via your online account to ensure an accurate energy statement.

Is my smart meter first or second generation?

Chances are if your meter was installed before 2018, it’s most probably going to be first generation (SMETS1). To be more certain though, you can either check out our page here (complete with diagrams and model names), or look for a device ID (GUID) on the electricity meter. This will be printed on the front of the communications hub (attached to the top of the meter) and will be formatted like this: AA-BB-CC-DD-EE-FF-GG-HH-II. If you can see this, you have a second generation (SMETS2) meter.

Can I get a smart meter if I rent/am a landlord?

This depends who pays the utility bills for the property. Whoever the account holder is (the person responsible for paying the utility bills) ultimately has the choice on whether a smart meter can be installed. However, if you are renting but also pay for the gas and electricity, it may still be worth informing your landlord prior to installation that you are intending to install smart meters at the property!

I'm an electricity only customer, can I get a smart meter?

If you're an electricity only customer, fear not! We are now supporting electricity only smart meter installations up and down the country, so if you haven't heard from us yet then you likely will soon! 

Our Smart Metering Mission

In 2022, we installed 25,332 electricity and 20,295 gas smart meters (45,627 in total), falling just short of our respective targets of 26,427 and 27,617. You can see a breakdown of those installations below.

In 2023 we have even bigger ambitions, as we are planning to install 29,292 electricity and 35,158 gas smart meters (64,450 in total). You can see a breakdown of our targets below. 

Haven't heard from us yet? Fear not, as you likely will do soon. Alternatively, why not your register your interest here and we'll get back to you as soon as we can to let you know if you are eligible.

You may have seen in the news in recent weeks and months that energy prices are increasing across the energy industry and thought about what this means for you and what you pay for your energy. 

Will my Bill increase?

Fixed tariff

If you are on a fixed tariff, your price will remain the same until the end date of your tariff, a fixed tariff gives you peace of mind and confidence that the price you pay for energy will remain the same. However, with winter coming your usage might increase which does affect your bill. To read more about how your usage impacts your bill, read here!

If you are near the end of your tariff 

If your fixed tariff is coming to an end soon, you will most likely see an increase in your renewal price.

I'm at the end of my contract and my renewal price is a lot higher than my current monthly payments, why have my monthly payments increased so much?

• When we calculate your renewal price there are 2 elements that are used; your estimated annual usage and the tariff rates
  • We calculate your estimated annual usage based on your meter readings over the past 12 months (or for the time you have been on supply with us), if you've been providing us with regular monthly readings or we take smart reads remotely, this will ensure this figure is as accurate as possible!
  • Your tariff rates are what you pay per unit of energy (in kWh) and the standing charge per day.
  • This means that while your estimated annual consumption may not have changed, the changes in unit rate and daily standing charge may cause your monthly payments to increase.
• We understand the impact that price hikes may have, especially on those vulnerable, so if you are facing financial difficulty, please contact us to discuss a solution that works best for you.

We are currently only offering 24 month tariffs which  are a great option if you are renewing as your tariff price is locked in for longer, meaning you don't have to worry about any future increase in price for the length of your contract.

Why are prices increasing?

Rest assured, So Energy always tries to provide you the best price possible. The vast increase in wholesale costs (where we buy your energy) means that we are forced to increase the prices we charge you.

While we - and most energy suppliers - will pass any savings on to our customers and absorb rises in wholesale costs in order to keep things affordable, there are times when you’ll see an increase in what you’re paying. This is generally unavoidable, and as an energy supplier not something that we like having to do.

The increase in gas and electricity prices over the last month are driven by wholesale costs going up as a result of various socio-political and environmental factors across the world.

• Some of these factors include:
  • A cold spring in Europe. As you’ll undoubtedly have noticed, spring this year didn’t trouble the mercury. Lower temperatures and less sunshine than expected - among other things - meant higher demands on stored energy, leaving less in storage to deal with the spike in demand outlined above, thus leading to higher prices.
  • An increase in demand as the country recovers from the effects of Covid lockdowns. Businesses are opening again, public transport is back to full capacity, people are back in the office and so on as vestiges of normality continue to return. All of this requires energy, and this has created a spike in demand that requires supply.
  • It’s been hotter elsewhere. While we experienced cooler temperatures in Europe, Asia experienced a hotter-than-usual summer. This, in turn, has resulted in higher demand for gas and electricity for cooling systems which, in turn, has also contributed to lower levels of available stored energy.
  • Fire damage to a connector across the Channel restricts how much energy can be transferred from there
• Energy markets fluctuate all the time and our expectation is for this price increase trend to reduce over the next year.

We know moving can be stressful but sorting out your energy doesn’t have to be. We handle most of the process for you, we just need a few details from yourself. There’s a quick form to fill out which will be sent straight to our operations team. This article will explain everything you need to know. 

What do we need?

To process your move, we'll need to take a few details from you. You can provide them by completing this form. 

These details will be some dates, some meter readings and some address details so please have the following things handy:

So Energy account number- This is an eight digit number starting 00 that can be found on the top of any email we have sent to you or on your welcome page in your online account.

Full name- Please ensure the name you provide matches with the name on your account.

Telephone number- Please ensure that this matches with the contact number associated with your account.

Address moving out of- please include the full address including postcode of your current property

Last date of responsibility- This is the date that your tenancy for your current property ends or the last day where you are responsible and may not be the same as the day you move out of the property. This will be the date that your account is billed to.

Electricity and/or gas readings- Please provide us with meter readings for all meters that we supply at the property taken on the last day of responsibility or on the date closest to that. These reads will then be agreed with the new occupier before your final bill is issued. Please see this article for further information on reading your traditional or smart meters.

Contact details for new occupier (if known)- This helps us the process of creating an account for the new occupier but do not worry if you do not have any contact information.

Address of forwarding address- please include the full address including postcode for your forwarding address. We may use this in the eventuality we need to send any further communications to you via post.

Things to keep in mind

Can you supply my next property?

Great, we’d love you to stay with us! For more information on this have a look at our page here.

I’ve already moved out/I’m about to move out, am I going to be charged extra because I haven’t told you in time? 

No, even if you’ve already moved out we will only bill you for up to your last date of responsibility.

What happens to any credit I’ve got on the account?

You’ll receive your final bill which will detail any final any charges or early exit fees. Any credit that’s left on the account after that will be refunded back to you, there will be a date on your bill for when this will by. It is usually within 10 days after you receive your final bill.  

Will I be charged any early exit fees?

Early exit fees will only be charged if your current tariff(s) are not in the last 49 days of your contract.

Our 12 month, fixed tariff agreements have early exit fees of £20 per fuel (if your 12 month tariff began prior to 16 August 2021, your early exit fees will be £5 per fuel. If your 12 month tariff began after 16 August 2021 and up to 2 November 2021, your early exit fees will be £10 per fuel). That’s £40 if you end a dual fuel agreement early or £20 for ending a single fuel agreement early. Our 24 month, fixed term tariff agreements have early exit fees of £40 per fuel. That’s £80 if you end a dual fuel agreement early or £40 for ending a single fuel agreement early (if your 24 month tariff began on any date up to and including 2 November, your early exit fees will be £30 per fuel).

Should I cancel my direct debit with you? 

No, we will cancel the direct debit once the final bill has been settled. Cancelling the direct debit can lead to it taking longer to close your account and delay any credit you are owed to get back to you. If you do cancel your direct debit you will need to pay any charges owed manually  

What if I have cancelled my direct debit with you already?

We’d advise reinstating it, but otherwise you will need to pay any money owed through your online account or by getting in touch with us by the due date on your final bill. Any credit due back to you will still be paid but there may be a delay. 

What happens next?

Once we have all the information about your move, the rest of the process is down to us! Please remember to send a final meter read on your last day of responsibility if you haven’t already. We’ll send you your final bill, usually within 14 days of you moving out. After the final bill is settled the account will be closed.