Russell Andrews
What is an MPAN? In Great Britain, it is the Meter Point Administration Number: the unique number that identifies your property's electricity supply point on the network. The three reliable places to find it are your electricity bill (in the box marked "S"), your supplier's account or app, and your supplier or network operator if you have no bill to hand. It stays with the property when you change supplier.
What is an MPAN?
Every property connected to the electricity network has at least one supply point, and the MPAN is its identifier. It tells your supplier, your network operator and anyone else who needs to check the supply exactly which property they are dealing with. It is not your account number and it is not your meter number.
The full MPAN has 21 digits. The part most forms ask for is the 13-digit number on the bottom row of the "S" box, which is called the supply number.
The 13 digits on the bottom row are your MPAN.
Where to find your MPAN
- 1On your bill
Look for a box marked "S" on a paper or online electricity bill. The long number along the bottom row is the one to use.
- 2In your supplier's app or online account
It is often listed under your meter or property details.
- 3From your supplier or network operator
If you have no bill to hand, ask your supplier. You can also use your network operator's official MPAN lookup or contact its customer-services team. If you do not know your operator, use the Energy Networks Association's postcode finder.
- 4On an in-home display
Some in-home displays show your MPAN in a meter-information menu. For example, OVO's IHD6 instructions use Menu, then Meter Info. If your display does not show it, use your bill, online account or supplier.
What an MPAN is not
This identifies the physical meter, not the supply point.
In Great Britain, this is the number for a gas supply. In Northern Ireland, electricity uses an MPRN.
This identifies you as a customer of your supplier.
Why solar and battery customers are asked for supply details
- Applications and project paperwork. A lender or installer may ask for supply details as part of a project. Check the requirements of the actual application. For solar customers, your MPAN is also useful for electricity-network and export arrangements.
- Smart Export Guarantee. Suppliers ask for meter details when you apply for export payments through the Smart Export Guarantee. Your export MPAN identifies electricity exported from your property and is different from your import MPAN. A suitable smart meter can record both directions, so a separate physical meter is not always needed. Your export supplier can help with the registration and tell you where to find the number.
- Network notification. Your installer will confirm the network-notification route and obtain any approval required before connection.
What the digits tell you
You do not need to decode an MPAN to use it, but two details help you check you have copied it correctly. The first two digits identify the distribution network associated with the supply point. This may be a regional or an independent distribution network. The last digit is a check digit, which helps systems spot a typing mistake. If a form rejects your number, the first check is for a missing or transposed digit.
How to enter it without mistakes
- Copy the 13 digits straight from the bill, with no spaces if the form asks for a single number.
- Use the electricity supply number, not the gas MPRN and not the meter serial number.
- Check you are using the import MPAN unless the form asks for the export one.
- Read the number back against the bill before you submit.
Does it change if I switch supplier?
No. The MPAN belongs to the supply point, so it stays the same when you change supplier or tariff. If you move home, the new property has its own MPAN. A property can have more than one supply point, so check which one a form is asking about.
Can I look up my MPAN online?
Some websites offer MPAN look-ups from an address. They can be handy, but they are not always up to date, and an application that uses the wrong number can fail its checks. Your bill, your supplier's account or your network operator are the reliable sources, so use those first and treat a look-up as a back-up.
If you rent your home, the MPAN belongs to the property you live in, but the bill may be in your landlord's name, so ask them or your supplier if you cannot find it.
Planning a loan-funded installation? Our Warm Homes Loan Scheme guide explains how an application works.
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