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Your meter’s age and design determine how you’ll read it. Find your meter and match it to one of these types.
Imperial meters are the older generation. They measure gas in cubic feet (ft³). The display face shows “ft³” clearly printed on it. Imperial meters have four digits to the left of any red numbers. When you look at the screen, those four digits are what you need. Ignore the red digits entirely. Imperial meters are less common now, but if your business is in an older building, you’ve probably got one.
Metric meters are the modern standard. They measure in cubic metres (m³), and you’ll see “m³” printed on the face. Metric displays show five digits to the left of a decimal point. These five digits make up your reading. Everything after the decimal or in red gets ignored. Most businesses installed in the last fifteen years have metric meters.
Dial meters are genuinely old. They have five or six circular dials stacked vertically, and each one rotates in the opposite direction to the one next to it. Reading these is trickier than digital displays, but they still work. The last dial is usually red and you ignore it. You read the other dials from left to right, writing down each number. If a pointer lands between two numbers, you write the lower number. If it sits exactly on a number, check the next dial below it. If that dial reads 9, knock one off the number you’re reading. This prevents you from reading a number before it’s actually clicked over.
Smart meters send readings to your supplier automatically. You shouldn’t need to read them at all. The display shows your current reading clearly on the screen. Press the display button if it’s blank. Some smart meters lose their communication with the supplier’s network, and when that happens, you’ll need to submit manual readings like any other meter.
Prepayment meters are uncommon for businesses but they do exist. You top up before you use the gas. The meter displays your available credit, not your consumption.
Find your meter now. Check the face for ft³, m³, or dials. That tells you what you’re working with.
How to Take a Reading
Taking a reading’s simple once you know your meter type. The goal is always the same: get the main digits and ignore everything else.
For imperial digital meters, look at the display. Read the numbers from left to right. You’re only reading four digits. Write each digit down, including zeros. If you see 0234, you write 0234. Ignore the decimal point and any numbers in red. Ignore the numbers to the right of the red section. You want only those four main digits on the left side of the display.
For metric digital meters, the process is almost identical. Read the first five digits from left to right. Write down each digit including zeros. If the display shows 12456.8, your reading is 12456. Everything after the decimal point gets ignored. Everything in red gets ignored. It’s just those five main digits.
For dial meters, you’re reading five or six dials from left to right. Each dial shows a number 0-9. Read each dial carefully. If the pointer sits exactly on a number—say, right on the 5—look at the dial immediately to the right. If that dial shows 9 or hasn’t reached 0 yet, write down a 4, not a 5. This is because the next number hasn’t “clicked over” yet. If the pointer is between two numbers, always write the lower number. You’ll never write down a number that the pointer hasn’t passed. This rule prevents false readings.
For smart meters, press the button on the meter face to wake up the display. The current reading appears. It’s measured in m³. Write down the number shown. If the display has multiple screens, you want the one that shows consumption, not credit or settings. Some smart meters cycle through different screens automatically. Wait for the consumption screen.
Top tip: Take a photo of your meter with your phone. If there’s a dispute later about your reading, you’ve got evidence. Photo timestamps also prove when you took the reading.
Submitting Meter Readings
Your supplier has made it easy to submit readings. You’ve got several options.
Online portals are the fastest route. Log into your supplier’s website, find “submit a reading” or “meter readings”, and enter the number. Most suppliers let you do this within the first few days of the month. You’ll usually get a confirmation screen straight away.
Mobile apps are even quicker if your supplier offers one. Open the app, tap submit reading, and enter your figure. Some apps let you take a photo of your meter and it extracts the number automatically.
Phone lines still exist. Call your supplier and speak to someone. They’ll ask you to confirm your business details and read the meter number to you. This takes longer than online submission, but it’s the route if you don’t have internet access.
Email works too. Send an email to your supplier’s meter reading address with your business name, account number, meter reading, and the date. Some suppliers have dedicated email addresses for readings. Check your bill for the details.
What day should you submit? Most suppliers pull readings for billing on a specific date each month. Submit before that date if you can. Many businesses submit on the same date each month—the 15th, for example. Consistency helps you spot patterns in your usage.
How often? Monthly submissions are ideal. They prevent estimated bills entirely. If monthly feels like too much, submit quarterly at minimum. Anything less than that and your supplier will estimate the months in between.
Estimated vs Actual Readings
Your supplier doesn’t care whether you submit a reading or not. They’ll send you a bill either way. The question is whether that bill’s based on what you’ve actually used or what they’re guessing.
Estimated readings are based on historical data. Your supplier looks at what you used during the same month last year, or they use industry averages for your business type. They make a guess. Sometimes they guess right. Usually they don’t.
Seasonal businesses get hit hard by estimates. A restaurant’s winter heating bill looks nothing like its summer bill. If your supplier estimates based on last summer and bills you for summer usage in winter, you’re massively overpaying. The credit comes later, but your cash flow takes a hit now.
Actual readings prevent this completely. You read your meter, you submit the number, your supplier bills you for what you’ve actually used. No guesswork. No surprises.
Here’s what happens when you skip readings. You get an under-estimated bill for three months. It feels great. The bill’s cheap. Then the next meter reading happens and the supplier realizes you’ve used far more gas than they estimated. The catch-up bill arrives and it’s enormous. Sudden large bills damage cash flow and catch everyone off guard.
Submitting monthly keeps your bills consistent with your actual usage. You’re never hit with a massive catch-up bill. Your monthly costs reflect what you’ve actually burned.
How Your Reading Converts to kWh
Your meter shows cubic metres or cubic feet. Your bill shows kWh. They’re not the same thing, and understanding why matters.
Gas meters measure volume, not energy. A cubic metre is a measure of space—how much room the gas takes up. But the same volume of gas can contain different amounts of energy depending on its composition and temperature.
Your supplier uses a formula to convert your volume reading into kWh:
kWh = (Volume × Calorific Value × Correction Factor) ÷ 3.6
The calorific value is the energy content of the gas. It’s measured in megajoules per cubic metre. The value changes across the country and changes seasonally. Scottish gas has a different calorific value than gas in the South East. Winter gas has a different value than summer gas. Your supplier publishes the calorific value they’re using. It’s on your bill.
The correction factor accounts for temperature and pressure variations. It’s always 1.02264. Gas behaves differently at different temperatures and pressures, so the correction factor standardizes everything to the same conditions.
If your meter’s in imperial (cubic feet), your supplier multiplies your reading by 2.83 first to convert it to cubic metres. Then they apply the formula.
Example: You read 50 m³. Calorific value is 11.5 MJ/m³. The sum is (50 × 11.5 × 1.02264) ÷ 3.6 = 162.7 kWh. That’s what gets billed.
This is why your bill shows kWh even though your meter doesn’t. The conversion’s built into how suppliers calculate charges.
Key Takeaways
✓ Read your meter monthly to avoid estimated bills and surprise charges
✓ Imperial meters show four digits (ft³), metric meters show five digits (m³)
✓ Dial meters require reading left to right, writing the lower number when a pointer sits between digits
✓ Ignore all red digits and all numbers after decimal points
✓ Take a photo of your meter as evidence
✓ Submit readings online, by app, or by phone before your supplier’s billing date
✓ Estimated bills based on guesswork often lead to catch-up charges; actual readings prevent this
✓ Your supplier converts your volume reading into kWh using calorific value and correction factors
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I can’t find my meter?
Check outside your building first. Business meters are often installed on external walls. Look near where the gas pipe enters the property. If it’s still hidden, ask whoever manages the building. They’ll know where it is.
Can I read a dial meter wrong?
Yes, easily. The pointer between two numbers trick catches most people. Always write the lower number. For the special case where a pointer sits exactly on a number, check the next dial. If it reads 9, subtract one from the number the pointer’s on.
What if my supplier won’t accept my reading?
Most suppliers require readings that match the format shown on your bill. If you’ve got a five-digit meter, you submit five digits. If your supplier rejects it, ring them and ask what format they want. Some suppliers won’t accept readings that are lower than the previous one, which shouldn’t happen unless your meter’s been changed.
How accurate do readings need to be?
Exact. Write down what you see. Don’t estimate or round. If you’re uncertain, take a photo and look at it on a bigger screen.
What if my reading stays the same month to month?
That’s possible in mild months when you’re using minimal gas. It’s also possible if you’ve made a mistake. Double-check your reading. If it’s correct, your usage really was that low.
Do I need to submit a reading if I’ve got a smart meter?
Not if it’s communicating with your supplier. Smart meters send readings automatically. Check your bill to see if it says “actual” or “estimated”. If it says actual, your smart meter’s working. If it says estimated, your smart meter’s lost connection and you need to start submitting readings manually.
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If the meter itself is the problem rather than the reading, our business meter installation hub covers replacements and upgrades, and regular actual reads are the cheapest form of bill validation there is.