What is a non-half-hourly electricity meter?
Non-half-hourly, or NHH, describes an electricity settlement arrangement that uses meter readings and standard usage profiles to allocate consumption [S1]. Half-hourly settlement uses consumption for individual half-hour periods. Ofgem confirms a supplier migration deadline of 7 May 2027 under market-wide half-hourly settlement [S3]. Ask your supplier for your meter point's current status. Checked October 2026.
What is a non-half-hourly meter?
A non-half-hourly (NHH) meter is a meter used in an arrangement where readings and standard profiles allocate electricity consumption for settlement. Settlement is the market process for accounting for electricity bought and used; the NHH profile estimates when consumption occurred [S1].
Why it matters for your site: a profiled allocation is not a measured record of your opening-hours demand. For a solar or charging assessment, ask for actual interval data where available rather than treating an estimated settlement shape as your operating pattern [S1].
The label concerns the settlement arrangement. It does not, on its own, establish everything your meter can record. Ofgem’s guidance explains that advanced meters collect half-hourly readings [S2].
How do profile classes affect your business?
Elexon describes classes 3 and 4 as non-domestic profile classes. The allocated profile uses sampled consumption patterns to distribute a meter’s energy across half-hours [S1]. It cannot show the exact timing of your kitchen, production machinery or vehicle charging.
Profile classes 5 to 8 are also found on older business records. Ofgem’s P272 guidance explains the requirement for businesses in those classes with advanced meters to move to half-hourly settlement [S2]. Do not assume those historic labels establish your present registration.
Read half-hourly metering and DUoS charges for the wider billing questions. DUoS means distribution use of system: charges for using the distribution network.
What changes when your site moves to half-hourly settlement?
The market uses consumption allocated to individual half-hours rather than the legacy NHH profiling arrangement. Ofgem confirms the market-wide half-hourly settlement supplier migration deadline as 7 May 2027 [S3]. Your supplier should confirm the status of your own meter point and the planned change.
Request the effective date, metering requirements, data access and recurring service charges. Use the load profile glossary to prepare an assessment and the business electricity data for price context.
Next step
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Common questions
What is a load profile in NHH settlement?
It is a standard pattern derived from sampled customers, applied to readings to estimate consumption in each half-hour. It is not your site's measured demand trace [S1].
Which profile classes describe non-domestic NHH supplies?
Elexon's introductory guide identifies classes 3 and 4 as non-domestic profile classes. Confirm the current registration with your supplier rather than relying on an old bill [S1].
Can a business in profile classes 5 to 8 remain NHH?
Ofgem's P272 guidance says businesses in these classes with an advanced meter cannot opt out of half-hourly settlement. These historical class rules are separate from the wider migration programme [S2].
Does changing settlement always require a replacement meter?
No. Ofgem says advanced meters already collect half-hourly readings. Ask your supplier whether your existing equipment supports the change and which services must change [S2].
Does every half-hourly site pay a capacity charge?
Ofgem's guide identifies maximum import capacity charges for businesses with current-transformer meters. Check your metering arrangement and applicable charges rather than generalising to every site [S2].
Ask about your site
Sources
- The Electricity Trading Arrangements - A Beginner's Guide, Elexon,Last checked 19 October 2026
- Moving to half-hourly energy reads - guide for businesses, Ofgem,Last checked 19 October 2026
- P487 decision and market-wide half-hourly settlement migration, Ofgem,Last checked 19 October 2026