How Can I Tell If My Electricity Supply Is Looped?

What does a looped supply actually mean?

A looped connection serves two or more properties through a shared service-cable arrangement.

Each property still has its own electricity meter and account. The shared part is the network connection.

A common arrangement historically involved a service reaching one property and continuing to another, although the exact configuration varies.

References: Unlooping electricity network connections · Unlooping Electricity Network Connections Research

What types of homes are more likely to be looped?

DESNZ found several characteristics associated with looped connections.

They are commonly found in terraced, semi-detached and some small-to-medium detached houses. The research found a particular association with properties built between roughly the 1950s and early 1990s, and they are more prevalent in suburban and urban locations.

But these are indicators, not a test.

The six DNOs studied reported very different estimated prevalence, from around 6% to approximately 25% of connections in their respective areas. Records and estimation methods also varied considerably.

So:

"my house is detached"

does not prove it is unlooped.

And:

"my house is terraced"

does not prove it is looped.

References: Unlooping Electricity Network Connections Research

Can I tell from the meter or service fuse?

Sometimes the incoming service arrangement can provide a clue, which is why EV charger installers often request photographs of the meter and cut-out area during an initial survey.

But do not treat the number of visible cables, the fuse rating or the appearance of the meter cabinet as definitive proof.

Network arrangements vary, and the DNO's own records are not always complete. DESNZ specifically identified inconsistent and incomplete records as one of the difficulties in estimating the prevalence of looped connections.

The purpose of the photographs is to support professional/network assessment, not to turn the homeowner into the network engineer.

Do not:

• open the cut-out;
• remove the service fuse;
• break seals;
• dismantle covers.

References: Unlooping Electricity Network Connections Research · Connect Direct

Who can confirm whether my supply is looped?

For an EV charger installation, start with the installer handling the connection process.

ENA says domestic EV chargepoint applications are made by the installer through Connect Direct. The application includes property and installation details and can include supporting information such as a photograph of the cut-out.

Where more investigation is needed, the relevant Distribution Network Operator can assess the service.

If you do not know your DNO, use ENA's Find My Network Operator service.

Your DNO is not necessarily the electricity company that sends you your bill.

References: Connecting electric vehicles and heat pumps · Connect Direct · Find My Network Operator

Why might I only discover a loop when buying an EV?

Because most households have little reason to investigate the network service connection until they request something that materially changes electrical demand.

The 2026 DESNZ consumer survey demonstrates how obscure the issue is.

It received 1,007 responses. After excluding people who had already undergone unlooping, only 12% said they knew about looped connections before the survey.

An EV charger, heat pump or substantial connection change can therefore be the first event that brings the arrangement to the homeowner's attention.

References: Unlooping Electricity Network Connections Research

What happens if the DNO confirms a loop?

Do not assume that the charger has been rejected.

The DNO will consider the proposed installation and the network connection.

The possible outcome may involve:

• accepting the proposed connection;
• applying load-management conditions;
• carrying out another service intervention;
• or arranging unlooping.

For the actual EV-installation question read: Can I install an EV charger on a looped electricity supply?

References: Unlooping Electricity Network Connections Research · Electricity Distribution Networks Study