National Grid Gas Connection: A Step-By-Step Guide
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Are you looking for a way to connect your home to the national gas grid? If you’d like your home to benefit from a new gas connection, we can walk you through the steps of getting set up with our national gas grid connection guide. We’ll look at who you need to contact to get connected to the national grid, and how much you may need to pay.
Last update: November 2022
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A new national grid gas connection takes just a few weeks, and can give you a broader range of options when it comes to heating your home and cooking your meals. And once you have your new national grid gas connection, you can count on the Papernest team to find you the best possible gas tariff for your household.
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How to set up a new gas connection
The national gas grid is the nation’s network of pipes, valves and manifolds that delivers gas safely and efficiently to homes and businesses everywhere. And if you want to get connected to it, you’re going to need a helping hand. Here, we’ll look at who you need to contact to get your home connected to the national gas grid.
How do I get gas connected to my home?
To get gas connected to your home, you need to find and contact the gas transporter that looks after your area. The national gas grid, like its electrical counterpart, is divided into regions, with a gas transporter looking after each one. We’ll help you to find yours shortly. But first, let’s take a look at the steps you’ll need to undertake to get connected.
Step by step connection guide
A connection to the national gas grid can take up to a few months, so it’s important to leave plenty of time to plan.
- Find out who your gas transporter is from the table below.
- Obtain a quote from your gas transporter for a new connection (this will usually take 3-4 working days).
- If you’re happy for your gas transporter to go ahead with the work, you’ll need to make payment to start proceedings.
- Once your transporter has received payment, they will contact you within 12 working days to let you know when they’ll be able to start work.
- Your gas transporter’s contractors will get to work digging the necessary trenches, laying and connecting the necessary pipework over the next few weeks. You will usually be connected to the national gas grid within 6 weeks of making payment.
It’s important to remember that your gas grid will not be ready to use straight away. You will need to contact a gas / energy supplier to connect a meter in order for you to start using your gas. The Papernest team will find the best gas supplier for your needs and usage.
How do you know if gas is working?
If you’re new to having a gas connection in your home, you may be unsure of how to tell if the connection to your home is on or off. The gas supply will be controlled by an isolation valve located upstream of your gas meter.
If the valve is in the "off" position, the handle will be at a right angle to the pipe, making an L shape. If it’s in the "on" position, the valve handle will be parallel with the pipe.
How many days does it take to get a new gas connection?
That depends on your gas transporter’s schedule. However, it typically takes up to 6 weeks from the point of payment for your gas connection to be up and running. If you want to start using your new gas supply straight away, you should coordinate this with your chosen gas supplier so that you can get your meter fitted and start using our gas as soon as possible.
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Gas connection costs: What to expect
A new national gas grid connection is, unfortunately, not free. So it’s important to know what to expect in terms of costs before you commit to getting a new connection set up.
How much does it cost to connect gas to a property?
This depends on your gas transporter, and a few other factors, such as the size of your property, and how much digging needs to be done. Whether works need to be carried out on roads or other people’s private land will also be a factor.
On average, however, a new gas connection will cost somewhere between £300 and £600.
Can I save money on my gas connection?
As we can see, a new gas connection isn’t cheap. However, you may be able to
mitigate some of this cost by either carrying out some of the work yourself (such as the necessary digging), and use a local Gas Safe approved engineers to carry out some of the work. You can find one close to you here.
If you intend to do this, however, the connection process will be slightly different:
- Contact your gas transporter for a quote as above
- Ask them to break the quote down into contestable and non-contestable work. Only the non-contestable work needs to be carried out by your gas transporter
- Obtain quotes from local engineers to see if they can carry out any of the contestable work at a lower price.
- Compare these quotes with those provided by your transporter.
It might take some coordination, but dividing up the work in this way could save you money without delaying the timeline for the connection.
Who is my gas or electricity distribution network operator?
Distribution network operators (DNOs) share responsibility for the electrical national grid. It’s up to them to maintain and upgrade the network of cables and wires to ensure that it is always safe and fit for purpose. Your DNO is essentially your electrical equivalent to your gas transporter.
Who is my gas transporter?
You can find your area’s gas transporter (also known as a gas distributor) in the table below. Contact them to obtain a quote and start the ball rolling:
| Distributor | Area | Contact Number |
|---|---|---|
| Cadent Gas | North West of England, West Midlands, East of England and North London | 0800 389 8000 |
| Northern Gas Networks | North East of England, Northern Cumbria, and much of Yorkshire | 0800 040 7766 |
| SGN | Scotland and Southern England | 0800 912 1700 |
| Wales & West Utilities | Wales and the South West of England | 0800 912 2999 |
What to expect from your gas distributor?
Your gas distributor / transporter has a responsibility to ensure that your new gas connection is carried out to the highest standards and that your new connection is completely safe to use. They can also help if you have an unexpected issue with your gas like an unexpected interruption of supply (for which you can be compensated).
As well as maintaining the national gas grid and managing new connections, gas transporters also carry out disconnections and movements of existing connections.
Some also have a "Dial before you dig" service to ensure that any works you carry out on your property do not accidentally cause damage to the gas grid (and result in a very expensive repair).
Who is my electricity DNO?
If you need to set up a new electricity connection as well as connecting to the national gas grid, you’ll need to get in touch with your area’s DNO. You can find the DNO responsible for your area and their contact details in the table below:
| Region Where You Live | Distribution Network Operator | Contact Number |
|---|---|---|
| North Scotland | Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks | 0800 048 3515 |
| Central and Southern Scotland | SP Energy Networks | 0330 1010 300 |
| North East England and Yorkshire | Northern Powergrid | 0800 011 3332 |
| North West England | Electricity North West | 0800 195 4141 |
| Merseyside, Cheshire, North Wales & North Shropshire | SP Energy Networks | 0330 1010 300 |
| East Midlands & West Midlands | Western Power Distribution | 0800 096 3080 |
| South Wales & South West England | Western Power Distribution | 0800 096 3080 |
| London, South East England & Eastern England | UK Power Networks | 0800 029 4285 |
| Southern England | Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks | 0800 048 3516 |
| Northern Ireland | Northern Ireland Electricity Networks | 03457 643 643 |
The process of establishing a new electricity connection is much the same as it is for gas. However, it can cost a lot more, with an average cost of £1,790.
Who is my gas supplier?
That’s entirely up to you! Once your connection is established, you can choose any supplier you wish to fit your new meter and get you up and running. Don’t forget to contact the Papernest team to find the best gas deal in your area.
How can I alter a gas connection?
Your gas transporter will be able to make alterations to the location of your meter, and can also divert pipework if, for instance, you need to dig foundations for an extension on your home. Because every alteration is different, and gas transporters each have their own pricing structure, it’s hard to provide a blanket cost for these. The best thing to do is contact your gas transporter directly for a quote.
Can I move my meter?
Yes. You can move your meter, although how much you pay for this, and who does it will depend on how far you want to move it.
Who can move a meter?
If you only need to move your meter a very short distance (15cm or less), your gas supplier will likely be able to do this for free. Longer moves along the same wall may also still be carried out by your supplier.
If you need to move your meter any more than this, however, you’ll need to contact your gas transporter for this.
How much does it cost to move a gas meter or electric meter?
Your energy supplier will likely charge a fee of £75-£100 for a short meter move along the same wall. If you are on your supplier’s Priority Services Register and need to move your meter because it’s inaccessible to you, they may do this for free.
More complicated meter moves, however, can be much more expensive. They will typically range from around £600 (if you dig your own trenches) to over £1000. Again, it all depends on your gas transporter and the specifics of the move.
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FAQ
Who can connect me to the national gas grid?
Your local gas transporter can set up a new connection to the national gas grid.
What do I need to know about moving a smart meter?
No matter what kind of meter you have, who you need to contact to get it moved it will depend on how far you need to move it. A short move of only a few centimetres can be managed by your gas supplier. Any more than this, however, and it will need to be carried out by your gas transporter.
Can a Gas Safe engineer move a meter?
Only your gas supplier or transporter can move your meter. However, a Gas Safe registered engineer can re-pipe up to the meter.
Can a gas meter be inside the house?
No. For safety reasons, gas meters need to be kept outside due to the safety risk caused by a potential leak. A meter can only be moved indoors when special permission is granted by given by the gas transporter.
How long does applying for a connection take?
When you apply for a new gas connection, it typically takes around 3-4 days to get a quote, up to 12 working days to get a start date and around 6 weeks from the point of payment for the installation to be completed.
Updated on 11 Nov, 2022
Alexander Striano
Energy Specialist & Copywriter
Alex joined the papernest team as a SEO Project Manager Assistant for Broadband Plans. He has developed a real expertise on connectivity topics and works on delivering the best possible content to help you navigate your broadband in and outside your home.
Alex joined the papernest team as a SEO Project Manager Assistant for Broadband Plans. He has developed a real expertise on connectivity topics and works on delivering the best possible content to help you navigate your broadband in and outside your home.
William Dautel
Website manager
William is a content marketing specialist. After 3 years writing brand strategies he joined papernest to help create the best content to help people handle and save on their utilities.
William is a content marketing specialist. After 3 years writing brand strategies he joined papernest to help create the best content to help people handle and save on their utilities.
