How to read your smart gas meter

There are some circumstances where you might have to manually check your smart gas meter for a reading. For example:

You’ve just switched to a new supplier

If you’ve moved to a different provider, they may ask for an initial meter reading.

Your new supplier can’t connect to your smart meter

This can happen with older smart meters (called SMETS1).

You want to double-check your energy usage

You may want to track how much gas you're using, perhaps because:

• you’re trying to keep your bills down
• you want to stick to your budget
• you’re struggling with payments and want to avoid falling into debt

Your smart meter isn’t in smart mode

Some meters lose smart functionality when switching suppliers.

Circumstances have changed

You may have to check a meter manually if you’re moving home or handling someone’s energy account due to bereavement.

A smart gas meter:

• is fixed to a wall, usually in a cupboard, hallway or outside box
• has a digital display and buttons (labelled A/B or symbols)
• may show readings followed by ‘M3’ (cubic metres)

Make sure you don’t confuse your actual smart meter with your in-home display (IHD).

That's the small portable screen that shows your energy use in pounds and pence, so you can easily track how much you’re spending.

The IHD is for display only, not data.

Also, you can’t submit a reading from the IHD – you must always take it from the actual meter.

Your gas usage is measured in cubic metres and displayed as M3 on your meter.

But your bill shows gas usage in kilowatt hours (kWh).

If you’re reading your meter manually, you just need to give the M3 reading.

Your supplier will do the rest and convert it into kWh.

There are several types of meters, with different buttons and lay-outs.

Here’s how you can read yours.

Meter with A and B buttons (under the screen)

• press A to wake the meter
• press A again until it shows ‘METER INDEX’ and a number with ‘M3’
• write down the number from left to right
• ignore any zeroes at the start and anything after the decimal point

Meter with 3 square red buttons (often A, B, and C)

• press the left button (A)
• write down the number left to right
• ignore zeroes at the beginning and digits after the decimal

Meter with a circle button and two arrows

• press the middle circle button
• write down the number shown before the decimal

Meter with a keypad

• press 9 on the keypad
• wait for the screen to say ‘VOLUME’ and then show a number ending in ‘M3’
• write down the number before the decimal

Meter with orange and blue arrow buttons

• press the orange button until you see a number with ‘M3’
• record the number left to right, ignoring decimal digits

Meter with two white buttons to the right

• press the right button (labelled ‘OK’ or an arrow)
• write down the number before the decimal

Check if the number ends with ‘M3’.

If it does, that means it’s a gas meter.

If it shows kWh, it’s an electricity meter.

If you’re still not sure, then get in touch with your energy supplier or check their website for information.

If you still have a traditional gas meter, you can ask your energy supplier to install a smart meter.

They’ll let you know if your home is eligible and when they can fit one.

If you get a smart meter, you’ll be able to:

• avoid taking manual readings
• get accurate bills
• track how much energy you use more easily