UK Households: Take a Photo of Your Meter by July 1

Households must take a meter reading before July 1.

People in the UK are being told to take a photo of their meter before July 1. The energy price cap is going up, so households will pay more for gas and electricity. Martin Lewis and an energy expert are giving this advice.

An energy expert says people should not assume their supplier knows how much energy they used. A simple meter reading can help avoid billing problems.

The expert says to take a clear meter reading and keep a photo of it. This takes less than five minutes and gives a record of energy usage before the new rates start. The price cap does not mean the bill is capped, so accurate readings are important.

Martin Lewis also advises households to take a photo of their meters. He says to take a picture and email it to yourself as proof.

The Money Saving Expert website says to take a picture of the meter and log in to the online account to enter the readings.

When the price cap changes, suppliers must divide usage between old and new tariffs. Households with smart meters should get this done automatically, but others may need to provide a manual reading.

The energy expert warns that relying on an estimate can cause problems. If the supplier does not have an up-to-date reading, they may estimate energy usage, which could be incorrect.

The expert says that an estimate might be reasonable, but it is still a guess. This can lead to households paying more than they should.

A photo of the meter is useful because it gives proof. Make sure the numbers are visible and keep the photo until the next bill arrives.

Relying on an estimate may cause difficulties.

The warning is most important for households without a smart meter or those who have received estimated bills.

The expert says that households should not wait until the next statement to take control of their reading. Estimated bills can catch people out if they do not notice until weeks later.

Households that have cut their energy usage in June should take a reading to record their lower usage before the higher rates start.

Households should take readings for both gas and electricity, unless they only use electricity.

The expert advises taking a photo of the meter, submitting the reading, and keeping a note of the confirmation.

Households should take the reading as close to July 1 as possible, but not leave it until the last minute.

Martin Lewis has spoken about doing this important step on time.

While smart meters can transmit readings automatically, households should not assume everything is running smoothly.

The expert warns that some smart meters lose communication or do not update properly.

Households should use the price cap change to review their tariff, direct debit, and energy habits.

The expert advises not to cancel a direct debit, but to challenge it if it looks out of line with energy usage.

With summer coming, households could waste money on fans and appliances without noticing.

The expert says that people often think summer bills will be low, but that is not always the case.

A fan should cool people, not an empty room. Switch it off when not in use.

Households should treat the July 1 change as a financial cut-off point and take a record of their energy usage.

The energy consultant says that taking a reading and submitting it can make a difference between a bill that is understood and one that needs to be fought later.

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