Types of Electricity Meters in the UK

If your energy bill has ever confused you, the meter behind it is usually where the answer starts. The UK has seven main types of electricity meters — smart, standard, prepayment, Economy 7, Economy 10, multi-rate, and Radio Teleswitch (RTS) — and each one affects how you’re billed, which tariffs you qualify for, and how easily you can switch suppliers.

This guide covers every electricity meter type in the UK, how to identify yours, how to read it, and which one actually fits your home.

What Is an Electricity Meter?

An electricity meter is a device that measures how much electricity a home or business consumes, in kilowatt-hours (kWh), so your supplier can calculate your bill.

Meters differ in three main ways: how they record usage (single rate vs. multiple time-based rates), how they send readings (manual vs. automatic), and how you pay (in advance or after use). The type you have determines which tariffs you can access and how accurate your bills are likely to be.

Types of Electricity Meters in the UK

The UK currently uses seven types of electricity meters, ranging from decades-old dial meters to fully automated smart meters.

Meter Type	Best For	Reading Method
Smart Meter	Most households	Automatic
Standard Meter	Older properties, low usage	Manual
Prepayment Meter	Budget control	Manual/app top-up
Economy 7	Storage heaters, night charging	Manual or automatic
Economy 10	Flexible off-peak use	Manual or automatic
Multi-Rate Meter	Specialised time-of-use tariffs	Automatic
RTS Meter	Legacy (being phased out)	Automatic via radio signal

Smart Meter

A smart meter automatically sends your electricity readings to your supplier, usually every 30 minutes, so bills are based on actual usage rather than estimates.

Smart meters are part of the UK government’s national rollout and come with an in-home display showing real-time consumption and estimated costs. This makes it easier to spot which appliances drive up your bill and adjust usage accordingly.

Standard Electricity Meter

A standard meter is a single-rate meter that charges the same price for electricity at all times of day, with no automatic data transmission.

Also called a basic or dial meter, it shows one running total on a digital or analogue display. Readings must be submitted manually, or your supplier will estimate your bill based on past usage.

Prepayment Meter

A prepayment meter requires you to top up credit before you can use electricity, either via a key, card, or a smartphone app.

These meters are common in rented properties and suit households that want tighter control over spending. If your credit runs out, your supply is cut off automatically until you top up again — though emergency credit is usually available.

Economy 7 Meter

An Economy 7 meter records usage across two rates: a discounted rate for 7 hours overnight and a standard rate for the remaining 17 hours.

It suits homes with storage heaters, immersion water tanks, or appliances that can run overnight, such as washing machines or EV chargers, taking advantage of cheaper off-peak electricity.

Economy 10 Meter

An Economy 10 meter offers 10 off-peak hours instead of 7, typically split between overnight and short afternoon or evening windows.

This gives households more flexibility than Economy 7, since cheaper electricity isn’t limited to night-time use alone.

Multi-Rate Meter

A multi-rate meter records electricity consumption across more than two pricing periods, supporting specialised time-of-use tariffs.

These are less common than Economy 7 or 10 meters but are used by suppliers offering more granular pricing structures tied to demand throughout the day.

Radio Teleswitch (RTS) Meter

An RTS meter is a legacy multi-rate meter that used a BBC longwave radio signal to automatically switch between peak and off-peak rates.

The RTS signal was phased out in stages between June 2025 and June 2026, and the service has now been fully decommissioned nationwide. Anyone still using an RTS meter needed to upgrade to a smart meter, since RTS meters can no longer switch rates or control heating and hot water automatically without the signal.

Smart Meter vs Standard Meter

A smart meter sends automatic readings and enables accurate, real-time billing, while a standard meter relies on manual readings and is more prone to estimated bills.

Feature	Smart Meter	Prepayment Meter
Payment timing	After use	Before use (top-up)
Top-up method	Not applicable	App, key, or card
Credit checks	Sometimes required	Rarely required
Best for	Predictable billing	Spending control

Many modern smart meters can also run in prepayment mode, combining the convenience of app-based top-ups with the accuracy of smart data. This makes them a practical upgrade from older prepayment meter models.

Economy 7 vs Economy 10

Economy 7 gives 7 off-peak hours (almost always overnight), while Economy 10 extends this to 10 hours, often split between night and daytime.

Feature	Economy 7	Economy 10
Off-peak hours	7 hours	10 hours
Timing	Overnight only	Night + daytime/evening
Best for	Storage heaters, night use	Flexible daytime use
Daytime rate	Often higher	Often higher

Neither tariff is automatically cheaper — it depends on your supplier’s specific rates and how closely your usage pattern matches the off-peak window. Compare actual unit rates before switching.

How to Identify Your Electricity Meter

The quickest way to identify your meter is by checking its display and any labels near it.

• Smart meter — digital display, often paired with a separate in-home display unit
• Standard meter — simple dial or digital counter, single reading, no rate switching
• Prepayment meter — shows a credit balance, card or key slot
• Economy 7/10 meter — two reading registers, labelled “day/normal” and “night/low”
• RTS meter — black switch box near the meter labelled “Radio Teleswitch”

If you’re still unsure, your supplier can confirm your meter type from your account details or a recent bill.

How to Read Different Types of Electricity Meters

How to Read a Smart Meter

Smart meters send readings automatically, but you can check usage anytime through the in-home display or your supplier’s app without pressing any buttons on most models.

How to Read a Standard Meter

Read the digital numbers from left to right, ignoring any figures shown in red or after a decimal point. Older dial meters require reading each dial in order, noting the number the pointer has most recently passed.

How to Read a Prepayment Meter

Most prepayment meters display your remaining credit directly on screen. To view total cumulative usage rather than balance, press the meter’s button to cycle through its display modes.

How to Read an Economy 7 Meter

Note both registers separately: the “normal/day” register for standard-rate usage and the “low/night” register for off-peak usage. Both figures are needed for an accurate bill, or transmitted automatically if you have a smart Economy 7 meter.

Can You Change Your Electricity Meter?

Yes, and in most cases the upgrade is free through your energy supplier.

Suppliers are actively encouraging customers with standard or RTS meters to upgrade to smart meters as part of the national rollout. If you want a different tariff type, such as moving to Economy 7, your supplier will usually need to install a compatible meter. Installation timelines vary by supplier and location, so it’s worth booking early if you’re switching before a tariff change.

Which Electricity Meter Is Best for Your Home?

The best meter depends on how and when your household uses electricity.

• Choose a smart meter if you want accurate billing and real-time usage tracking.
• Choose Economy 7 or 10 if you use storage heaters, EV charging, or run appliances overnight.
• Choose a prepayment meter if you prefer to manage spending proactively and avoid surprise bills.

There’s no universal “best” meter — match the meter and tariff to your actual usage pattern rather than picking based on price alone.

Electricity Meter vs Electricity Tariff: What’s the Difference?

Your meter is the physical device that measures electricity use; your tariff is the pricing plan that determines what you pay per unit.

A single meter type can often be billed under different tariffs — a smart meter, for example, can sit on a fixed, variable, or time-of-use tariff. However, some tariffs, like Economy 7, require a specific meter capable of recording multiple rates, so your meter can limit which tariffs are available to you.

Summary

The UK uses seven main electricity meter types, and smart meters are now the standard choice for most households due to automatic readings and accurate billing. Economy 7 and Economy 10 suit homes with heavy overnight or off-peak usage, prepayment meters suit budget-conscious households, and RTS meters have now been fully phased out in favour of smart meter upgrades. Matching your meter to your actual usage pattern, rather than defaulting to whatever came with your property, is the simplest way to keep your electricity costs under control.

If you’re unsure what meter you currently have or whether switching would save you money, contact your energy supplier directly — most meter upgrades are free and can be booked online in a few minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions