Why Your Gas Meter Shows Dashes or a Blank Display

If your gas meter is showing dashes or a blank display, it can feel alarming — but in most cases it’s not an emergency. Here’s what’s causing it and exactly what to do.

Is my gas still on?

In most cases, yes. A blank or dashes display usually indicates a problem with the meter’s display or communication system — not the gas supply itself. The simplest way to check is to try a gas appliance. If your hob or boiler works normally, your supply is fine.

If you smell gas at any point, do not investigate the meter. Leave the property immediately and call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999. Free, 24 hours a day.

What does a dashes display mean?

Dashes on a smart gas meter display typically mean one of three things:

The meter is in a sleep or low-power mode
The meter has lost its network connection and is waiting to reconnect
The meter is cycling through a self-check routine

Dashes are different from a completely blank screen. If you see dashes, the meter electronics are working — something is just waiting or reconnecting.

What does a completely blank display mean?

A blank display — where pressing the display button produces nothing at all — is more unusual. Possible causes include:

A depleted internal battery
A hardware fault with the display itself
A meter that has been in sleep mode for an extended period
Physical damage to the meter casing or display

A blank display should always be reported to your supplier — it prevents them from receiving automatic readings and can lead to estimated bills.

Step by step — what to do

Step 1 — Press the display button

Most smart gas meters have a button on the front that wakes the display. Press it once and wait a few seconds. If the display comes to life and shows a reading, the meter is in sleep mode — this is normal and nothing to worry about.

Step 2 — Check for an error code

If the display wakes but shows a code rather than a reading, note it down exactly.

→ Gas meter error codes — what they mean

Step 3 — Check your In-Home Display

If your IHD is also showing dashes or no connection, this suggests a network issue rather than a meter fault. Your supplier may need to remotely reconnect your meter to the network.

→ Smart gas meter not sending readings — what’s happening

Step 4 — Check if a power cut is the cause

A recent power cut can cause your IHD and communications hub to lose connection, which sometimes makes the meter display look wrong even though the meter itself is fine.

→ Gas meter stopped working after a power cut

Step 5 — Contact your supplier

If pressing the button produces no response at all, contact your supplier and report a blank meter display. Give them your meter serial number — printed on the front of the meter — and tell them how long the display has been blank.

Will a blank display affect my bills?

Yes — if your meter can’t display or transmit readings, your supplier will switch to estimated billing. The longer the fault continues unresolved, the larger the potential correction when a real reading eventually comes through.

Report it promptly and submit manual readings in the meantime to keep your bills accurate.

→ Estimated vs actual gas readings — your rights

What if my supplier won’t fix it?

Your supplier is responsible for maintaining your meter in good working order. If they’re not responding or delaying a repair unreasonably, you have the right to raise a formal complaint.

How to dispute a gas bill →

Generate a formal complaint letter →

Not sure what’s causing it?

Run a free Health Check and we’ll help you work out what’s happening and what to do next.

Start your free Health Check →

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