Emergency Credit

If you have no credit on your prepayment meter and are at risk of disconnection, speak to your supplier. You can ask for credit if you use a prepay meter and can't top up. See the options you might be eligible for opposite.

Emergency or temporary credit: If you’ve run out of gas or electricity, you should be able to access emergency or temporary credit for your prepayment meter. This is a small amount of money to help you stay on supply that you pay back next time you top up.

Friendly credit: Your supplier may offer ‘friendly credit’ or ‘friendly hours’. The times of these will vary between suppliers, but will usually be evenings, overnight and weekends so you don’t go off supply when it is difficult to top up. The cost of any energy you use during that time will then be added to your meter, and you’ll pay it back next time you top up.

Additional support credit: If you’re in a vulnerable situation and have few options to pay you may be able to access ‘additional support credit’. You’ll need to repay the credit from your supplier when you next top up. The weekly repayment amount should be agreed with you by the supplier to make sure it is affordable.

Your supplier has to treat you fairly and take your circumstances into account. Call your supplier and explain your situation.

You might be classed as living in vulnerable circumstances if you have disabilities or a long term health condition, have a child under 5 living in the home or if you are on the Priority Services Register. Where this is the case, your supplier should help you stay on supply.

The Priority Services Register (PSR) is a free support service that makes sure extra help is available to people in vulnerable situations. Find out more about the PSR