What is friendly credit?

Friendly credit hours are a feature on prepayment electricity meters that let customers keep using electricity, even after you run out of credit (or emergency credit) during evenings, weekends or Bank Holidays.

Our friendly credit hours depend on whether you have a traditional (non-smart) or smart prepayment meter.

In very rare cases - if you have a much older model of prepayment meter, you may not be able to access friendly credit. We can get this sorted by replacing your meter; please get in touch with us to find out more.

Smart Prepayment:

• Electricity and Gas: Friendly credit 4pm - 10am in the summer and 3pm - 9am in the winter (when the clocks go back), Monday - Friday, all weekend and Bank Holidays.

Traditional Prepayment:

• Electricity: Friendly credit 4pm - 10am Monday - Friday, all weekend and Bank Holidays.

• Gas: No friendly credit. A traditional (non-smart) gas meter will turn off if it reaches £0 at any time. If you aren't able to top up, you can find more about the help available if you're struggling to pay.

If you run out of credit during these times, the supply won't shut off. You'll move automatically onto 'friendly credit' if you hit £0 on your meter. The cost of any energy you use will be added onto your meter as debt, and will then be deducted the next time you top-up.

I'm in a friendly credit period, but my meter has switched off?

Something else might be going wrong – here's what to do when you've got no gas or electricity.