Updated on 16/06/26 by Abby_OVO
What is fail safe mode?
Fail safe mode stops your meter from switching off during the night. This means you have a constant supply of electricity even if there’s not enough credit on the meter. You may have also heard this referred to as “non disconnect period”. You do still need a small amount of credit on the meter for the fail safe mode to kick in.
You shouldn’t lose power during the following times, as long as you have credit on your meter when they begin:
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Between 6pm and 9am on weekdays
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From 6pm on Friday until 9am on Monday
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Christmas day
If you’ve run out of credit, you’ll need to top up before these periods are over to avoid losing power.
How do I know how much electricity I’ve used while I’ve been in fail safe mode?
Any electricity used during fail safe mode will show as debt the following morning. You’ll be able to see the amount showing on the meter, and the word “debt” in small writing above it. With the key in the meter you can also tap the blue button to get to display B. This will show the amount in whole pounds, for example, £3.50 debt would show as B £4.
Don’t worry, you don’t need to remember when fail safe mode runs. 10 minutes after fail safe mode ends, the meter will beep for 20 seconds to let you know that you’re due to run out of credit, and go off supply. Then, you’ll need to top up your meter with more credit to clear the debt and get back onto supply.
We have a great topic about topping up here on the Forum:
If it’s not a good time for you to top up, you can activate your emergency credit, if you’ve not already used it. To do so, insert the key. When you next top up, you’ll need to pay back the front screen debt and the emergency credit.
How do I top up when in fail safe mode?
If you’re currently in fail safe mode, you’ll need to check how much is owed by inserting your key into the meter and tapping the blue button to see the debt amount screen B. It’s worth bearing in mind that you’ll need to be at least £1 in credit following the top up, so we’d recommend topping up a minimum of £1 more than what’s shown on the B screen.
If you have a traditional gas meter
Unfortunately, non-disconnect hours don’t cover traditional gas meters. But smart meters offer non-disconnect hours for both gas and electricity. You can find out more about smart meters and getting them installed here.
What support does OVO have available to support customers?
If you or anyone in your home is vulnerable, or just needs a little extra help, our Priority Services Register is a free support service you might find useful.
If you’re not sure Pay As You Go is right for you, and are interested in switching to pay monthly you can contact the Pay As You Go Support Team.
Struggling with your energy bills? Our Customer Support Package might be helpful to you.
For more information about support OVO can provide please check out helpful FAQ:
Got a question about your Pay As You Go energy use, top-ups, keys, cards, or anything else? Why not see if you can find the answers in our dedicated PAYG Forum category.
There are also tons of helpful resources and information available on our OVO Help pages.
Need more help?
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