MPAN (Meter Point Administration Number)

What it is

MPAN stands for Meter Point Administration Number. It is a 21-digit reference that identifies one electricity supply point in Great Britain. It belongs to the connection, not to the meter, so it stays the same if the meter is swapped or you change supplier.

Where you will see it

Look on your electricity bill, usually in the section listing the details of your charges. It is normally shown in a grid of two lines, and it is not printed on the physical meter itself. Suppliers often say you only need the last 13 digits, the "bottom line", when giving a reading or asking for a quote.

What the lines contain

• Top line: supplementary codes the supplier is responsible for, such as the meter time-switch code and your profile class. This layout is being changed as part of market-wide half-hourly settlement.
• Bottom line: the unique number. Its first two digits show which distribution network operator serves the site, followed by an 8-digit unique identifier, two further digits and a final check digit.

For a digit-by-digit walk-through, see what the numbers in an MPAN mean.

Why it matters

Every quote, switch and contract is tied to an MPAN. A wrong digit can get a switch rejected or, worse, attach your contract to someone else's supply. Copy it from a recent bill rather than from memory, and check it against your MPAN and MPRN guide if you have several sites.

Example

A café with a shop upstairs may have two meters. Each has its own MPAN, so the café can be on one contract and the flat on another, or both can be on one agreement listing two MPANs.

If you cannot find the number, your supplier can give it to you, and the network operator can look it up from the address.

Related terms

The gas equivalent is the MPRN. Not sure where to look? Try where do I find my MPAN.