Pay As You Go
(PAYG)
Pay As You Go (PAYG) is a simple and efficient way to manage what you’re spending. You add credit to your account before you use the heating and hot water and you can top up at any time over the phone or online.
Is PAYG right for you?
The easiest way to pay is by Direct Debit, which automatically handles your payments each month.
For more control, PAYG lets you manage your heating and hot water spending by paying in advance, avoiding unexpected bills.
PAYG might not be suitable if you need constant heat or have trouble topping up.
Customers who have payment difficulties sometimes use a PAYG meter as a way to better manage their finances. If you’re experiencing any difficulties with paying your bills or topping up, then let us know as soon as possible and we’ll see what we can do to help.
How does it work?
You add credit to your meter to pay for your heat and hot water. As you use them, the credit decreases. If the credit runs out, your supply will be disconnected until you add more.
A daily standing charge is also deducted from your credit (Direct Debit customers also pay the daily standing charge). Keep your meter in credit to avoid interruptions and prevent debt from building up.
Important Information
Heat unit rate
The rate for heat is the same for both PAYG and Direct Debit customers. PAYG does not cost more.
Standing charge
This daily charge is applied to your meter regardless of whether you use heat and hot water or not, therefore an outstanding balance can build up that will need to be paid. This charge helps cover the costs of buying, maintaining, and managing the heat network, community heat hub and equipment. This cost is the same for both PAYG and Direct Debit customers.
How to top up
You can top up at any time over the phone or online. If you live on our King’s Cross network, you can also use a payzone card.
- Phone (automated): We have an automated top up service available 24/7 on 02920 100346
- Phone (call centre): If you prefer to speak to someone, we are open 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 1pm on Saturday.
- Website: You can top up in your online account – using your credit or debit card
It can take up to three hours for the updated balance to appear on your account once you’ve topped up. You can see your account balance by checking the Heat Interface Unit in your home, logging into your online account or giving us a call. We’ll also send you an annual statement.
Low
credit
When your balance falls below a certain value, you will be reminded to top up; your meter will either make a beeping sound or the light will change to red when you run out.
Emergency credit
If you run out of credit and can’t top up, you can use “emergency credit” to keep your heat and hot water for a short time. If you use all the emergency credit, the supply will disconnect.
This borrowed credit must be repaid when you next top up. Your account must have credit to reconnect your supply.
For more information, please get in touch.
Friendly
credit
(where applicable)
There are certain times of the day where we won’t disconnect you if you run out of credit and you will instead go into ‘friendly credit’.
Your meter will still record what you’re using, and you’ll need to pay for that when you next top up.
If you don’t top up before the end of the friendly credit period, your heating and hot water supply will stop.
For more information, please get in touch.
Moving home
If you move into a new home and there is no heating and hot water available, it may be because the meter has been set to PAYG. Just give us a call or register online and the heating and hot water supply should become available once you top up or set up a Direct Debit.
If you’re moving out, please let us know your move date so that we don’t ask you to pay for the daily standing charge after you’ve moved out.