British Gas, EDF, OVO and Octopus customers urged to take photo of energy meter

British Gas, EDF, OVO and Octopus Energy customers are being urged to submit a meter reading and take a dated photo of it before midnight on Monday, June 30, to avoid being charged at the wrong rate.

Household energy bills will fall by 7% from July 1 for those on standard variable tariffs in England, Wales and Scotland as regulator Ofgem's new price cap kicks in. The change means the typical bill will drop by £129 on average to £1,720 per year, giving households a saving of around £11 per month over the three-month period of the price cap. But the price cap sets the maximum rate per unit and standing charge that customers can be charged by suppliers for their energy use - not the total bill, so households that use more energy will ultimately pay more. Households are being urged to submit meter readings by midnight on June 30 to prevent being overcharged and to take a photo of the meter in case of any disputes.

Accurate meter readings prevent suppliers from estimating your energy usage and applying previously higher prices to any energy used after June 30 when the new price cap is in force.

Advice Direct Scotland, a charity which runs the national energy advice service, says households should submit their readings as close to June 30 as possible and to make sure that smart meters are working properly.

Conor Forbes, policy director at Advice Direct Scotland, said: "Lower gas and electricity prices will come as a relief for households, but bills remain significantly higher than they were before the energy crisis began.

"It's important to submit meter readings before the new price cap comes into force, to prevent being overcharged. For extra peace of mind, take a dated photo of the meter. If you have a smart meter, make sure it's working.

"People can also take practical action by examining their bills, finding out how much they are paying, and checking if there are cheaper options available with other suppliers."

Martin Lewis's Money Saving Expert (MSE) also recommends taking a photo of your meter once you've taken a reading, that way you have evidence of the correct reading in case there are any issues with the amount you're charged.

MSE says: "To make sure there are no discrepancies in the amount you're charged on the higher rate, it's a good idea to give a meter reading to your supplier on or around April 1. This stops your supplier from estimating your usage, and potentially assuming you've used more at the new higher rate than you actually have.

"If you have smart meters that are working properly in smart mode, so they're regularly sending meter readings to your provider, there's no need to do anything, as they do it automatically.

"You may want to double-check your meters are sending reads, though. You can usually see this in your account or on your bill. You can also take a photo of your meters on the day, so you have the readings for safety."