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Find help and advice from Ecotricity’s customer support team and our contact details if you need to get in touch.
Most popular FAQs
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.
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.
Once you’ve taken your meter reading, you need to send it to us so we can produce an accurate bill for you. The best way to send us your readings is through your online account or through our app. We’ll send you an email when we need a meter reading from you, and you’ll have five days to send us your reading. If we don’t receive a meter reading in that time, we’ll estimate your bill.
1. Go to online.ecotricity.co.uk or open the app on your smartphone or tablet.
2. Using the menu bar press Enter Reading.
3. Using the boxes provided enter the numbers from your meter. If you’re unsure how to read your meter, see the sections below on How to read your traditional meter or How to read your smart meter. If you have more than one meter, on the app you’ll need to scroll down to enter readings for your other meters, and on the desktop version you’ll need to go to the other tab.
4. Once you’ve put the readings in, press Submit and you’ll be asked to confirm them. Please double check your meter readings because we’ll use them to produce your bill!
Further support
If for reasons of health you are unable to read your meter, we can arrange to help you. Please call us on 0345 555 7 100 for further information.
How to submit a meter reading in the Ecotricity app
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.
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 two ways you can top up your meter - if you live somewhere with bad signal, read our guide on “How to manually add credit to your smart meter”
Top up online
1. Log in to either the app or our online account and press ‘Top up’.
2. If you’ve already added your payment card to your account, you can choose it from the list that we’ll show you – otherwise just select ‘Add new card’
3. Choose the amount you’d like to top up. If you have both electricity and gas, you can choose which meter you’d like to top up and how much on each one
4. Then just pop in your card’s security code and we’ll process your payment
5. You’ll get a receipt that will include a 20 digit vend code, which will allow you to add the credit yourself if you need to add it manually.
6. The credit should be added to your meter immediately but can occasionally take up to 30 minutes. If you’re off supply and need to add the credit manually, then see our guide How to manually add credit to your smart meter above.
Top up using the automated phone line
If you don’t have access to the internet, we have a dedicated automated phone line for topping up smart meters.
1. Simply call 0345 812 4444 – once you’re connected you’ll be asked whether you’re calling to top up your meter, or to get the vend code for your last top up. We’ll always ask if you’d like us to text you the vend code at no charge, so you have a record of your top ups to hand!
2. You’ll then be asked which meter you’d like to top up. If you have both gas and electricity with us we’ll top them both up, just pick the one that you’d like to top up first. You’ll then need to type in the details for your credit or debit card into the handset, so make sure you have that to hand before you call.
3. The credit should be added to your meter immediately but can occasionally take up to 30 minutes. If you’re off supply and need to add the credit manually, then see our guide on How to manually add your credit to your smart meter above.
How to top up your smart pay as you go meter in the Ecotricity App
The Warm Home Discount scheme is a programme run by the government and large energy suppliers to help households living in or at risk of fuel poverty.
The scheme launched in April 2011 as a means to give vulnerable households money off their energy bills.
It was initially due to run until the end of 2016 but has now been extended to 2021.
If you qualify for a Warm Home Discount Scheme payment, it won’t affect your Cold Weather Payment or Winter Fuel Payment.
Does Ecotricity participate in the Warm Home Discount Scheme?
Yes. New guidance from the government and Ofgem means that energy companies with over 150,000 customers now take part in the scheme, so all eligible customers on electricity supply with us are entitled to receive Warm Home Discount payments.
Eligible customers will automatically receive Warm Home Discount Scheme credit on their bill to help with the cost of heating and powering their home. Eligibility is determined by the government and includes customers who receive the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit. To find out if you are eligible, check out the DWP Warm Home Discount Scheme website.
How to get help if you’re struggling to pay your energy bills
If you’re finding it difficult to pay your energy bills, the best thing to do is to get in touch with us as early as you can on 0345 555 7 100. We’ll do everything we can to make paying your bill as easy as possible for you.
BT Text Relay Service
So that we can offer the best customer service to our customers with hearing or speech impairments, we’re implementing BT Text Relay Service which offers text-to-speech and speech-to-text translation service as part of our overall commitment to supporting those customers who need extra support.
How do I access the BT Text Relay Service?
This service can be used on your (smart) mobile phone or tablet. You just need to download the app on the Apple App Store (for iPhone or iPad) and at Google Play (for Android devices)
You can also download the app to your computer here.
Scope
We’re committed to offering the best customer service to all of our disabled customers, so we’ve partnered with Scope, the disability equality charity. 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.
There are lots of ways we can help if you ever have trouble paying your energy bills. The best thing to do is to get in touch with us as early as you can – we’re always really happy to help. We’ll discuss your options, and we’ll do everything we can to make paying your bill as easy as possible for you.
So, if you think you might have a problem paying, just give us a call on 01453 761 350. We're open from 8.30am – 7pm Monday to Thursday, 8.30am - 6pm Friday and 9am - 4pm Saturday.
How we can help
There are lots of reasons why someone might have trouble paying a bill – so we make sure we have lots of options for you to choose from too.
These include:
❯ Finding a different payment method that better suits how you manage your bills
❯ Agreeing a simple payment arrangement to cover outstanding bills and future usage
❯ Switching your meter to Pay As You Go – so you can better budget and manage your energy usage
❯ Providing you with advice on how you can reduce your energy bills – for some energy saving hints and tips, check out our energy efficiency advice page or the Energy Saving Trust
❯ Arranging for you to pay for your energy directly through your benefits, under the Fuel Direct scheme.
Get independent advice
If you want to get some independent help and advice, there are lots of organisations that provide support too. Here’s a summary of the main ones:
Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB)
Your local CAB can give you advice about ways to manage your debts – just pop in to see them. To find your local CAB, go to citizensadvice.org.uk. Their website has loads of great advice too.
StepChange Debt Charity
StepChange is the UK’s largest debt charity, offering free, independent advice. Give them a call for free on 0800 138 1111 or take a look at their website at stepchange.org.
National Debtline
The National Debtline charity also offers free, independent advice. Give them a call on 0808 808 4000 or visit their website at 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.
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