View bills and make payments online or use the Ecotricity app
Help Guides
If you’d like to pay at a Post Office then we can have a Post Office Payment, or POP card sent to you.
During busy periods these can take up to six weeks to reach you once we’ve requested them from the Post Office so in the meantime you’ll need to find another way to pay your bills.
If you’d like to pay using cash that’s no problem at all. All you’ll need to do is take your bill to a PayPoint so that they can scan the barcode on the back of it.
You’ll then be able to pay using cash there. If you need assistance there should be someone there to help.
You can pay by direct bank transfer (BACS) from your bank account if you’d like to. You’ll need your Ecotricity account number and our bank details (see below)
UK
Sort code: 40-14-13
Account number: 62606380
Account name: Ecotricity Limited
Payment reference: Enter your account number, which will be on your bill or at the top of any communications from us.
Non-UK
IBAN: GB55HBUK40141362606380
SWIFT/BIC: HBUKGB4B
If you’d like to pay by card but don’t have internet access, then we’ve set up an automated card payment line that you can use. It’s really handy and stops you having to wait to speak to one of our agents if we’re particularly busy when you need to call us.
Just ring 01453 488101 and follow the instructions.
If you’d like to pay by text, please simply text ECO PAY to 60040 and follow the instructions received via text to make a payment.
The easiest way to pay by credit or debit card is by using our online service. It’ll store your card details securely so that you don’t have to enter them every time. It’s easy to do - just press ‘Make a payment’ on either the app or on your online account, then follow the instructions on screen. You’ll need to enter your card details the first time, but if you’d like we can save them to make paying your bill quicker next time.
How to make a bill payment in the Ecotricity App
There are two different types of Direct Debit to choose from. Fixed and Variable.
Fixed Direct Debit
With a Fixed Direct Debit, we’ll work out how much your annual consumption should cost and split that into 12 equal payments. This helps you spread the cost of your energy across the year. Paying by Fixed Direct Debit may make it easier to manage bills through the winter months which tend to be a bit more expensive as you use more energy.
Variable Direct Debit
With our Variable Direct Debit, you’ll receive a monthly bill and we’ll automatically collect the outstanding balance from your bank account 10 working days later. It means that your account is always up to date with payments, and you don't have to remember to pay a bill every month. If you’ve got a smart meter which sends us readings automatically, your account nearly runs itself!
If you live in an area with low signal, or if your meter is in a basement or somewhere else that struggles to get a mobile signal you might have to add the credit manually. You’ll need the 20-digit vend code that is shown on your top-up receipt.
If your in-home device has a good connection to the smart meter, then you can add the credit using that. All you need to do is go to the ‘account page’ and select the meter you’d like to top up. On the keypad you’ll need to type in your vend code and press enter.
If you’re not able to top up using the In-Home Display you can add credit to the meter itself:
1. Press the blue A button on the bottom left of the keypad.
2. Type in the vend code.
3. Press the red B button.
4. You should see an Accepted message on the screen to let you know that this has been successful.
One of the great things about being a smart Pay As You Go customer is that you can top up from the comfort of your own home. There are three ways you can top up your meter – via our app, over the phone or at a PayPoint shop.
You can top up via our app:
1. Please download the app here: App store | Play store
2. Once downloaded, you’ll need to open the app and register. To register, you’ll need your Prepay Account Number. This is a 19-digit number starting with 9826 0150 xxxx xxxx xxx.
3. You can find this number on the email or letter you have received from us about the new Ecotricity Top-Up App. Or you can check the email or letter we sent you when your meter was first set to prepay mode.
4. If you can’t find this number, please contact us on 0345 555 7100 and we can help.
5. Once you’re registered, you can now top up via the app.
6. To do this, click “Top-Up Now” under the meter you wish to top up.
7. Then click “Pay by Card”.
8. You just need to select the amount you want to top up. Then either enter your card details or select the saved card option.
9. Then just click “Top-Up Now”.
We have a guest top-up option on our app as well, which allows you to top up on behalf of someone. You don’t have to register on the app, but you’ll need to enter the prepay account number for the smart meter you want to top up.
You can top up over the phone:
To top up your Pay As You Go meter call our automated 24-hour payment line on 0345 812 4444.
You will need to have your Prepay Account Number to hand as well as a payment card. You can find this number in the email or letter we sent to you when we notified you of the new Top-Up App and automated payment Line.
If you can’t find this number, please contact us on 0345 555 7100 and we can help.
You can top up at a PayPoint shop:
You can top up your smart meter at a PayPoint shop, visit consumer.paypoint.com to find your local store.
You will need to have your Prepay Account Number. The easiest way to do this will be to show the barcode in the email or letter we sent to you when we notified you of the new Top-Up App and automated payment line. Or you can check the email or letter we sent you when your meter was first set to prepay mode.
If you can’t find this number, please contact us on 0345 555 7100 and we can help.
Ecotricity does not normally provide physical prepayment cards to save on unnecessary plastic usage. However, you can still request one if you would still like a physical prepayment card to use, please contact us on 0345 555 7100 and we can help.
Paying by Direct Debit is the easiest way to pay your green energy bill. There are two simple options to choose from:
❯ Pay by Direct Debit for what you use each month
❯ Pay a set monthly budget – we'll work out your average use, and you'll pay the same each month by Direct Debit. We'll review this regularly and adjust it up or down if we need to – we’ll always give you at least 10 working days notice of any change.
Pay for what you use
How can I just pay for the energy I’ve used each month?
If you pay by Direct Debit for what you use, we’ll send you a bill each month showing the balance to pay.
To ensure that your bill is accurate, we’ll email you to request a meter reading just before we’re about to produce your bill. The easiest way to submit meter readings for your home is through your account online – on your smart device or desktop. You can also send us a meter reading using our 24/7 automated phone line – just call 0345 555 7 100 and choose option 2.
Your monthly payments will leave your account within three days of the date quoted on your bill. You can change your bill date so we collect your payments on the most convenient day for you once you’ve received your first bill.
Meter readings are a great way to keep your account up to date, but if you’d prefer just to send a meter reading every three months, that’s absolutely fine. We’ll simply estimate your usage in between the readings you send us.
Pay a set monthly budget
How do you work out my fixed monthly payments?
For new customers, we either base your payment amount on information you’ve given us, or we’ll simply use the average energy consumption for the size of your home. We may need more information from you to make your monthly payment as accurate as possible.
For existing customers, we predict how much you’ll pay for the coming year based on the information we hold about your usage – quite simply, we see how much you have used in the past to estimate how much you’ll use in the future.
How often will I receive a statement?
If you pay a set monthly Direct Debit, you’ll receive a statement every month, which will show you the current balance on your account.
We’ll email you just before we’re due to produce your statement to request a meter reading (unless you’ve got a smart meter, which will send us your reading automatically). This will ensure that your statement is accurate.
We also ask our meter readers to read your meter every three months. If we aren’t able to get a meter reading, your statement will be based on estimated readings.
Do keep an eye on your statements – and contact us with a meter reading if you think you’re paying too much or too little, particularly if we’ve estimated your meter readings on two consecutive statements.
How will you stop me paying too much or too little?
We promise to work with you to make sure your payments are as accurate as possible and you aren’t paying too much or too little.
The monthly payment is averaged over a year– which means it’s higher than your consumption in the summer and lower than your consumption in the winter. We review how much gas or electricity you use every few months. If you're paying too much or too little, we contact you to make any changes we need to.
The more meter readings we have, the more accurate we can make your monthly payments, so please send us a meter reading when you can. The easiest way to submit meter readings is through your online account– on your smart device or desktop.
What if my account’s in debt?
Every few months we review your monthly Direct Debit to make sure that you’re paying the right amount. If we find that your monthly payments have been too low to cover your energy consumption, we’ll spread any amount owing over the period until your next review by adding it to your Direct Debit.
Do you automatically refund credit?
We’ll refund credit at any time if you ask us to, but we always need an up-to-date meter reading to ensure we’re refunding you the right amount. We always suggest that you stay at least one month’s payment ahead on your account, just to help prevent a build-up of debt throughout the year.
If you pay a set monthly budget, it’s quite normal to have credit on your account in the summer months when you’re using less energy. This is balanced out in the winter when your consumption is higher.
So although we’d be happy to discuss this with you, if we refund any credit on your account, you could then build up a debit, and so we may have to recalculate your payments accordingly. This could lead to your monthly payments being increased to cover the winter months.
How often do you collect set monthly budget payments?
We usually collect set monthly budget payments every month, but if you’d prefer to make more regular payments (weekly or fortnightly), we can arrange this for you. Just get in touch with us using the contact details below.
Which days do you collect payments?
You can choose the best date for you (excluding 29th, 30th or 31st of each month) for us to collect your monthly Direct Debit payments. The payments will leave your account on or within three working days of your chosen date.
What if my circumstances change?
Let us know if your circumstances change, and you think those changes will affect the amount of energy you use. For example, a change in heating system (e.g. ground/air source heat pump), change in occupancy, building work, or microgeneration could make a difference to how much energy you use. You can contact us using the details below.
I’m also a Microtricity (Feed-in Tariff) customer – how does this affect my payment method?
If you’re a Microtricity customer, you have two options to pay by Direct Debit.
You can pay for the energy you use each month, and we can add your Microtricity payment to your account to reduce your bills too. Alternatively, you can pay a set monthly budget and we can pay your Microtricity payments directly to your bank account separately.
What happens if my Direct Debit payment is unsuccessful?
As long as your Direct Debit hasn’t been cancelled, we’ll try to collect it again around seven working days after the original payment date – so you just need to make sure that there are funds available in your account on that date. If the second collection attempt is unsuccessful, we’ll cancel your Direct Debit and send you a letter to let you know. If there’s an outstanding balance on your account, you’ll need to make a payment to keep your account up to date. If you have concerns about paying your bill, or if you’d like to set up your Direct Debit up again, just give us a call on 0345 555 7 300 and we’ll talk you through your payment options.
What if I have more than one property on supply?
If you have more than one property, we’ll set up a separate Direct Debit for each account you have with us.
How do Direct Debit payments for businesses work?
Direct Debit payments are the only payment type we accept for business accounts. You can pay by fixed or variable Direct Debit, and all of the information above applies. Business Direct Debit mandates usually require more than one signature, so we can’t process these online.
You'll need to download and complete a paper mandate (see below) for every supply related to your business and return it to us at business@ecotricity.co.uk. For example, if you have two electricity supplies and one gas, you’ll need to return three paper mandates to us, with appropriate signatures on each.
You can also call our Business Customer Service Team on 0845 230 6 102 if you need any help or have any questions.
Will I be protected by the Direct Debit Guarantee?
Yes. The Direct Debit Guarantee applies to all Direct Debits and protects you in the rare event that something goes wrong.
The Direct Debit Guarantee
This Guarantee is offered by all banks and building societies that accept instructions to pay Direct Debits.
If there are any changes to the amount, date or frequency of your Direct Debit Ecotricity will notify you (normally 10 working days) in advance of your account being debited, or as otherwise agreed. If you request Ecotricity to collect a payment, confirmation of the amount and date will be given to you at the time of the request.
If an error is made in the payment of your Direct Debit, by Ecotricity or your bank or building society, you are entitled to a full and immediate refund of the amount paid from your bank or building society.
If you receive a refund you are not entitled to, you must pay it back when Ecotricity ask you to.
You can cancel a Direct Debit at any time by simply contacting your bank or building society. Written confirmation may be required. Please also notify Ecotricity.
This Guarantee is offered by all banks and building societies that accept instructions to pay Direct Debits.
If there are any changes to the amount, date or frequency of your Direct Debit Ecotricity will notify you (normally 10 working days) in advance of your account being debited, or as otherwise agreed. If you request Ecotricity to collect a payment, confirmation of the amount and date will be given to you at the time of the request.
If an error is made in the payment of your Direct Debit, by Ecotricity or your bank or building society, you are entitled to a full and immediate refund of the amount paid from your bank or building society.
If you receive a refund you are not entitled to, you must pay it back when Ecotricity ask you to.
You can cancel a Direct Debit at any time by simply contacting your bank or building society. Written confirmation may be required. Please also notify Ecotricity.
If you’ve got a smart meter, then you don’t need an electricity key or gas card to top up. Follow the instructions on How to top up your smart meter in the guide above.
If you’ve got a card or key meter, you’ll need to go to a shop or Post Office to top up. To find your nearest simply click the links here;
❯ PayPoint
❯ PayZone
You’ll need to register your key and card in your meters before you make your first top up by simply inserting them into the meters– this will ensure the meter is programmed with the correct tariff and reset any settings from the previous occupier or supplier. Your top ups can only be in whole pounds but can be from as little as £1 up to £99 if you’re topping up in a PayZone shop or Post Office, and up to £75 if you’re topping up in a PayPoint shop.. You’ll be given a receipt – make sure it says ‘credit accepted’ on it – and keep it for your records. If at any point we need to refund you for credit, we’ll need to see a copy of the receipt.
Once you’ve topped up, put the card or key in the meter to add the credit. If the credit doesn’t appear right away, take a look at I’ve topped up but there’s no credit on my meter below.
If you’ve lost your card or key, please get in touch so we can send you a replacement. If you still have credit on your meter when your new card or key arrives, make sure you run this down to zero before you register your new card or key in your meter – registering your new key or card beforehand could wipe your existing credit.
Nobody particularly likes their electricity and gas bill. But it's worse when it's hard to understand. We make ours as straightforward as possible – and we've created this guide to explain each section of it.
1. Current balance
• This is the current balance of your account, for each energy type. You will also find the period the bill covers for each of your fuels.
• If you pay by cash, cheque or bank transfer, this tells you the amount you need to pay if you have a debit balance. If you pay by Variable Direct Debit this is how much and when we’ll take the payment from your account. If you pay by monthly Direct Debit, you don't need to do anything. However, if you are building up a large debit or credit balance, take a meter reading and contact us so we can look into your payments.
2. This bill
• This shows the electricity and gas charges for the period of this bill.
3. Your account summary
• This shows all the financial transactions that have taken place on your account since your last bill. It includes the previous balance of your account, the amount of this bill, and any payments and refunds that have been made, all of which contribute to the current balance of your account which is shown here.
4. 24 Hour Emergencies
• Electricity - If there’s a power cut, this is the number to report it. It’s the National Power Cut Helpline and they can give you advice on how long they think it may last, as well as any other works being carried out in your area.
• Gas - If you smell gas or suspect a gas leak, please call 0800 111 999 immediately from a safe location. Please don’t call from a mobile as this may ignite a spark. Use a neighbour's phone or take a mobile phone outdoors.
5. Account detail
• Here you will see your Ecotricity account number, the date this bill was produced and your supply address.
6. Could you pay less?
• We have estimated your annual cost using your consumption history and our current prices. If we don’t have a full history of meter readings, we may base this on industry estimates. Using this data, we look to see if you’d benefit from being on any of our other tariffs.
• If you would be better off on a different tariff we will also tell you how much you could save. Remember, this is based on historic information, so if your circumstances change, this may change too. If you’re thinking of switching to a new tariff, give us a call and we can look into this.
• We’re obliged by Ofgem to remind you that you can switch to a different supplier – if you are thinking about doing this, please get in touch so we can discuss why you are thinking of leaving.
7. Your usage
• Here you will see a graph showing your electricity and gas usage for the period covered by this bill and for the corresponding bill from the same time last year. The accuracy of this information will depend on how many meter readings we’ve been given.
8. Your meter readings
These are readings we’ve used to produce this bill. For electricity and gas you will see:
• Your Meter Serial Number - this should be visible on the front of your meter
• A previous meter reading (which is from the date of the start of the billing period shown at the top of the bill)
• A current meter reading (which is from the date of the end of the billing period)
• The total number of units used (which is the sum of deducting the previous reading from the current one).
The meter readings are annotated to show where the read came from. Here's a list of these annotations with a brief explanation:
• Actual - a reading supplied to us by another supplier
• Customer - a read taken by an occupier (or person on behalf of the occupier) of the property
• Estimated - a reading estimated based on your previous consumption history. We prefer to send you bills based on actual reads, so please take and send us your own readings regularly
• Agent - a reading taken by an official meter reading company
• Special - a reading taken by our agent during a special visit
• Final - a final read for a meter that was removed
• Initial - a first reading from a new meter
• Prepayment - a reading received for a prepayment meter
• Modified - a reading that has been modified by our agent
• COT - a reading for a change of occupier in your property
9. How we calculated your bill
This is a summary of how your bill has been calculated. This shows the total number of kilowatt hours (or kWh for short) you have used and the price per kWh at which you have been charged. This will also show the details of any price changes that may have occurred within the period covered by this bill, along with any discounts, standing charge and the VAT. You’ll have a calculation section for your electricity and gas.
10. Gas unit conversion
As gas meters record the volume of gas used, we have to use an equation to convert this volume into kilowatt hours used. Every supplier uses the same equation.
• Metric conversion factor - if you have an imperial meter, you will see a metric conversion factor of 2.83. We multiply the units recorded by the meter by this to calculate cubic meters used. If you have a metric meter, we don’t need to do this step so you will just see a 1 here.
• Calorific value - the quality of gas supplied to your property varies on a daily basis. To account for this, we adjust your consumption by multiplying the volume by a calorific value supplied to us by National Grid.
• Volume correction factor – this adjusts the volume used for temperature and pressure.
• kWh conversion factor – this is a final calculation to convert the volume of gas to kWh which is what our prices are based on.
• kWhs used – the figure calculated here is carried up to the “How we calculated your bill” section.
11. Meter Point Numbers
• These numbers (MPAN for electricity, MPRN for gas) are unique to your electricity and gas supply and identify you within the electricity and gas industry. This isn’t the same as your Meter Serial Numbers, which are printed on your meters.
12. About your tariff
• Here you can find your current tariff and payment method. We also show your annual consumption, which is based on your consumption history. If we don’t have a full history of meter readings, we may base this on estimates provided by the industry.
During the winter months you’ll use a lot more energy than you would in the warmer summer months. The lights are on for longer, the heating is on higher, and the boiler will need to work harder. All this means that you’ll have higher energy bills, or have to top up more, during those few months.
There are a couple of things you can do to help yourself out here and spread the cost:
❯ Download our energy saving guide which could help you lower your carbon footprint and your energy bill
❯ You could set up a Direct Debit to help budget better
❯ You could make overpayments to your energy bills to help build up a buffer of credit on your account
❯ You may want to just put some money by to help during this time of year
The choice is yours, but it’s good to be prepared for the winter months.
For Pay As You Go customers
It’s darker and colder in the winter months so you’ll use more electricity and gas. This may make things tricky as you'll need to find more money to keep your meter topped up and your energy supply running.
You may find that regularly topping up a little extra during the spring and summer months builds enough credit to make the winter months easier.
Related FAQs
Struggling to pay?
If you’re worried about paying your energy bills and struggling to make ends meet, we’re here to help. We can discuss a variety of different options to pay and offer additional support – the most important thing is that you contact us as early as you can. The earlier we hear from you, the sooner we can work with you to help make paying your bill as easy as possible.
It’s easy to get in touch
If you're a domestic customer:
Just give us a call if you're struggling to pay, on 01453 761 350 or freephone 0800 917 9525. We're open from 8.30am – 6pm Monday to Thursday, 8.30am - 5pm Friday and 9:30am - 1pm Saturday.
Send us an email at credit.support@ecotricity.co.uk
Or write to us at Collections Team, Ecotricity, Lion House, Rowcroft, Stroud, GL5 3BY or Collections Team, FREEPOST ECOTRICITY.
If you're a business customer:
Please contact us on 01453 790 255 or at BusinessCredit@ecotricity.co.uk
There are lots of ways we can help
We can set up an interest free payment plan that covers your ongoing monthly energy usage as well as putting something towards the debt. We’ll just need to ask you a few questions to understand your situation and work out something that’s affordable for you.
Switch your meter to Pay As You Go to help you budget and manage your energy usage. We can agree an affordable weekly amount with you to pay back the debt through the meter. Pay As You Go may not be right for you if you rely on energy for things like medical equipment or refrigerated medication.
You can pay your bills directly from your benefits under the Fuel Direct scheme. To find out more, please visit the Government website: Help paying bills using your benefits - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
What will happen if I don’t pay, or I don’t contact you?
If you don’t pay or contact us, the action we may take include:
Escalating your account to a third-party debt collection agency – they’ll contact you on our behalf.
Home visits – we’ll visit you at home and any charges incurred will be passed on to you.
Fitting a Pay As You Go meter - we would obtain a warrant of entry to come and exchange your credit meter for a Pay As You Go meter (whether you’re there or not). There’ll be a charge that will be passed on to you.
Legal action – including obtaining a County Court Judgement which will impact your credit rating. Any charges incurred will be passed on to you. This may mean you will be less likely to be successful in applications for things like mortgages, loans, or mobile phones.
Sharing your data with credit reference agencies – which will impact your credit rating. This may mean you’ll be less likely to be successful in applications for things like mortgages, loans, or mobile phones.
This is why it’s really important that you get in touch – we’re here to help.
Frequently asked questions
Saving Energy
For energy advice which can help you to reduce your bills or help you be more energy efficient:
What if I can’t afford to pay my monthly energy usage?
There are still things we can do to help – please contact us so we can work together to come to a suitable resolution.
What if I can pay my monthly energy usage but I can’t afford to pay anything towards the debt?
Please continue to pay your monthly energy usage and contact us so that we can discuss options for your debt.
I’m no longer a customer of Ecotricity but I owe money on my final bill. What help is there for me?
If we no longer supply energy to you but you owe money on your final bill, we can set up an interest-free payment plan for you to pay the debt off in manageable instalments. We’ll just need to ask you a few questions to understand your situation and work out something that’s affordable for you.
What happens if my Direct Debit is returned unpaid?
We’ll always attempt a second collection, usually between 5 to 10 working days later. If the Direct Debit fails a second time, your direct debit will be automatically cancelled and no further payments will be taken. It’s important for you to contact us if you know you’re struggling and can’t pay your bill or arrangement. We can then discuss what to do and support you further.
What will you do with the information I provide?
Please read our Privacy Policy.
I’m a Pay As You Go customer and I’m struggling to top up
If you’re unable to top up due to financial difficulties, please call us on 01453 761350 or 0800 917 9525. We’ll need to ask you a few questions to understand your situation and work out your options.
If you’re using a food bank you may be given a fuel voucher. You can take the voucher to a shop with a PayPoint machine to top up your key/card – find your nearest shop here: Find your local PayPoint store. If you have a Pay As You Go Smart top up card, you’ll need to call us to use the voucher on 0345 812 4444 or freephone 0800 917 9525
Emergency credit on your Pay As You Go meter
There is an emergency credit of £10 that allows you to keep your power on even when your balance has run out.
How to use emergency credit on your Pay As You Go meter (Non-Smart)
If your meter runs out of credit, your electricity and gas will switch off. For this reason, we recommend you always keep a £10 float on your meter. For those rare times when it does happen, an emergency credit facility allows you to borrow £10 to see you through until you can get to a top up outlet to purchase more credit.
If you need emergency credit, just insert your key into the meter, press the meter display button and follow the instructions to activate your emergency credit. Once it’s activated, the meter will display an “E”. Using emergency credit regularly isn’t recommended – it should only be used in an emergency.
Debt repayment or standing charges are NOT collected from emergency credit. So, when you next top-up you’ll need to top-up the amount of emergency credit used, plus any outstanding debt or standing charges to get your meter back into credit. Display B will show you how much to top-up to clear what’s owed. If you don’t top-up enough after using your emergency credit, your electricity and gas will remain off.
How to use emergency credit on your PAYG Smart Meter
If you’ve got a Smart Meter you’ll have access to something called friendly credit during times we’re not open, or are closing soon – for more information, visit Help with Pay As You Go
Topping up in the summer to avoid standing charge build up
Please remember to keep topping up your meter during the summer months to avoid standing charge build up. Otherwise, if you only start topping up in the winter months, you’ll need to repay the amount that’s built up and this will impact the amount of energy you have available when you really need it.
Organisations that may be able to support you further
MoneyHelper
MoneyHelper provides access to free, confidential and independent advice straight away for customers who live in England and are not already in a debt solution.
You won’t need to pay for the advice you receive and speaking to them won’t affect your credit rating.
By contacting us, we can get you immediate telephone support with a Moneyhelper adviser following a call with one of the Ecotricity team on 01453 761350 or freephone 0800 917 9525.
If you’d prefer to submit your own details for an immediate or scheduled call-back from a debt adviser or to be connected with an online self-help tool, please visit https://adviser.moneyhelper.org.uk
Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB)
Your local CAB can give you advice about ways to manage your debts and other legal matters:
England & Scotland Consumer Service: 0808 223 1133
Wales Consumer Service Welsh Speaking: 0808 223 1144
The Citizens Advice website also has lots of great advice.
StepChange Debt Charity
StepChange is the UK’s largest debt charity, offering free, independent advice. Give them a call free on
0800 138 1111 or visit stepchange.org
National Debtline
The National Debtline charity also offers free, independent advice. Give them a call on 0808 808 4000 or visit nationaldebtline.org
Charis Grants
Call 01733 421021 or visit charisgrants.com to check that you’re getting everything you’re entitled to. They may be able to offer grants to help clear some of your debts too.
Turn2us
Turn2us is a national charity that helps people in financial hardship gain access to welfare benefits, charitable grants and support services. Visit their website at turn2us.org.uk.
Scope
Scope offer free energy advice to disabled people, helping them to manage their energy needs, as well as practical advice and emotional support through their helpline, online community and advice and support pages.
We do everything we can to ensure that your account runs as smoothly as possible – after all we’re all working together to achieve our mission of creating a greener Britain!
We know however that sometimes things do go wrong. All of our Direct Debits are protected by the Direct Debit Guarantee which means that if we’ve taken a Direct Debit from you in error, you’ll be entitled to an immediate refund of that amount from your bank. This means that you’re not out of pocket while things are sorted out.
If you feel that you’re paying too much or too little for your energy, please let us know. We review your Direct Debit payments regularly, and as long as we’ve had regular meter readings from you then it will cover your usage as accurately as possible.
Gas top up card
To top up your Pay As You Go gas meter you’ll need to have a card to add the credit. If you’ve got a smart meter you won’t need one and can top up online or over the phone.
If this is for a traditional meter, we’ll need to send you a new card. These are sent first class, but may still take a day or two to get to you. There may also be a fee to have the card replaced.
If you don’t have any credit on your meter at all – including emergency credit that you could access without the card – and are off supply for gas, then we might need to arrange for an engineer to visit your property and add some credit to your meter as a loan until your card arrives.
If you have credit on your meter, try and make this last until your new gas card arrives.
For us to send you a new card we’ll need to have some details from you:
❯ We’ll need the Meter Serial Number (or MSN)
❯ We may need to have some displays taken from the meter as well. You’ll be able to see a guide on how to get these here so that you can have them ready when you contact us.
If we need to send an engineer to your property, we need to know what these meter displays are, so please take them before you call us. If you need a hand taking the displays make sure that you’re near the meter when you call us, and we can talk you through it.
Electricity top up key
If you have a traditional Pay As You Go electricity meter you’ll need a key to top it up. If you’ve got a smart meter you can top up without one!
To have a new key issued you’ll need to contact us, but there are a few things we’ll need to have from you when you call us.
We need you to confirm your Meter Serial Number (or MSN). It’s usually found on the front of the meter under a barcode. We need this so that we can make sure that the key we’ll be sending you is going to work in your meter.
If you have enough credit to last you a couple of days, we can send you a new key in the post.
If you think that you’ll run out of credit before this has a chance to arrive, we can arrange for you to pick a new key up at a local shop.
When you call us, we’ll give you specific instructions about how to collect a new key. One of the things we’ll give you will be an eight-digit code, so be sure to have a pen and paper to hand to make a note of it.
We don’t produce our own Ecotricity branded keys, so we have an agreement with other energy suppliers to use theirs.
❯ The best key to get is an Eon or npower key because they’ll work better with your meter and our services
❯ British Gas keys may not work at all, and if they do may only work once – please only use one of these in an emergency and let us know right away so that we can arrange for a key to be sent out to you
❯ Any other key will work, but may take longer to add the credit to the meter – so try to get an Eon or npower one.
As you can see, replacing a key can be quite a lengthy process, so it’s important that you look after your current key. Avoid it getting dirty or wet and try your best to not lose it. On top of that we may charge you for getting a new one.
Please also remember that the key is only to be used with your particular meter, and so if you move out please leave the key for the next person responsible for the bills.
If you’ve paid your bill and the payment isn’t showing up there can be a few good reasons for that. If you’ve got a Pay As You Go smart meter we’ve got a separate guide to help you find out why your top up isn’t showing.
See our guide article I've topped up but there's no credit on my meter.
If you’ve made a payment then it’s just a case of waiting for it to show up on our system, so nothing to worry about. Card payments, Direct Debits and bank transfers will show on your account by the end of the next working day – so for bank holidays and weekends this might take a little longer to appear.
If you’ve sent in a cheque it can take up to five working days from when we receive it for the payment to clear.
If you’ve paid in cash at a PayPoint using the barcode on your bill, or at a Post Office using your Post Office Payment card, this can take up to 10 working days to reach us. Because they take so long, we recommend that you make these payments as soon as you can once you’ve got your bill so that the payment doesn’t reach us late.
Smart meters
If you’ve made a payment on our automated phone line, the app, or the online account, then the credit can take up to 30 minutes to be added to your meter – although usually it happens straight away.
If you’ve been given a receipt it means that your payment has been successful. On the receipt you’ll see a 20-digit Vend Code which you can use to top up your meter manually.
If you’ve made a top up but your payment wasn’t taken, then you may need to check your bank account to ensure you had funds to cover it. If you were given an error message it may have been that our service was interrupted, and you just need to try again.
If you’re still having difficulty, then please contact us as we may be able to help.
Traditional meters
If you’ve topped up your electricity key or gas card, put it in your meter, but the credit hasn’t appeared there are a few reasons why this could be. If you’ve tried all of these things but your top up still isn’t being added to your meter, there’s no power or an error message is appearing, please get in touch with us. We may need to send out an engineer so please make sure you’re going to be in for the next few hours.
1. The key or card could need a quick clean. Use a soft cloth to wipe your key or card and try putting it back in the meter.
2. If that didn’t work, it could be that there’s something in the key or card slot. Try blowing gently into the slot to clear any dust.
3. If that still hasn’t worked, you should check to see if you topped up enough to allow the credit to come back on. If you’ve used the emergency credit on your meter, you need to pay that back in full before you can access it again. Your top up could have been added to your meter, but was used to pay back your emergency credit.
4. If you’ve not used any energy for a while, there could be a build-up of daily standing charge. The standing charge is a small payment collected from your meter every day which goes towards the cost of actually getting the energy from the grid into your home. As this is collected every day, you should keep your meter topped up for this payment to be collected from, even if you’re not using any energy. Your top up could have been added to your meter, but it was used to pay back the standing charge that had built up.
5. You can check the balance on your meter by pressing the A button. If it’s still below zero, you may need to top up some more.
If you’ve tried all of these things but your top up still isn’t being added to your meter, there’s no power or an error message is appearing, please get in touch with us. We may need to send out an engineer so please make sure you’re going to be in for the next few hours.
A standing charge is the daily amount that you pay to us which covers the cost of getting the energy from the National Grid into your home. Our energy tariffs are made up of the unit rate (the amount you pay per unit of energy you use) and the standing charge.
The cost of your standing charge is made up of things like upkeep for the power and gas lines that make up the Grid, and ensuring that your meters are maintained.
Standing charges are payable if you have a meter installed at your property, even if you’re not using that meter at the time. If you have a Pay As You Go account with us, it’s important you keep some credit on your meter at all times. The standing charge comes off your meter daily, even if you’re not home or not using any energy.
Yes, you can! If you are on one of our Fixed tariffs you can do this at the end of the fixed period (we’ll contact you in advance to let you know what your options are). If you are on one of our other tariffs, you can change tariff at any time. As long as the meters that you’ve got in your home support the tariff that you’d like to move to, then all we need from you is a meter reading and to know which tariff you’d like to be on.
Currently we have fixed tariffs (where your price per unit is guaranteed for a certain period of time), standard tariffs (where you pay the same price per unit no matter what time of day it is), and Economy 7 tariffs (where you pay a different price per unit during on and off-peak times) – although there are some exceptions for some of our Scottish customers.
Traditional Pay As You Go: Pay As You Go standard or Economy 7
Traditional credit meter with one register: Fixed tariff or Standard tariff
Traditional credit meter with more than one register: Fixed tariff, standard tariff or Economy 7
Smart Pay As You Go: Pay As You Go - we can switch the meter to credit mode if you successfully pass a credit check. We may even be able to change the meter between standard and Economy 7 settings.
Smart credit meter: For a lot of customers, we can change the meter between fixed tariff, Economy 7 and standard, but this is dependent on the make and model of the meter you have. We’ll need to investigate it for you. We can also change the meter to Pay as You Go mode if you’d like us to.
Paper bills
• We’d love to send all of our customers their bills online so we can carry on with our mission to make the world a much greener place! However, we appreciate that sometimes you’ll need a paper copy of your bill, so we’ll always give you the option to have a printed bill sent to you – just get in touch to arrange this.
App bills
• To view your bills on the app you’ll need to go to the history section where you’ll see all of them in order of most recent at the top, to the oldest at the bottom. Simply click on the bill that you’d like to view, and you’ll see a summary of it. This will show you the cost of energy that you’ve used, the date that the bill was produced and the address that we’ve sent the bill to. If you click on ‘View bill’ you’ll be shown a PDF version of the bill that you can then save or share however you’d like.
Online bills
• If you’re viewing your bill on the online account, then just click on the ‘My bills’ tab in the menu. You’ll be shown a list of the last 12 months of your bills and can view a PDF version of them. You might want to download them and keep them for future reference so that you can monitor your energy usage.
How to view your account activity in the Ecotricity App
If you’re not sure what some of the things on your bill are, take a look at this guide on how to read your bill. If you still don’t think your bill is correct there are several things it could be. Here are the more common ones:
1. Did you give us a meter reading?
• If we don’t receive a reading, then we estimate your usage. We could’ve over or underestimated how much energy you’ve used.
• If you give us a reading now, we’ll be able to use it for your next bill to ensure that it’s more accurate.
• If you’re not sure how to then we’ve got some handy guides on how to read your meter, and how and when to give us a reading.
• If you’d like us to revise your current bill, please get in touch with an accurate reading.
2. Did you give us an incorrect meter reading?
• If you’ve sent us a reading and it isn’t the right one, then we’ll change our records for your account. We’ll need you to send us a photo of the meter so that we can double check your meter reading and send you an accurate bill.
3. Is your meter reading higher than you think it should be?
• We’ve got some great advice on how to save money on your energy bills which you may want to look at to be more efficient at home.
• If you’re already careful about how much energy you use and still feel that your bill isn’t right, then please get in touch so that we can look into it.
4. Is the balance of your bill higher than usual?
• It might be that we’ve been estimating your usage for a while and have now had an accurate reading from you which was higher than our estimates. It’s really important that we get accurate readings from you to stop this happening as it can be hard to make a larger payment sometimes.
• If your bill is higher than usual and you’d like to discuss some ways that we can work together to help you pay the bill, please get in touch.
5. Are the dates on your bill wrong?
• Maybe you’ve moved in or out of your home and haven’t told us yet. In that case we’ll need to revise your bill for you. To amend the dates on your account we’ll need to see a copy of your tenancy agreement or a document showing your completion date.
• Please send it to us and we’ll correct the bill – don’t worry, just a photo will do – we don’t need the original!
6. Have you been billed on the incorrect tariff?
• If that’s the case, then we’d really like to know so that we can put you on the right tariff. If you’d like to change your tariff, all we need from you is a meter reading and to know which tariff you’d like to be on.
• Please remember that some meters will only support certain tariffs, and so if you’d like to switch to one that your meter won’t support, you’ll need to talk to us about changing your meter.
7. Have you only been billed for one fuel?
• There could be a lot of reasons for that, especially if you’ve only just switched to us. Please get in touch and let us know if this is the case – it’s helpful if you can send us a photo of the meter that we’ve not billed you for, to help us look into this for you.
Make a one-off payment
Visit your online account to make a one-off payment by card
To pay by phone, call our automated 24-hour payment line.
For home: 01453 488101
For business: 0333 3444 149
Set up a Direct Debit
Click the button to set up fixed or variable Direct Debit payments.
Can't find an answer to your question?
Send an email to home@ecotricity.co.uk, our average response time for email and app queries is 2 working days.
If you would like to speak with someone, give us a call on 0345 555 7 100
Alternatively, if you are a business customer, please contact business@ecotricity.co.uk
Between 9am – 7pm Monday to Friday
9am – 1pm Saturdays
Prefer to phone a landline? Call 01453 761482
Smell gas? Call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999