In short
An MPRN (Meter Point Reference Number) is the unique number that identifies a gas supply point. It is printed on your gas bill and stays with the premises when you change supplier. If you cannot find it, ask your current supplier or your local network operator, or use Xoserve's Find My Supplier service, which shows the MPRN and current supplier.
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What an MPRN number is
MPRN stands for Meter Point Reference Number. Ofgem describes it as the gas equivalent of the electricity MPAN: the number that identifies your gas supply. Xoserve, the custodian of Britain's gas industry data, also calls it the M number.
The MPRN is attached to the supply point, the place where your premises takes gas from the network, not to a particular meter or supplier. It stays the same when you change supplier and when a meter is replaced, which is what makes it so useful: any supplier can use it to identify your site, look up its details and register the supply.
Each gas supply point has its own MPRN, so a business with gas at several premises, or more than one supply at one site, will have several. Our business gas guide explains how gas reaches your premises and how it is billed.
Where to find your MPRN
Start with a recent gas bill. The MPRN is printed on it, usually labelled "MPRN" or "Meter Point Reference Number".
If you do not have a bill to hand:
- Ask your current supplier. It holds the MPRN for every gas supply point it bills.
- Use Find My Supplier. Xoserve runs Find My Supplier at findmysupplier.energy, which shows the gas supplier, the MPRN and the gas transporter for a premises. It is for the occupier, someone about to occupy the premises, or an agent with their permission. Xoserve says that where it holds a record of your current supplier it should also be able to give you the MPRN.
- Ask your local network operator. Ofgem's guidance is that you can contact your local network operator to find out your supply number.
- Look at old contracts, renewal letters or landlord records, which often quote it.
If Find My Supplier cannot identify your supplier, Xoserve's advice is to contact the supplier you want to move to, which will start the process of identifying your current supplier. Xoserve's information for gas consumers page explains the service. Xoserve has no part in your contract with a supplier.
MPRN vs MPAN vs meter serial number
Three numbers are easily confused on business energy bills. This is how they differ:
| Number | Fuel | What it identifies | Changes when |
|---|---|---|---|
| MPRN | Gas | The gas supply point | It stays with the supply point |
| MPAN | Electricity | The electricity supply point (a 13-digit core plus a top line) | The core stays; the top line can change with the meter or profile class |
| Meter serial number | Gas or electricity | The physical meter | The meter is replaced |
The MPAN has a structure that tells you about the supply, such as its profile class and network area. The MPRN is a plain reference number. A dual fuel for business arrangement still has both: an MPAN for the electricity supply and an MPRN for the gas, even when one supplier bills both.
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Why you need your MPRN for a gas quote
A supplier uses the MPRN to identify the exact gas supply point it is being asked to quote for. With it, the supplier can check the site's details and consumption history and register the supply when a contract starts. Without it, quotes can be delayed or priced on the wrong site.
When you ask for a business gas quote, have these ready:
- The MPRN for each gas supply point
- A recent gas bill, showing your current rates and meter readings
- Your annual consumption in kWh, from the bill or your supplier
- Your current contract end date and any notice period
- The meter type, if you know it: standard, smart or AMR (see smart meters for business)
Gas meters measure volume, which your supplier converts to kWh for billing, so check the kWh figure rather than the raw meter reading when you compare bills. Our guide to business energy bills explained goes through each line.
Your MPRN when moving or connecting premises
The MPRN matters most at the start of a new supply.
- Moving into existing premises. Find the MPRN and take a meter reading on the day you take over, then tell the current supplier. You pay for gas used before a new contract starts, and may be on deemed rates until then. See business energy when moving premises.
- New gas supply. A new supply point and its MPRN are created as part of connecting the premises to the gas network. See new business electricity and gas connections.
- Landlords and managed property. Keep a record of every MPRN in your portfolio, with meter serial numbers and contract end dates. See business energy for landlords.
The formal change-of-tenancy process is covered by our sister site; to compare offers once you are in, see compare business energy.
Want this looked at for your premises?
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MPRNs in shared and multi-let buildings
In a building with several businesses, the gas arrangements vary. Some units have their own gas supply, meter and MPRN, so each occupier holds its own contract. In others, one gas supply serves the whole building: there is a single MPRN, the contract is usually held by the landlord or managing agent, and the cost is recharged to tenants under the lease.
If you are not sure which applies to you, check your lease and ask the landlord whether your unit has its own gas meter. Where one supply serves the building, the contract for that MPRN is normally agreed by whoever holds it, usually the landlord or managing agent, not by each tenant. Fidelity Energy offers tenant recharge services to landlords, splitting a building's energy costs between tenants by sub-meter or floor area, and our guide to business energy for landlords covers multi-site portfolios and void units.
What to do if your MPRN does not match
Occasionally the MPRN on a bill does not match the meter at the premises, or a site has a meter that no supplier seems to recognise. Signs to look for include bills for a meter serial number you cannot find, readings that do not match the meter, or a supplier telling you the supply point is registered to someone else.
- Compare the meter serial number on the bill with the number on the meter itself.
- Take a dated photo of the meter showing the serial number and reading.
- Contact the supplier named on the bill and ask it to check which supply point the MPRN belongs to.
- If you do not know the supplier, use Find My Supplier or ask the supplier you plan to move to.
Xoserve says it cannot update records at the request of consumers: changes to the details held for a gas supply point must come through your supplier's gas shipper. We can help you gather the details and raise the question with your supplier, which arranges the correction.
How we can help
Forever Communications acts as an agent introducing businesses to Fidelity Energy, an independent business energy consultancy and broker. We help you find and check your MPRNs, meter serial numbers and bills, and explain what goes into a business gas price. Fidelity Energy gets quotes from the suppliers it works with and arranges the gas contract you choose, or a dual fuel for business arrangement if that suits. Your supply contract is with the energy supplier. Read how we work with Fidelity Energy.
Pricing depends on your consumption, meter and contract dates, so ask us for a quote. Have your MPRN ready and want a business gas quote? Contact us.
How Forever Communications helps with business gas and electricity
Forever Communications is part of Forever Group, which looks after phone systems, business mobiles and connectivity for UK organisations. For business electricity and gas, we work as an agent of Fidelity Energy, an independent business energy broker that prices your requirements with the suppliers on its panel. We are not an energy supplier, and neither is Fidelity Energy.
- Make sense of your bills: we can help you read unit rates, standing charges, meter details and the other costs on your invoices
- Like-for-like quotes: we help you gather your meter numbers, consumption and contract end dates so suppliers quote on the same basis
- The right tariff type: we can talk you through fixed, flexible and pass-through contracts, green electricity and green gas options before you decide
- Better timing: we help you plan a renewal ahead of your contract end date, or move off deemed and out-of-contract rates when you move premises
- Your choice: you decide which quote, if any, to accept; prices and terms are set by the suppliers and confirmed at quote, including the broker commission
We work with offices, shops, hospitality, landlords, manufacturers and multi-site organisations. Send us a recent bill and we can take it from there.
Frequently asked questions
What is an MPRN number?
An MPRN (Meter Point Reference Number) is the unique number that identifies a gas supply point. It is the gas equivalent of the electricity MPAN, and suppliers use it to identify and register your gas supply.
How do I find my MPRN number?
Look on your gas bill, where it is usually labelled MPRN or Meter Point Reference Number. Your current supplier or local network operator can tell you, and Xoserve's Find My Supplier service shows the MPRN, supplier and gas transporter for a premises you occupy or are about to occupy.
Is the MPRN the same as the meter serial number?
No. The MPRN identifies the gas supply point and stays the same if the meter is replaced. The meter serial number identifies the physical meter and changes when the meter changes.
Does my MPRN change if I change gas supplier?
No. The MPRN belongs to the supply point at your premises, not to the supplier, so it stays the same when you change supplier.
What is the difference between an MPAN and an MPRN?
An MPAN identifies an electricity supply point and an MPRN identifies a gas supply point. Business premises with both fuels have at least one of each.
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