Your Meter Point Reference Number, usually shortened to MPRN, is the unique number used by the gas industry to identify the gas supply point at your business premises.
You may be asked for your MPRN when switching business gas suppliers, obtaining a quotation, arranging a new meter, reporting a billing problem or making changes to your gas connection.
The quickest way to find it is normally to check a recent business gas bill. When no bill is available, businesses in Great Britain can usually retrieve the number online using the Find My Supplier service.
What is an MPRN?
MPRN stands for Meter Point Reference Number. It identifies the point where gas is supplied to a property rather than the individual physical meter installed there.
An MPRN usually contains numbers only and is commonly around 10 digits long. Some industry and consumer systems recognise MPRNs containing between six and 11 digits.
For example, an MPRN might look like:
1234567890
The number is unique to the gas supply point. It normally remains associated with the premises even when:
- The gas supplier changes
- A new tariff is agreed
- The physical meter is replaced
- The business occupying the premises changes
- The meter is upgraded to a smart or advanced meter
The MPRN allows suppliers, gas transporters and other authorised industry organisations to identify the correct supply point and avoid confusing it with another meter or address.
How to find your MPRN on a gas bill
Your latest business gas bill is usually the best place to look.
The MPRN may appear under a heading such as:
- Meter Point Reference Number
- MPRN
- Supply number
- Gas supply number
- M number
- Meter point details
- Site details
Its precise location depends on the format used by your supplier. It may appear near the top of the bill, in a box containing information about the supply, or within the detailed charges section.
For example, British Gas says its business customers can find the MPRN under the “Details of charges” heading on their business gas bill.
Do not assume that the largest number on the bill is the MPRN. Business energy bills can contain several different references, including:
| Number | What it identifies |
|---|---|
| MPRN | The gas supply point |
| Meter serial number | The physical gas meter |
| Account number | Your account with the supplier |
| Invoice number | A particular bill |
| MPAN | An electricity supply point in Great Britain |
Check that the number is labelled MPRN, supply number or M number before using it.
Find your MPRN online
Businesses in England, Scotland and Wales can use the Find My Supplier service to retrieve their gas supplier details and MPRN.
The process is usually:
- Enter the postcode of the business premises.
- Accept the service’s terms and conditions.
- Select the correct address from the results.
- View the registered gas supplier, MPRN and gas transporter.
Find My Supplier states that its service can identify the gas supplier, Meter Point Reference Number and gas transporter for a property. It is available to an occupier, a person who is about to occupy the property, or an agent who has the occupier’s express permission.
Be careful when selecting an address in a multi-occupancy building. A business park, shopping centre, office block or converted building may contain several separately registered gas supply points.
Check the unit number, building name and any other address details before relying on the result.
Call the Meter Number Helpline
You can also contact the Meter Number Helpline to request your MPRN or find out which company supplies gas to the property.
The current details published by Ofgem and Citizens Advice are:
Telephone: 0870 608 1524
Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5pm
Call cost: 7p per minute, plus your telephone provider’s access charge
The helpline can provide your MPRN and identify your registered gas supplier.
Have the complete supply address and postcode available when you call. For a large or multi-site organisation, it may also help to provide the unit number, building name and details of the meter location.
Ask your current gas supplier
Your existing business gas supplier should be able to confirm the MPRN registered to your account.
You can normally find it by:
- Signing in to your online energy account
- Downloading a recent bill or statement
- Checking your contract or welcome documents
- Contacting the supplier’s business customer service team
- Asking your account manager or energy broker
Provide the supplier with your business name, account number and full supply address. Avoid giving only the registered office address if the gas is supplied to a different trading location.
For organisations with several properties, ask the supplier for a schedule showing the MPRN associated with each individual site.
Ask the landlord or property manager
Tenants moving into commercial premises may not yet have a gas bill or know the identity of the existing supplier.
In this situation, contact the:
- Landlord
- Managing agent
- Property manager
- Previous occupier
- Facilities management company
- Building management team
They may have previous bills, connection records, meter schedules or handover documents showing the MPRN.
British Gas Business also recommends speaking to the property manager or landlord when a customer has recently moved and cannot find the MPRN.
Do not automatically use an MPRN supplied by another tenant in the building. Confirm that it relates to your particular unit and meter.
Check your gas connection paperwork
For a newly built property or newly installed gas connection, the MPRN may appear on documents issued by the gas network operator, utility infrastructure provider or connections company.
Useful documents may include:
- New connection confirmation
- Meter installation paperwork
- Site completion documents
- Gas service drawings
- Utility handover packs
- Connection quotations
- Developer or contractor records
An MPRN is normally created as part of establishing and registering a new gas supply point. Xoserve describes M-number creation as the process used to register a new MPRN where a live supply cannot be identified on the central gas system.
Where construction or connection work has only recently been completed, the developer, network operator or appointed gas supplier may need to confirm whether the MPRN has been fully registered.
Can you find the MPRN on the gas meter?
The MPRN is not the same as the number printed on the front of the meter.
The number on the physical meter is normally its meter serial number, sometimes called the MSN or meter ID. It commonly contains both letters and numbers and can usually be found near a barcode.
The MPRN identifies the supply point, while the meter serial number identifies the physical meter installed at that supply point.
Some gas installations have a label or tag near the meter or supply pipe that includes the MPRN. SGN says that the number can sometimes be found on a tag next to the meter. However, this should not be confused with the serial number printed directly on the meter.
Where possible, confirm the number against a gas bill or the central Find My Supplier record.
What is the difference between an MPRN and an MPAN?
An MPRN is used for a gas supply point in Great Britain. An MPAN is used for an electricity supply point.
| Detail | MPRN | MPAN |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Meter Point Reference Number | Meter Point Administration Number |
| Energy type | Gas | Electricity |
| Identifies | Gas supply point | Electricity supply point |
| Normally found on | Gas bill | Electricity bill |
| Printed on the meter? | Usually not | No |
| Sometimes called | M number or gas supply number | Supply number or S number |
A business using both gas and electricity will normally have at least one MPRN and one MPAN.
Businesses with multiple meters or separately registered supplies may have several MPRNs or MPANs at the same site.
Why might your business need its MPRN?
Your MPRN may be required when:
- Comparing business gas prices
- Switching to a new gas supplier
- Setting up an account after moving premises
- Checking who currently supplies the property
- Investigating an unexpectedly high bill
- Correcting an address or meter registration problem
- Installing, moving or replacing a gas meter
- Increasing or reducing the capacity of a gas connection
- Disconnecting a gas supply
- Managing a portfolio of business properties
Providing the correct MPRN helps a supplier identify the exact supply being quoted or transferred.
A postcode alone may not be sufficient where several businesses, meters or supply points share the same address.
What if your MPRN does not match your address?
If the MPRN on your bill does not match the MPRN registered to the premises, contact your gas supplier as soon as possible.
Citizens Advice recommends comparing the MPRN on the gas bill with the number registered to the address. If the numbers do not match, the customer should contact the gas supplier.
A mismatch could indicate:
- The wrong meter has been assigned to your account
- The supplier is billing the wrong unit
- Two neighbouring meters have been crossed
- The property address is incorrectly recorded
- A building conversion has not been properly registered
- The supplier is using outdated meter information
Take photographs of the meter, including its serial number and location, and keep copies of bills and meter readings. These can help the supplier investigate the registration problem.
Do not stop paying bills without first discussing the issue with the supplier. Continue to record regular meter readings while the matter is being investigated.
What if Find My Supplier cannot locate the property?
A property may not appear correctly where:
- The address is newly created
- The postcode has recently changed
- The supply has never been registered
- The property has been divided into several units
- Several addresses are recorded against one site
- The gas connection has been disconnected
- The address details are incomplete or incorrect
Try searching using different recognised versions of the address, including the building name, unit number or parent property.
If the record still cannot be found, contact the supplier you intend to use. Xoserve advises that where a supplier cannot be identified through Find My Supplier, the prospective supplier may need to begin the necessary process to identify or register the supply.
For a new connection, contact the gas network operator, connections provider or developer responsible for the installation.
Finding MPRNs for multiple business sites
Businesses with several locations should maintain a central energy register containing:
- Full supply address
- MPRN
- Meter serial number
- Current gas supplier
- Supplier account number
- Contract start and end dates
- Annual gas consumption
- Meter type
- Latest meter reading
Do not assume that one property has only one MPRN. A factory, hotel, hospital, shopping centre or multi-building site may have several gas supply points serving different buildings or processes.
When comparing gas contracts, make sure every MPRN is included in the quotation. Missing a supply point could leave part of the site on an expensive deemed or out-of-contract rate.
Does the same process apply in Northern Ireland?
The guidance above primarily applies to businesses in Great Britain: England, Scotland and Wales.
Northern Ireland operates under different electricity and gas market arrangements. In Northern Ireland, the term MPRN is used for an electricity meter point, while businesses seeking gas supply information may need to contact the relevant gas market operator for their area. The Utility Regulator lists separate operators for Greater Belfast and Larne, the Ten Towns area and western Northern Ireland.
Businesses in Northern Ireland should therefore follow guidance from their supplier, NIE Networks, gas market operator or the Utility Regulator rather than relying on the Great Britain Find My Supplier process.
FAQ
Usually not. The number printed directly on the meter is normally the meter serial number. The MPRN may occasionally appear on a separate tag near the meter or supply pipe.
An MPRN is commonly a 10-digit number, although some records and consumer systems recognise numbers containing between six and 11 digits.
No. The MPRN identifies the gas supply point, so it normally remains the same when you change supplier or tariff.
Normally, no. A replacement meter receives a different meter serial number, but the MPRN generally remains attached to the same gas supply point.
No. Your supplier account number identifies your customer account. The MPRN identifies the physical gas supply point.
A single supply arrangement may involve more than one meter in some complex installations, but each separately registered gas supply point should have its own unique MPRN.
Yes. Businesses in Great Britain can normally enter the supply postcode into Find My Supplier and select the correct address.
A broker or supplier may provide an initial estimate without it, but the correct MPRN is generally required to identify the supply, verify its details and complete a switch.
Summary
The easiest ways to find your business gas MPRN are:
- Check a recent gas bill.
- Sign in to your supplier’s online account.
- Search the property through Find My Supplier.
- Call the Meter Number Helpline.
- Ask your gas supplier, landlord or property manager.
- Review new connection or meter installation documents.
Always make sure the MPRN relates to the correct business premises and meter. This is especially important in shared buildings and organisations operating across multiple sites.
