What is MHHS?
MHHS (Market-wide Half Hourly Settlement) is a new industry-wide change to how electricity is measured and billed across Great Britain. It moves the market from estimated readings to your actual half-hourly usage. It applies to every electricity supplier and customer, not just UrbanChain customers. You can learn more about the programme on Energy UK's website.
Why is this change happening?
This change is being driven by Ofgem as part of a wider push to modernise the energy market. The old system relied heavily on estimated reads and daily data, which meant billing wasn't always as accurate as it could be. MHHS fixes that by using actual half-hourly consumption data for every meter point in Great Britain - making bills more accurate and creating the foundations for smarter, more sustainable energy products in the future.
When is MHHS taking place?
The industry-wide transition began in October 2025, with different meter points transitioning in separate batches. At UrbanChain, our migration period runs from October 2026 through to May 2027, by which time we'll have moved all customers to the new arrangements.
Will I need a new meter?
Some meters will need to be replaced, but don't worry, where a specific site does need a meter exchange or upgrade, we'll be in touch directly to arrange it.
What if my meter doesn't send data automatically?
During the transition, sites without a Smart or Automated Meter Read (AMR) meter will still need to provide manual meter reads. These are converted into half-hourly consumption figures for billing purposes. Not sure what type of meter you have? Contact us at hello@urbanchain.co.uk and we'll check for you.
Will anything change with my metering agent appointments?
These industry roles are being renamed as part of MHHS. What they do for you isn't changing - only the terminology used to describe them. If you have a direct contract with your metering agents, it's a good idea to reach out to them to ensure your contract covers the new MHHS requirements.
Will my bill look different?
Yes, a couple of elements in your regular bills will look different. If your invoices used to display meter readings, these will no longer appear on your invoice - instead, you'll see your consumption for the billing period in kWh. This reflects the move to actual half-hourly data rather than estimated readings. If your metering agents are appointed by us, you may also notice that some of the line item descriptions on your invoice look slightly different - this reflects the fact that industry roles and their names are changing as part of MHHS.
I have multiple supply points - will they all migrate at the same time?
Not necessarily. Meter points migrate in batches across the industry, so if you have more than one supply point, it's possible they'll move across at different times. If that happens, you may notice that invoices for different sites look slightly different from each other during the transition period - this is perfectly normal and nothing to worry about.
Why does my invoice show two separate charges this month?
Because meter points migrate in batches rather than all at once, it's possible for your MPAN to move to half-hourly settlement partway through a billing month. If that happens, your invoice for that period will be split into two parts: one covering the days before migration (billed under the old arrangement) and one covering the days after (billed under MHHS). The total charge will still reflect your actual usage across the full period, it just means you may see two line items on that particular invoice rather than one. This only affects the transition month; from the next billing period onwards, your invoice will look as normal.
Who can I contact if I have questions?
If you have any questions about MHHS or how it impacts you, feel free to reach out to us by calling 0161 243 2840, or emailing hello@urbanchain.co.uk. We're happy to help.