A MAJOR energy supplier has told its 5.2 million customers the exact date they must take a reading or face higher bills.
Households across the country have just one day to submit their numbers or risk running out of cash.
EDF customers have until the end of June 30, the day of the meter reading, to submit their usage.
However, customers will also be able to backdate their meter readings at any time up to and including July 9.
Customers will be able to leave their readings through the EDF app or online through their MyAccount.
Readings can also be sent by phone, email or text and WhatsApp.
EDF’s customer support fund, which now stands at more than £40m, is available to vulnerable customers who are struggling.
It provides the opportunity to settle debts as part of EDF’s ‘fresh start’ initiative, with eligible customers receiving an average of £1,250.
The company is urging any customer experiencing problems 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 all the details by June 30, as the average price of your energy bill is set to drop by £122 a 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 force on Monday.
The cap will drop from the current rate of £1,690 a year to £1,568 – the lowest level in two years.
However, keep in mind that the energy price cap changes every three months, so it’s possible that your monthly bill will increase again.
It is important that you take a reading every three months when there are changes to the price cap to make sure you are not overpaid.
In the latest MoneySavingExpert newsletter, Martin Lewis urged households to read their meters before midnight on June 30.
The team wrote: “With monthly direct debit, businesses estimate your usage, so costs can be evened out over the year.
“With prices going down right now, if you don’t have a smart meter working, companies will estimate what your current consumption is during the higher rate period and how much afterwards.”
The time frame you have to send varies from supplier to supplier.
Some companies will let you backdate the reading if you miss the exact date it was supposed to be sent.
But this may not always be the case, so it’s worth speaking to the customer service team at your energy supplier to check.
If you have a smart meter, you don’t need to take a reading as it is automatically sent to your supplier.
How do I calculate my energy bill?
BELOW we will tell you how you can calculate your own energy bill.
To work out how much you’ll pay for your energy bill, you need to find out your unit rate for gas and electricity and the fixed charge for each type of fuel.
The unit rate will usually be shown on your vp/kWh bill. The fixed charge is a daily charge that is paid 365 days a year – regardless of whether you use gas or electricity.
You will then need to note your own annual energy consumption from the previous bill.
Once you have this information, you can calculate your gas and electricity costs separately.
Multiply your consumption in kWh by the unit rate vp/kWh for the corresponding fuel type – this gives you your cost of use.
You will then need to multiply each fixed charge by 365 and add that number to your usage total – this will then give you your annual cost.
Divide that number by 12 and you can determine how much you should expect to pay each month starting April 1st.
But it’s worth making sure your meter is sending the readings correctly, as sometimes smart meters can have problems.
Take a photo of your meter on July 1st and compare it to what it shows when you log into your energy bill.
It’s worth keeping the photo because you can send it to your provider later if there are any disputes.
An updated meter status helps prevent your supplier from setting billing rates that don’t match your usage.
In addition, if you are disputing a bill, a deduction must be made.
How can I take a meter reading?
If you don’t have a smart meter, your energy supplier will usually require regular readings from your gas and electricity meters to calculate your bill.
Customers who don’t send their suppliers regular readings will be billed based on estimated usage and likely to pay more – so it always pays to know how to send the numbers.
Once you’ve read it, you should be able to send it in a number of ways, including via text or online.
You can also submit it online or through your supplier’s app.
It is best to check with your supplier for options.
It’s always worth taking a photo of the condition of the meter when you hand it over to your supplier – in case you need it as evidence in a future dispute.
How you read depends on the type of meter you have – we’ve explained how to read depending on the type of meter you have.
Electricity meters
If you have a digital meter, you will only see a row of six numbers – five black and one red.
Remove the five black numbers and ignore the red number.
If you’re on an Economy 7 or 10 tariff which gives you cheaper electricity at night – you’ll have two sets of numbers so you subtract both.
If you have a traditional dial, you will need 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 digits, and if it is between nine and zero, write down the number nine.
What to do when you are worried
THERE are several different ways to get help paying your energy bills if you’re struggling to make ends meet.
If you fall into debt, you can always contact your supplier to see if they can give you a repayment plan before they put you on the downpayment meter.
This involves paying back what you owe in installments over a set period of time.
If your supplier offers you a payment plan that you don’t think you can afford, talk to them again to see if you can negotiate a better deal.
Several energy companies have grant schemes available for customers who are struggling to meet their bills.
However, eligibility criteria vary by supplier and the amount you can get depends on your financial situation.
For example, British Gas or Scottish Gas customers who are struggling to pay their energy bills can receive grants worth up to £1,500.
British Gas also offers help 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 also offer grants to struggling customers.
Thousands of vulnerable households are missing out on additional help and protection by not registering on the Priority Services Register (PSR).
The service helps support vulnerable households, such as the elderly or ill, and some of the benefits include early warning of blackouts, free gas safety checks and more support if you’re struggling.
Contact your energy company to see if you can sign up.
If the dial is directly above a number, write that number down and underline it.
If you underlined the number, check the next dial to the right.
If the pointer on the 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 shows five numbers and then a decimal place, just write the first five numbers from left to right.
If you have a digital imperial meter, your meter will show four black numbers and two red numbers – note only the four black numbers.
If you have a dial gas meter, follow the same steps as for dial electricity meters, but ignore the underlining of any numbers.