If you’re currently considering switching to different gas or electricity suppliers for your business, you will be asked for your MPAN and MPRN numbers by any sales rep you speak to. MPAN stands for Meter Point Administration Number – a unique number given to your electricity supplier. The MPRN is your Meter Point Reference Number – a unique number for your gas supply.
In this article, we consider:
- what an MPAN number is and what it does
- how to understand your MPAN number
- what the difference between and MPAN and MPRN number is
- why you need to give your business’s MPAN number when you switch business electricity supplier
If you’re considering switching your business electricity supplier, please leave your details on the form at the top of the page. Once we’ve spoken to you and found out more about your business, what it does, where it is, and how it uses electricity, we’ll approach our panel of registered suppliers to find you 3-4 competitive quotes. Our service is free and you don’t have to accept any offer made.
What is an MPAN number?
Your MPAN (Meter Point Administration Number) number, sometimes called your
Supply Number, your S Number, or your Electricity Supply Number is a number
unique to your business premises.
When you get your electricity bill through from your supplier, you’ll see your MPAN displayed on it. Your MPAN number is not the customer reference number that your supplier uses to identify your account.
If you don’t know your MPAN number or if you can’t find a bill, you can call your energy supplier and they’ll be able to supply it to you – a list of their numbers is here.
MPAN numbers, just like MPRN numbers, were first introduced in 1998 when the energy market was deregulated in the UK. They allow businesses and consumers to switch their supplier more easily.
Although most MPAN numbers identify only one meter, some MPAN numbers may be associated with a number of meters and, when a supply is unmetered, no meter at all.
Understanding your MPAN number
Your full MPAN number is 21 digits in length. Its general written format is that it is written in a box with curved edges featuring a large “S” letter to the left hand side. The rest of the box is split horizontally. The upper and lower halves are then split into thirds each of which contains a number.
Core and top line data
The three numbers in the upper half of the box is the “top line” data. Your supplier is responsible for this and the numbers it contains displays information about the characteristics and type of electricity supply into your premises.
The three numbers in the lower half of the box are the “core” data and it contains your supply’s unique identifier.
Profile class
The first number is the core data describes the meter’s “profile class”.
Domestic installations have a profile class of 01 or 02. Commercial installations show 00, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, and 08.
| No. | Domestic? | Domestic description | Commercial? | Commercial description | Maximum demand recording capability? | Load factor minimum | Load factor maximum |
| 00 | No | – | Half-hourly supply for import and export | ||||
| 01 | Yes | Unrestricted | No | – | No | – | – |
| 02 | Yes | Economy meter | No | – | No | – | – |
| 03 | No | – | Yes | Unrestricted | Yes | – | – |
| 04 | No | – | Yes | Economy 7 | Yes | – | – |
| 05 | No | – | Yes | – | Yes | 1% | 20% |
| 06 | No | – | Yes | – | Yes | 20% | 30% |
| 07 | No | – | Yes | – | Yes | 30% | 40% |
| 08 | No | – | Yes | – | Yes | 40% and higher |
Domestic customers with a 02 profile class benefit from economy 10 which provides homes with ten hours of off-peaking heating in the evening, afternoon, and night-time. Commercial customers with a 04 profile class use Economy 7 providing off-peak electricity during the night at a cheaper rate.
Profile classes 01, 03, 05, 06, 07, and 08 are modelled upon assumptions of likely energy use during a 24 hour period with differing estimates during winter and summer.
Profile class 00 is a half-hourly meter – with these meters, electricity usage is measured at half-hourly points during the day. Half-hourly meters are for very high users and they are used because they allow a supplier to bill their client more accurately. A non-domestic meter may be reclassified as 00 by the supplier is the client’s previous three months’ usage was greater than the previous 12 months or if the length of time from the most recent significant change of demand went higher than 100kW.
Distributor ID
The distributor ID number appears as the left number in the bottom row of the MPAN. Across the UK, different companies distribute electricity – they are called distribution network operators. Their job is to transport the electricity generated by the National Grid to where clients’ businesses and homes are located.
Some businesses and homes receive their electricity via an independent distribution network operator – if yours is, the distributor ID shown on your MPAN will be 24 or higher.
Meter Time-Switch Code
The middle of the three numbers on the top row is the Meter Time-Switch Code.
Your meter may contain a number of different reads or dials recording consumption at different times – for example, one may be for the day and one for the night.
| MTC Code Range Lower | MTC Code Range Upper | Description |
| 001 | 399 | Distribution network operator specific |
| 400 | 499 | Reserved for future use |
| 500 | 509 | Related metering system (industry-wide codes) |
| 510 | 799 | Related metering system (specific to distribution network operators) |
| 800 | 999 | Industry-wide codes |
Unique Identifier
The Unique Identifier (sometimes called the Meter Point ID number) is a number identifying the metering point itself. You can find the Unique Identifier as the middle number in the lower row.
Line Loss Factor
The Line Loss Factor (sometimes called the LLFC or the Line Loss Factor Class) identifies which suppliers are involved in the delivery of electricity to a particular premises or home, how much of the infrastructure of distribution was used, and how much electricity was lost in transit through cable heating, transformer heating, and so on.
The Line Loss Factor number is displayed at the right of the top row of the MPAN number.
Check Digit
The check digit is the right number in the bottom row and this number is calculated using the Unique Identifier and the Distributor ID.
What is the difference between an MPAN number and an MPRN number?
Whereas your MPAN number refers to your electricity supply meter, your MPRN
number refers to your gas supply meter.
An MPRN is 6-10 digits long containing only numbers. Your MPRN is displayed on each gas bill you receive from your supplier.
Why do I need to give my business’s MPAN number when I switch?
Your MPAN (as with your MPRN) is linked to your business premises or home. Without this information, your supplier would not know what they need to know about where to deliver your electricity to.
If you don’t intend to move premises or home and you switch supplier, your MPAN will remain as it is now. If you do move, your MPAN will change to the MPAN linked to your new premises address.