Electricity Bills: The Bill Explained

Utility bills contain a lot of information and the format is not always as clear as it might be. Upon receipt of a new bill the first thing to check is the name and address. It would be a little over-generous to pay someone else’s bill.

However in certain circumstances this happens quite a lot i.e. when tenants move into a new place. The next thing to check is the reading itself that determines the amount to be paid. Is this an estimated reading or one taken recently? An estimated reading is marked with a capital E at the end of the total amount owing.

When talking to the electricity supply company the number they will ask for is the customer reference number. This is printed at the top of the bill. The meter point reference number is a 10 digit number that appears near the bottom of the bill. The amount of electricity that has been consumed is normally shown next to the meter readings. kWh stands for kilowatt hours and the total refers to how many units have been notched up since the last meter reading.

Depending on the supplier, some electricity bills will ask for a fixed daily amount to be paid, this is the standing charge. This appears on the bill beneath the actual amount used. Of course customers who feel their electricity bills are too high and would prefer not to pay a standing charge are free to look for another supplier. An online comparison site is a good way of looking into this.

18.4.2008