5 September 2011 Last updated at 19:01 ET

How to read your gas bill - an easy guide

The cost of gas and electricity keeps on going up. But do you know how much you are using, and how much you are being charged for it? Your bill or statement should tell you what you need to know, but they are sometimes hard to decipher. With the help of the consumers association Which? we have devised this simple guide to your gas bill. Click on any of the six numbered panels below to find out more.

Section 1 Section 2 Section 3 Section 4 Section 5 Section 6 Interactive gas bill

Discounts

This is the prompt payment discount. There are other discounts for dual fuel customers.

Total to pay

"In debit" means how much you owe.

Gas consumption

This shows you how much gas you have used in the billing period. With an old gas meter, gas is measured in imperial units one of which equals 100 cubic feet of gas. These are then converted into kilowatt-hours (kWh), a standard measure of energy use. If you have a modern meter which measures in cubic metres this is still converted into kilowatt-hours.

Tariffs

Bills have either a standing charge and one tariff, or two-tier tariffs in which the first amount of gas is charged at a higher rate. In both cases the aim is the same; to let suppliers recover the cost of overheads such as using pipes, reading meters, running call centres, producing gas bills and chasing customers' debts.

Conversion formula

This describes the formula for converting units into kilowatt-hours. As well as a metric conversion, there is a factor for calorific value (heating power) of gas which varies depending on the composition of your gas, especially moisture content. This can vary by time of year and origin of the gas. The volume correction adjusts the calculation for temperature and pressure, which alter gas volume.

Contacts and complaints

This section contains key information on getting in touch with your gas supplier. Your meter point reference number, details of the third party contractor which reads your meter and geographic pricing area are contained in the section at the top. Further down are details of how to make a complaint. Note that complaints by telephone and email are always acceptable. The ombudsman can award financial compensation.

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