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.
Traditional Prepayment:
Electricity: Friendly credit 4pm - 10am Monday - Friday, all weekend and Bank Holidays
Gas: No friendly credit
Smart Prepayment:
Electricity: Friendly credit 4pm - 10am Monday - Friday, all weekend and Bank Holidays
Gas: Friendly credit 4pm - 10am Monday - Friday, all weekend and Bank Holidays
If you run out of credit during these times, the supply won't shut off. Instead, 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.
You'll move automatically onto 'friendly credit' if you hit £0 on your meter.
Why are there no 'friendly credit' hours industry-wide for traditional prepayment gas meters?
A traditional (non-smart) gas meter will turn off if it reaches £0 at any time. Don't worry, we provide emergency credit so you have time to top up without your gas switching off.
For traditional (non-smart) meters, once you are down to the last £1 of your electricity credit or £2 of your gas credit, you just need to insert your electricity key or gas card to activate the emergency credit.
Please be aware that the emergency credit will be taken in full 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.