Meters and meter readings
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Topping-up your electricity prepayment meter
- New top-up key for your electricity prepayment meter – after moving into a new home
- New top-up key for your electricity prepayment meter – after switching to EDF
- How to top up your electricity prepayment meter (not smart)
- How much credit can I put on my top-up key and electricity prepayment meter (not smart)?
- What to do if I can't top up my electricity prepayment meter (not smart)?
- Lost or damaged prepayment top-up key – how to get a new one
New top-up key for your electricity prepayment meter – after moving into a new home
When do I get my new key?
You should get your new key within five days of signing up to your new energy plan, if you're already in your new home.
Did you sign up to your new energy plan ahead of your move? Your new key should be at your new home – or about to arrive – when you move in.
How do I use it?
Put your new key into your electricity meter for one minute to activate it. It's then ready to take it to your nearest Payzone, PayPoint or Post Office outlet to top up with credit.
Did the people who lived in the property before you leave a top-up key behind? If there's any credit on it, use this before you put your new key into the meter.
New top-up key for your electricity prepayment meter – after switching to EDF
We'll send out your new key just after your electricity has switched over to us.
Put your new key into your electricity meter for one minute to activate it. It's then ready to take it to your nearest Payzone, PayPoint or Post Office outlet to top up with credit.
Please use up all the credit on your old key before you start using your new one. It saves you the hassle of having to ask your old supplier for a refund.
How to top up your electricity prepayment meter (not smart)
Take you prepayment key to your nearest Payzone, PayPoint or Post Office outlet to top it up with credit. You can add anything from £1 up to £49 (whole pounds only).
Once you put your key back into your meter, you'll see the credit topped up.
It's illegal to sell prepayment credit on the doorstep, but fraudsters posing as EDF might knock on your door.
Please don't buy from them, as it puts you at risk of losing money. Anyone caught using illegal credit will end up paying twice. Once to the doorstop seller, and again to the energy supplier for any energy used.
How much credit can I put on my top-up key and electricity prepayment meter (not smart)?
Your prepayment meter can hold up to £249 of credit.
You can add anything from £1 up to £49 onto your key each time you go to the shop or Post Office (whole pounds only).
What to do if I can't top up my electricity prepayment meter (not smart)?
Emergency credit
All prepayment meters have £6 of emergency credit for you to use in case you can't top up. It's there to give you a bit of extra time to get to the shop to top up.
Find out more about emergency credit
Running out when the shops are shut
Some electricity prepayment meters give you 'friendly non-disconnection' hours. This means you wouldn't get cut off if you run out of in the middle of the night – or at any time on a Sunday or bank holiday.
Find out more about non-disconnection hours
Struggling to pay
We're here to help if you're struggling to pay for your energy. We've put together a guide to all the help and support your can get – from us, our partners like Citizens Advice Portsmouth and Incomemax, and other organisations.
Lost or damaged prepayment top-up key – how to get a new one
To get a replacement top-up key, please fill out this form.
We can usually get it to you within five working days. Your first replacement is free; we might charge you for further replacements.
Need a new key in a hurry? Get in touch, as we might be able to arrange for you to pick up a key at your local top-up outlet.