Metric domestic meters have 5 main digits, excluding the digits in red (or any after the decimal point). To read your metric digital style meter, simply write down the numbers from left to right, including any leading zeros. You should ignore any digits in red or that appear after the decimal point.

Imperial domestic meters have 4 main digits, excluding the digits in red (or any after the decimal point). To read your imperial meter, simply write down the numbers from left to right including any leading zeros. You should ignore any digits in red or that appear after the decimal point.

Dial meters are tricky to read because each dial turns in opposite directions. The dial furthest to the left turns clockwise, the one to the right of that turns anti-clockwise and so on. Don't include the red dial furthest to the right.

To read a gas dial meter, write down the readings from left to right from the bottom row of dials only and including any leading zeros. Always write down the number that the pointer has just passed, this is not always the nearest number to the pointer. If the pointer is anywhere between, say, 1 and 2 then you need to write down the 1.

Imperial domestic meters have 4 main digits, excluding the digits in red (or any after the decimal point). To read your imperial meter, simply write down the numbers from left to right including any leading zeros. You should ignore any digits in red or that appear after the decimal point.

You may have 2 rows of figures if your electricity is supplied on an Economy 7/White Meter Tariff. One row is for the lower priced night-rate electricity - it is marked LOW or NIGHT. The other is for the day rate - it is marked NORMAL or DAY.

To read a two rate digital style meter, simply write down the numbers from left to right, including any leading zeros: firstly for the LOW/NIGHT rate and then to get the NORMAL/DAY reading, keep pressing the display test button until the next reading appears. Write down the number from left to right and include leading zeros.

In the example below the meter readings you would need to provide are 24867 for the LOW/NIGHT rate and 08577 for the NORMAL/DAY rate.

1. Press the button on the front of your meter (the colour of this button can vary from grey, blue or black depending on the type of meter you have). When you first press the button the entire display will show. This is to indicate that your display panel is fully functional.
2. Each time you press the button, either the time, date or meter reading readings will appear. This order will vary depending on the meter you have.
3. The numbers of units used are shown by a row of figures on the display screen.
4. Two-rate meters are for those who pay two rates split between day and night, so your electricity will be cheaper on one of these rates. On the screen it will say “Rate 1” then your figures. Press the button again for “Rate 2”.
5. Always remember that the reading on the digital meter is the total number of units used.

Dial meters have a row of dials (although sometimes they're arranged differently). The pointers on the dials go round from 0 to 9 – and they rotate clockwise and anticlockwise alternately - so be careful when you read them!

Only read five dials, from the one marked 10,000 down to the one marked 1. Ignore the red dial which measures tenths of a unit as this is used for testing only.

1. When you take the reading you read along the 5 dials from left to right
2. Write the numbers down from left to right
3. If the pointer on any of the dials is between two numbers, record the lower number.
4. If the pointer appears to be exactly on a number, record the next lowest number unless the pointer on the dial to its right has passed zero.