Meters. Help with Smart Pay As You Go

Getting your new Smart Card

Every smart Pay As You Go meter comes with its own Smart Card showing a 19-digit number.

You’ll need this number when you top up to make sure the credit is added to the right meter, unless you’re topping up in your online account or in our app. So, you might want to make a note of the number for safekeeping, just in case you misplace your card.

Your Smart Card should arrive within 10 days of you booking your meter installation.

Lost or missing Smart Card?

You can still top up without having a Smart Card. See below for the quick and easy alternatives.

If you don't need a replacement Smart Card urgently, you can request one on our automated card request line. Just call 0333 200 7788, select option 3 and we'll send one within 3 working days.

As long as you have your 19-digit Smart Card number, you can even quote it at any Post Office or Payzone to top up until your new card arrives.

How to top up your smart meter

In your online account or in our app

Simply log into your online account or tap on our app to top up in minutes. As your account is already linked to your meter, you won’t need your Smart Card number.

If you don’t have an online account yet, setting one up is quick and easy.
 

Online without an account

If you don’t have an account or are topping up for someone else, use our online guest top up option. You'll just need the 19-digit Smart Card number for the meter you want to top up.
 

Over the phone

Top up anytime by calling our automated line on 0333 200 7788 with your 19-digit Smart Card number.
 

At your local Post Office or Payzone store

Take your Smart Card to your nearest Post Office or Payzone store to pay for your top up in person.
 

Minimum and maximum amounts

The minimum top up amount is £5 online, in our app or in our automated line. At Post Office or Payzone, the minimum is £1.

You can only top up in full pounds, not pence. For example, you wouldn’t be able to top up £8.50, but you could add £8 or £9.

The maximum amount you can top up at once is £49. However, you can top up multiple times in a row.

There is a limit on how many times you can use your card online in one day. So if you find you've reached that limit and need to top up more in the same day, we recommend using the automated line or calling in to a Post Office or Payzone.

Help with a missing top up

First, check if your meter is on. If you've completely run out of credit, your meter might turn off. If that's what's happened, you will need to turn your meter back on after you've topped up.

Sometimes top ups might take a while to go through. Most top ups will show on your meter within one hour. If it’s still not appearing or if you need it straight away, you can add the top up manually yourself using a 20-digit top up code.

Find your top-up code and top up directly

Getting your energy reconnected

If your supply was disconnected because you ran out of credit, you’ll need to top up your meter first.

Remember to top up enough to pay back any Emergency or Friendly Credit you may have used, and to pay for your ongoing energy use.

After topping up, you can get reconnected right away. You can do this manually on your meter, it only takes a minute.

You'll find the picture of your meter here, with clear instructions on how to reconnect your supply.

Using Emergency and Friendly Credit

Emergency Credit

If you’re ever unable to top up, you can get £10 of Emergency Credit to keep you going until you can. You can activate it on your Smart Energy Monitor or on your meter in a few simple steps.

Just remember that you need to pay back everything you've spent. The meter will take the amount owed from your next top up. So you'll need to top up enough to cover that and your everyday use.

Please note that sometimes the amount owed will be more than £10 because your meter may be due standing charges or any debt you're repaying at a weekly amount.

Here's how to reconnect your meter if it's turned off

Friendly Credit

Friendly Credit is available if you run out at certain times when it might be hard to top up or get help – in the evenings, on weekends and on UK bank holidays.

You don't need to do anything to activate it. As long as your meter was in credit when the Friendly Credit period began, your supply will stay connected until the period ends.

Just remember that you need to pay back everything you've spent. The meter will take the amount owed from your next top top up. So you'll need to top up enough to cover that and your everyday use.

Please note that the amount owed may increase if your meter turns off after the Friendly Credit period ends.

This is because your meter may be due standing charges or any debt you're repaying weekly.

Here's how to reconnect your meter if it's turned off

 

Using my smart energy monitor

If it looks like this (BBIHD)

How to add your gas or electricity top up

Please note when you add your code on your Smart Energy Monitor it can still take over half an hour for your credit to reach your meter. You can add your credit instantly by entering your top up code directly into your meter. Here’s how to do that, and where to find your code.

To top up on your Smart Energy Monitor:

1. Select ‘menu’
2. Select ‘Gas Prepay’ or ‘Elec Prepay’ depending on the meter you’re topping up
3. Select ‘Add Vend Code’
4. Use + and - to enter your top up code
5. Select ‘next/del’ after you've entered your 20-digit code
6. Finally, tap ‘Exit’

How to access your Emergency Credit

1. Start at the Home screen & Press Menu.
2. Choose the fuel you want emergency credit for (e.g. electricity) and press Select.
3. Scroll to "Emergency" and press Select.
    

Your smart energy monitor will give you full instructions

Getting reconnected

You’ll need to do this on your gas or electricity meter, rather than on your Smart Energy Monitor.

Here's how to reconnect your gas and electricity supply on your meter.

Remember that you’ll need to top up first, including paying back any Emergency or Friendly Credit you may have used.

 If it looks like this (Trio II)

How to add your gas or electricity top up

Please note when you add your code on your Smart Energy Monitor it can still take over half an hour for your credit to reach your meter. You can add your credit instantly by entering your top up code directly into your meter. Here’s how to do that, and where to find your code.

To top up on your Smart Energy Monitor:

1. Press the Home button to access the main menu
2. Use the < and > arrows to scroll to ‘PAYG’ and press the Flame button to select it
3. Scroll to ‘Top up’ and select it
4. Select ‘Gas’ or ‘Electricity’ [JR1] depending on the meter you’re topping up
5. After you've entered your 20-digit code, tap the tick (✔) to top up

How to access your Emergency Credit

1. Go to the main menu and use the < and> arrows to select the PAYG option.
2. Then select ‘Activate emergency credit’.
3. You’ll see the gas or electricity in white if you have the option to use emergency credit.
4. Select ‘OK’ to activate your emergency credit or ‘Cancel’ to go back to the PAYG menu.

Getting reconnected

Before you reconnect your gas or electricity supply, remember you’ll first need to top up, including paying back any Emergency or Friendly Credit you may have used.

Then to reconnect your electricity supply on your Smart Energy Monitor:

1. Press the Home button to access the main menu
2. Use the < and> arrows to scroll to ‘PAYG’ and press the Flame button to select it
3. Scroll to ‘Enable supply’ and select it
4. Select ‘OK’ to get reconnected immediately

To reconnect your gas supply:

You’ll need to do this on your gas meter, rather than on your Smart Energy Monitor.

Here's how to reconnect your gas supply on your meter.

Your data security

We never collect or share any personal data that could identify you. And the smart meters we’re rolling out meet the high security standards set by the government.

Every part of our smart meter system – including collecting and receiving your readings – is protected by a very strong level of security.