What happens if I have a Pay As You Go meter that runs out of credit?
Important: you could lose power if you don’t add credit before your balance reaches £0. Need help with topping up? Check out our smart meter topping up guide or traditional meter topping up guide.
Emergency credit
If you can’t top up right now, each meter has emergency credit to keep you going until you can. Any emergency credit used will be repaid from your next top-up.
Here's a guide to show you more.
If you can’t afford to top up
If your emergency credit runs out and you can’t afford to top up, please contact us. Just click the green chat icon at the bottom right of your screen or call us on 0330 175 9669 – we’re here to help.
Times when your power stays on
There are times when your power stays on (your “non-disconnect hours”), even if you run out of credit.
If you have a smart meter
As long as you had credit at the start, you won’t lose power during these times:
Between 5pm and 9am Monday to Friday
Before 9am or after 3pm on Saturday
All day on Sunday
Easter Sunday, 25 and 26 December, and 1 January
There’ll still be a charge for any energy you use. So top up as soon as you can to avoid losing power when these periods end.
If you have a traditional electricity meter
You shouldn’t lose power during these times, as long as you have credit on your meter when they begin:
Between 6pm and 9am on weekdays
From 6pm on Friday until 9am on Monday
Christmas day
If you’ve run out of credit, you’ll need to top up before these periods are over to avoid losing power.
If you have a traditional gas meter
Unfortunately, non-disconnect hours don’t cover traditional gas meters. But smart meters offer non-disconnect hours for both gas and electricity. You can find out more about smart meters and getting them installed here.
Explore our meter guides
Need more help with your meter? Check out our easy-to-follow guides on topping up, reconnecting your meter, activating emergency credit, and troubleshooting common issues.
