Scottish households urged to save money and submit meter readings before price cap falls

Scottish households are being urged to submit meter readings before the new price comes into force.

Ofgem’s new cap will fall 7.2% from £1,690 to £1,568 on July 1, saving the average household £122 a year.

But Advice Direct Scotland has urged people to submit a meter reading before that date.

Accurate readings prevent suppliers from estimating usage and potentially applying the old higher prices to energy used after June 30.

While the price cap, which is changed every three months, is set to fall it still represents an increase of £430 a year for the average household since the energy crisis hit in 2021.

Those with smart meters shouldn’t have to manually submit readings but Advice Direct Scotland has urged Scots to ensure they are working ahead of midnight on June 30.

⚠ When energy price cap changes occur, our message is simple.
👉 Send in a meter reading to avoid potential over changing.https://t.co/M7eNNt1JHf

#EnergyPriceCap #MeterReading #EnergySavings #ofgem pic.twitter.com/cM9j8DNw28
— advice.scot (@advicedotscot) June 24, 2024

The charity, which runs Energy Advice Scotland, is also urging households to review how much they are paying and check whether there are better tariffs available.

It said it was concerned that many of the best value deals being offered by suppliers are aimed at more affluent households while others are only available to those with an installed smart meter.

Hazel Knowles, energy lead for 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 essential to submit your meter readings a few days before or after July 1.

“This helps avoid suppliers charging you more for energy than you’ve actually used.

“For extra peace of mind, take a dated photo of the meter. If you have a smart meter, ensure it’s working.”

Knowles called for the UK Government to implement a social tariff that would automatically put those most in need on the cheapest plans.

“Whoever forms the next UK Government should take steps to introduce the policy,” she said, “as this would go some way to fixing the broken energy market and ending the scourge of fuel poverty.”

Energy Advice Scotland provides free advice on energy bills to anyone in Scotland. Advisers can be contacted at www.energyadvice.scot and on freephone 0808 196 8660 Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

The UK Government has been approached for comment.