Everyone with an energy meter urged to take photo before midnight on Monday

Households across the UK are being urged to submit a meter reading and take a photo of the reading before midnight on Monday, June 30, to avoid overpaying on their bills.

Energy bills are set to fall by 7% for households on standard variable tariffs in England, Wales and Scotland on Monday as regulator Ofgem's new price cap takes effect. The change will see bills fall by £129 for the average households, or £11 month, over the three-month period of the price cap. It means household bills will reduce from the current rate of £1,849 per year down to £1,720 per year from July 1.

The price cap sets the maximum rate per unit and standing charge that customers can be charged by suppliers for their energy use - not the total bill, so the more energy you use, the more you pay. To avoid being overcharged by suppliers when the price cap changes, households on standard variable tariffs who don't have a smart meter are being urged to record and submit their meter readings by midnight on Monday.

Accurate meter readings prevent suppliers from estimating your energy usage and applying previously higher prices to any energy used after June 30 when the new cap is in force.

Advice Direct Scotland, a charity which runs the national energy advice service, is reminding consumers to submit readings before midnight on Monday to avoid being overcharged, and to ensure that smart meters are working properly.

Conor Forbes, policy director at Advice Direct Scotland, said: "Lower gas and electricity prices will come as a relief for households, but bills remain significantly higher than they were before the energy crisis began.

"It's important to submit meter readings before the new price cap comes into force, to prevent being overcharged. For extra peace of mind, take a dated photo of the meter. If you have a smart meter, make sure it's working.

"People can also take practical action by examining their bills, finding out how much they are paying, and checking if there are cheaper options available with other suppliers."

Martin Lewis's Money Saving Expert (MSE) also recommends taking a photo of your meter once you've taken a reading, that way you have evidence of the correct reading in case there are any issues with the amount you're charged.

MSE says: "To make sure there are no discrepancies in the amount you're charged on the higher rate, it's a good idea to give a meter reading to your supplier on or around April 1. This stops your supplier from estimating your usage, and potentially assuming you've used more at the new higher rate than you actually have.

"If you have smart meters that are working properly in smart mode, so they're regularly sending meter readings to your provider, there's no need to do anything, as they do it automatically.

"You may want to double-check your meters are sending reads, though. You can usually see this in your account or on your bill. You can also take a photo of your meters on the day, so you have the readings for safety."