Annual Quantity (AQ)
The AQ is the industry's estimate of how much gas a supply point uses in a year.
What it is
Annual Quantity (AQ) is the estimated annual gas consumption assigned to a gas supply point, which is identified by its MPRN. For a new supply the network assigns an initial figure based on information about the site. After that the figure is updated by the industry as actual meter readings come in, so a regular reading history keeps it close to your real use. It is measured in kWh.
Where you will see it
- On gas bills and renewal letters, sometimes labelled annual quantity or estimated annual usage.
- On quotes, where the supplier uses it to price your contract.
Why it matters
A badly wrong AQ can hurt you. If it is too high, your quote and some charges can be set on use you do not have. If it is too low, you can face a surprise when the figure is corrected. The size of your AQ can also affect which side of the microbusiness line you fall on: the gas test is below 293,000 kWh a year.
It also helps to compare against real figures. If your latest bills suggest you use half what the AQ says, ask your supplier to review it, and submit up-to-date meter readings.
Example
A café's AQ is 60,000 kWh, but last year's bills show about 38,000 kWh because it closed on Sundays. Over time, with readings, the AQ should move toward the lower figure. You can check how bills relate to use in our annual cost guide.
Related terms
The electricity equivalent is the estimated annual consumption. For converting meter units to kWh, use the gas units to kWh converter.
Common questions on this topic
Sources
General information only. Energy prices, rules and supplier terms change; check the latest position with your supplier, Ofgem or the Energy Ombudsman before you act.