Mpan Checker – What is your Mpan and why is it important?

MPAN. What is it and Why is it Important?

An MPAN number is a Meter Point Administration Number and they act as labels for electricity meters in the UK. They are also sometimes called Supply Numbers or S-Numbers

There is an equivalent for gas, too, known as MRPN or Meter Point Reference Number.

You can use your MPAN to check and discover a lot of things about your energy supply. For this our MPAN Checker is used to assist the process.

Enter your 21-digit electricity MPAN below:

Below you will find a guide to why checking your MPAN is important, what information it can provide you with, and how we help you figure everything out!

WHAT IS YOUR MPAN?

It is a 21-digit reference used to identify individual electricity meters. They were introduced in 1998 to help simplify administration for energy suppliers and make it easier for customers to switch their supplier.

The number is separated into two sections: the core and the top-line data.

• The core is the final 13 digits. This is the unique identifier of your meter.
• The top-line data explains characteristics of the supply you are provided with.

Thanks to the ease of our MPAN calculator we are able to remove the need for you to have to make sense of these numbers.

However, for your intrigue, below is a breakdown of what your MPAN number means:

Section	Meaning
Profile Class	This gives the supplier an indication of the property’s typical energy consumption. Domestic properties will be either in profile class 01 or 02
Meter Time Switch Code	This refers to how many registers (sets of meter numbers or dials) your electricity meter has. Examples of this are single rate registers, day/night split register or a seasonal time of day register.
Line Loss Factor	These numbers indicate the Distribution Use of System charges that your supplier is expected to pay for using the networks and cables in your area
Distribution ID	These numbers identify the regional distribution company for your electricity supply. This company is responsible for the management of the wires that deliver electricity to your home.   This number can be useful to you if you need to figure out who operates the electricity network in your area.
Meter Point ID	This number is unique within the distribution area, it identifies the specific meter.
Check Digit	A sum calculated from the Distributor ID and Meter Point ID to verify both numbers.

WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT?

You will need your MPAN number when you’re switching energy supplier or moving home; your new supplier will often ask for this number as part of the switching process.

Below you can see the differences between the two processes.

If you’re…	Then
Swapping Suppliers	You will be asked your current MPAN. Your MPAN won’t change because the MPAN number is associated with property and is not dependent on the energy supplier used.
Moving House	You’ll need to provide the MPANs of both the old and the new property. Your local DNO will be able to tell you the necessary information regarding your new property.   You can also phone the National Grid’s Meter Number Helpline on 0870 608 1524.

It is also important to check your MPAN number in order to ensure it is valid and that you are paying for the correct energy supply.

 CHECKING YOUR MPAN

Your MPAN can be found on your energy bills. If you do not have an energy bill for the property, as in if you have just moved in, instructions on what to do can be found above.

The MPAN comprises of different elements which relate to your energy supply. Your MPAN number can be validated and this is achieved by generating a checksum from 12 of the Core Identifier digits. This number is then compared to a check digit which is the final digit of the MPAN.

The MPAN Checker carries out these complicated steps for you in order to make it an incredibly easy process; we do all the work for you!

The steps we carry out are below:

1. Note the final 13 digits from the MPAN, this is the Core Identifier
2. Remove the final digit. This is the check digit and will be used later
3. For the remaining 12 digits, multiply the first number by 3
4. For the second digit, multiple it by the number 5 (the next prime number after 3)
5. Repeat this process for each of the remaining 10 digits EXCLUDING the number 11 (7, 13, 17, 19, 23, 29, 31, 37, 41, 43)
6. Calculate a checksum by adding up all these products (each of the 12 digits multiplied by successive prime numbers)
7. Generate a check digit by using the checksum modulo 11 modulo 10
8. Compare the calculated check digit to the last number of your sum total MPAN from step 6. If they match you have a valid MPAN number.

If you receive an invalid result from the MPAN checker it could mean several things:

1. The coding could have returned the wrong result,
2. The Profile Class and Distributor ID you entered may not be valid,
3. You may not have completed the form correctly.

Please try again before contacting us further as any one of these are easy mistakes to have occurred.

We encourage you to check your own MPAN by using our service because there is the potential risk that your MPAN is wrong. You could be paying the wrong amount or even paying for someone else’s electricity. The process is quick and easy; we take away the hassle of the above calculations.

All you need to provide is the entire 21-digit number, broken into the groups illustrated in the first section of this guide.