Reading your gas bill

Last September I became acting treasurer at our church.

One of the biggest problems in recent years has been our gas bills. I have had to sit on the problem and we have began to make sense of them, and reduce our gas consumption.

But I kept having to ask lots of questions and seem to spend hours on the phone with "customer services" - always followed up by a confirmatory email, we've learnt over the years.

It always is worth checking the cost and readings. British Gas, our supplier seems to be a company at war with itself, so check!

Nevertheless I've asked for more information about how our gas bill is made up and have been sent the following information:

Present reading – Previous reading = Total units used

Imperial x2.83

Total units used x 1.02264 (correction factor) = Corrected Consumption (round up to the nearest whole number)

Cubic meters x Calorific Value (CV on your bill) / 3.6 = Total number of kilowatt hours used

Total number of kWh x unit price / 100 = Total amount charged for gas consumption

This is the way to work out you actual consumption from a reading on your meter to actual charge for consumption.  The standing charge also needs to be applied along with VAT. 

To work out your VAT you need to take the total amount of kWh’s and divide those by the number of days in the billing period.

You are allowed to use 145 kWh’s before you are charged 15% VAT (now 17.5%) and Climate Change Levy.  Climate Change Levy is charged at 0.15 pence per kWh.  If you use less that 145 kWh you will only be charged 5% VAT and no Climate Change Levy.

Hope that helps.