Meter reading cost calculator
Take your old reading from your new one to get what you’ve used. Electricity meters show kWh already. For gas, 100 m³ is about 1,122 kWh, which costs £89.43 at the price cap.
- Energy used
- 250 kWh
- Energy cost
- £65.80
- Standing charge
- £16.45
- Average a day
- £2.74
- kWh a day
- 8.3 kWh
- Days
- 30
250 kWh over 30 days, at 26.32p per kWh and 54.83p a day.
Rates default to the Ofgem price cap for paying by Direct Debit. Use the rates on your bill if you are on a fixed or different tariff.
What energy costs over 30 days
At the price cap, including 30 days of standing charge.
| kWh used | Electricity | Gas |
|---|---|---|
| 100 kWh | £42.77 | £16.87 |
| 200 kWh | £69.09 | £24.84 |
| 300 kWh | £95.41 | £32.81 |
| 500 kWh | £148.05 | £48.75 |
| 800 kWh | £227.01 | £72.66 |
| 1,200 kWh | £332.29 | £104.54 |
Ofgem’s typical household uses 2,500 kWh of electricity and 9,500 kWh of gas a year: about 208 and 792 kWh a month on average, more in winter.
How we calculate this
We take the old reading from the new one. Electricity meters read in kWh, so that is the energy used. Gas meters read in cubic metres or cubic feet, so we convert to kWh the way suppliers do.
The standing charge is a fixed daily amount, so we multiply it by the number of days between the readings.
Questions people ask
How do I read my meter?
Write down the numbers from left to right, ignoring any numbers in red or after a decimal point. On a smart meter, the reading usually shows on the meter’s screen when you press its buttons; your supplier can tell you which ones.
How do I convert gas units to kWh?
Multiply the cubic metres used by the calorific value on your bill, then by 1.02264, and divide by 3.6. For an imperial meter, multiply by 2.83 first to get cubic metres.
Why is my bill different from this?
Your supplier may use a slightly different calorific value, different rates, or estimated readings. Bills also include any discounts, credits or debts on your account.
What if I have Economy 7?
Economy 7 meters show two readings, day and night. Work each out separately with its own unit rate, and include the standing charge once.
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