What Is An MPAN?
An MPAN is one of the most important numbers in business electricity. It identifies your electricity supply and helps suppliers, distributors and brokers locate the correct meter.
This guide is produced by The Best Energy Rates, an independent UK business energy consultancy. We are not part of any energy supplier. Our advice is independent and our service is free to businesses.
What Is An MPAN?
An MPAN — Meter Point Administration Number — is a unique reference number that identifies a single electricity supply point in Great Britain. Every electricity meter has one. It does not identify your business, your building or your account. It identifies the supply itself.
Think of it like a postcode for your electricity. Just as a postcode tells the postal service exactly where to deliver a letter, an MPAN tells the electricity industry exactly which supply point is being referred to. When a supplier quotes a contract, when an engineer visits a meter, when a broker compares rates — the MPAN is what ties everything together.
The number never changes. It stays with the supply point regardless of who occupies the building, who the supplier is or what tariff is in place. If you move into a building that has had ten different businesses in it over the years, the MPAN will be the same as it was when the supply was first registered.
This is why it matters so much during a Change of Tenancy. When a business moves in or out of commercial premises, the MPAN is the reference point that tells the supplier which supply is changing hands. Get it wrong and the wrong supply gets transferred — or the right supply gets missed entirely.
Key facts about MPANs
Every electricity supply in Great Britain has a unique MPAN
It identifies the supply point, not the business or the building
The number never changes, regardless of supplier or occupier
It is 21 digits long and sometimes called a Supply Number
MPAN stands for Meter Point Administration Number. You will also see it referred to as a Supply Number on older bills and supplier correspondence. They mean exactly the same thing.
What Does MPAN Stand For?
MPAN stands for Meter Point Administration Number. It is sometimes called a Supply Number, particularly on older electricity bills and supplier correspondence.
You will rarely hear the full name used in practice. Most people in the energy industry — brokers, suppliers, meter operators, distributors — just say MPAN. If someone asks for your supply number, they almost certainly mean the same thing.
The number is administered by the electricity distribution network operators — the companies that own and maintain the cables and infrastructure that bring electricity to your premises. They assign MPANs when a new supply is created and maintain the national register of all supply points in Great Britain.
Breaking it down
Meter
Relates to the electricity meter at the supply point
Point
The specific location where electricity is delivered
Administration
Managed by the distribution network operators
Number
A unique 21-digit identifier for each supply point
Where Can I Find My MPAN?
The most reliable place to find your MPAN is on your electricity bill. It is usually shown near the top of the bill, often labelled as Supply Number or MPAN. On most UK business electricity bills it appears as a 21-digit number, sometimes split across two lines.
If you cannot find it on your bill, try your supplier's online portal or account management system. Most suppliers display the MPAN prominently in the account details section. It may also appear on your contract confirmation letter or renewal notice.
Some meters have a label on or near them showing the MPAN, though this is not universal and the label may have been removed or become illegible over time. If you are taking over a property and cannot find the MPAN anywhere, we can check the national electricity database — ECOES — to identify every supply registered at your address.
Common places to find your MPAN
Electricity bill
Usually near the top, labelled Supply Number or MPAN
Supplier online portal
In the account details or supply information section
Contract confirmation
Shown on the contract or renewal letter from your supplier
Meter label
Sometimes on a sticker on or near the meter — not always present
ECOES database
We can check this for you if you cannot find it elsewhere
What Does An MPAN Look Like?
An MPAN is a 21-digit number, usually displayed in a specific format on electricity bills. The full Supply Number consists of two rows of digits. The top row contains a two-digit Profile Class, a three-digit Meter Time Switch Code and a three-digit Line Loss Factor. The bottom row is the 13-digit core MPAN.
The core MPAN — the 13-digit number on the bottom row — is the part most commonly used in practice. When a supplier or broker asks for your MPAN, they usually mean this 13-digit number. It begins with a two-digit distributor identifier that indicates which regional network operator is responsible for the supply.
As a business owner, you do not need to understand every field in the MPAN. What matters is that you can locate the number, quote it accurately when asked and check that it matches the supply point you think it relates to. Quoting the wrong MPAN — even by one digit — can result in the wrong supply being switched, billed or transferred.
Example MPAN format (not a real number)
Why Is My MPAN Important?
Your MPAN is used in almost every significant transaction involving your electricity supply. Understanding why it matters helps you avoid the most common and expensive mistakes.
Supplier switches
When you compare the market and want to move to a new supplier, the MPAN is the reference used to identify which supply is being transferred. Quote the wrong one and the wrong supply gets switched — or the switch fails entirely.
Contract renewals
When your fixed contract ends and you renew — whether with the same supplier or a new one — the MPAN confirms which supply the contract applies to. On multi-site businesses, getting this right for every supply is essential.
Change of Tenancy
When a business moves into or out of commercial premises, the MPAN is used to transfer responsibility for the supply. Missing an MPAN during a Change of Tenancy means that supply continues to be billed to the wrong business.
Meter identification
When an engineer visits your premises to read, inspect or replace a meter, the MPAN is used to confirm they are working on the correct supply. On sites with several meters, this matters more than you might expect.
New connections
When a new electricity supply is created — for a new building, a new unit or an extension — a new MPAN is assigned. Understanding this helps you manage the account correctly from the start.
Disconnections
If a supply needs to be disconnected — because a building is being demolished, a unit is being vacated or a supply is no longer needed — the MPAN identifies which supply is being removed.
Supplier disputes
When a billing dispute arises, the MPAN is often the starting point for investigation. Checking which supplier is registered against an MPAN on ECOES can quickly reveal whether the right company is billing you.
Multiple sites
Businesses with several premises need to manage an MPAN for each electricity supply across every site. Keeping track of which MPAN belongs to which supply at which address is essential for accurate billing and contract management.
One Thing That Catches Businesses Out
Most businesses assume that one property means one MPAN. In many cases that is true. But it is not always the case — and missing a supply can be an expensive mistake.
Several buildings
A farm with a farmhouse, several barns and an outbuilding may have a separate MPAN for each building. Each one is an independent supply point with its own meter and its own account.
Day and night supplies
Some older commercial properties have separate supply points for day and night electricity — particularly those on Economy 7 or similar time-of-use tariffs. Each supply point has its own MPAN.
Three-phase supplies
Industrial and commercial premises with high electricity demand often have three-phase supplies. In some configurations, each phase has its own MPAN, though this varies by installation.
Temporary supplies
Construction sites, events and temporary installations often have a separate temporary supply with its own MPAN. These are sometimes forgotten about when the main supply is set up.
Shared yards and car parks
A supply for external lighting, car park barriers or shared facilities may have its own MPAN, separate from the main building supply. These are easy to miss during a Change of Tenancy.
The practical implication: before submitting a Change of Tenancy or arranging a switch, always check ECOES to confirm how many MPANs are registered at your address. We do this as a matter of course for every customer we work with.
From Our Experience
One of the most common discoveries we make when reviewing a business's energy accounts is that they have more MPANs than they realised. A farm with several buildings, a retail unit with a shared yard, an industrial site with a separate office block — it is surprisingly easy to miss a supply, particularly if the meters are not all in the same location.
We always check ECOES before submitting a Change of Tenancy or arranging a switch. It takes a few minutes and has saved our customers from some very expensive mistakes. We have found supplies that have been running uncontracted for years, supplies registered to businesses that no longer exist and supplies that were being billed to the wrong company entirely.
If you are not sure how many MPANs your site has, or if you want to check that the MPAN on your bill matches the supply you think it relates to, we can check for you. It is a straightforward process and there is no charge.
Common Problems
These are the MPAN-related issues we come across most often. Most of them can be avoided with a straightforward check.
Wrong MPAN quoted
A single digit error in an MPAN can result in the wrong supply being switched, renewed or transferred. Always double-check the number against your bill before submitting it to a supplier or broker.
Wrong supplier registered
The supplier registered against an MPAN on ECOES is not always the one sending you invoices. We have seen cases where a business has been paying one supplier for years while a different supplier was registered as the responsible party.
Duplicate accounts
In some cases, a single MPAN ends up with two active accounts — one from the previous occupier that was never properly closed, and one from the incoming business. This can cause billing confusion and disputes.
Several MPANs not identified
Businesses with multiple buildings or supply points sometimes only manage one or two of their MPANs, leaving others uncontracted or on expensive deemed tariffs without realising it.
Missing MPAN
If an MPAN cannot be found on a bill or in a supplier portal, it may be because the supply has never been properly registered, or because the bill relates to a different supply point than expected.
Incorrect Change of Tenancy
A COT submitted with the wrong MPAN transfers the wrong supply. The intended supply remains in the previous occupier's name, and the incoming business may not realise until a bill arrives — or until the supply is threatened with disconnection.
Incorrect billing
If the MPAN on a bill does not match the supply at your premises, you may be paying for someone else's electricity — or someone else may be paying for yours. Checking the MPAN against ECOES is the quickest way to identify this.
Related MPAN issues
Some sites have parent and child MPANs — for example, where a main supply feeds sub-meters. The relationship between them needs to be understood before a switch or COT is submitted, otherwise the wrong supply may be affected.
Paid The Wrong Supplier For Over Two Years
What happened
A plumbing company with several commercial sites had three electricity meters connected to one MPAN. The customer had been paying E.ON Next every month since 2023. The bills appeared completely normal and were paid on time.
Unexpectedly, engineers attended the premises to disconnect the electricity because another supplier claimed the account had never been paid.
We checked ECOES. The MPAN was registered to Smartest Business — not E.ON Next. Smartest Business had never issued a bill to the customer. E.ON Next had been billing against the wrong MPAN entirely.
How the MPAN check resolved it
ECOES confirmed the correct registered supplier for the MPAN
We worked with both suppliers to establish the correct position
E.ON Next refunded the payments made in error
The customer settled the correct supplier
Goodwill credits were secured
What businesses can learn
Always check the supplier registered against your MPAN on ECOES
Never assume the company sending invoices is the registered supplier
Multiple MPAN sites need each supply checked individually
Questions Businesses Ask Us
These are the questions we are asked most often about MPANs.
What if I have several MPANs?
Each MPAN is a separate supply point and needs to be managed individually. Each one can have its own supplier, its own contract and its own billing. We can help you identify every MPAN on your site and make sure each one is on the most appropriate contract.
Can I switch one MPAN without switching the others?
Yes. Each MPAN is independent. You can switch one supply to a new supplier while keeping the others with their existing suppliers. This is common on multi-building sites where different supplies have different contract end dates.
Can I have different suppliers for different MPANs?
Yes. There is no requirement to have all your electricity supplies with the same supplier. In practice, many businesses find it simpler to consolidate with one supplier, but it is not compulsory and there can be cost advantages to using different suppliers for different supplies.
Can an MPAN change?
MPANs very rarely change. They are designed to be permanent identifiers for a supply point. In exceptional circumstances — such as a major infrastructure change or a meter reconfiguration — an MPAN may be updated, but this is unusual and you would normally be notified by your distributor.
What if I cannot find my MPAN?
If you cannot find your MPAN on your bill or in your supplier portal, contact your supplier and ask them to confirm it. Alternatively, upload your bill to us and we will identify it for you. We can also check ECOES to find every MPAN registered at your address.
Can you identify my MPAN for me?
Yes. If you upload your electricity bill or give us your site address, we can identify your MPAN and check the details registered against it on ECOES. This is particularly useful if you are unsure how many supplies your site has.
Can you check ECOES on my behalf?
Yes. We have access to ECOES — the national electricity database — and can check which MPANs are registered at your address, which supplier is registered against each one and whether the meter details match what is physically on site.
Related Guides
Written by the The Best Energy Rates Knowledge Team
Reviewed by our business energy specialists with more than 40 years of combined UK business energy experience. We regularly help businesses identify incorrect MPANs, multiple supplies, supplier registration problems and Change of Tenancy issues.
This guide is intended as independent guidance only. Always confirm current requirements directly with your supplier or through a regulated broker before making a decision.
Not Sure Which MPAN Belongs To Your Business?
Upload your latest electricity bill and we will help identify the correct supply, check ECOES and make sure every MPAN on your site is accounted for.
Our service is free. We are paid by the supplier if you choose to switch or renew through us. There is no charge for identifying your MPAN or reviewing your supply details.