Updated on 20/01/25 by Emmanuelle_OVO:
If you’re a pay as you go customer whose vulnerable or relies on your supply for mains powered electrical equipment (supply critical customers) & we’ve been trying to reach you it may be because you’ve not topped up in a while & might be without power. If we aren’t able to get in touch we will send a visitor (after 72 hours of being off supply) to check in and talk about how we can help.
We also want you to know that if you can’t afford to top up, we’re here to help. Don’t worry
if this doesn’t apply to you – we just want to make sure that anyone who needs support gets it quickly.
These topics may be helpful:
Quick hints and tricks to see if you can get back on supply yourself! - Is my gas supply actually off? & Is my electricity supply actually off?
Click on the link for Pay As You Go Smart Meter off supply?
Pay As You Go Smart Meter with top up issues?
Need financial support or questions about your debt balance? Get advice here
Off Supply- Frequently asked questions
We understand that it can be worrying going off supply, so we’ve created this helpful guide answering your frequently asked questions about this topic.
If your question isn’t included, you can chat to us here – click the green chat icon at the bottom right of your screen. Or call us on 0330 175 9669 and we’ll be able to help. We’re here to help anytime from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday and 8am to 2pm on Saturday.
If you’re off supply on the weekend you can still contact our social media team on Facebook or Twitter, they can still arrange an emergency appointment if needed, even on the weekend.
If I’ve been disconnected because my credit ran out, how do I reconnect my supply again after I top up?
Once you’ve topped up enough to bring your balance above zero, you can reconnect your meter. You can find out ways to top up your Pay As You Go (PAYG) Smart Meter here.
If you have a first generation smart meter
For safety reasons, you’ll have to reconnect your meter manually. If you're reconnecting your gas meter, make sure all gas appliances are off before you start.
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Press any button on the keypad of your meter
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Then wait for the OFF message to change to READY (this can take up to 30 minutes)
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Next, you can press A, then B, to reconnect
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Then your meter will say ON
With a second generation smart meter using your Chameleon Smart In-Home Display (IHD6):
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From the home screen, press OK
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Press the right arrow twice, until you see 'Activate electricity supply’
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Press OK
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If you have an Aclara second generation meter and a Flonidan gas meter:
Your electricity meter will have two buttons, A and B, rather than a keypad.
For electricity:
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Once you’ve topped up, press and hold the A and B buttons on your electricity meter at the same time, for about 10 seconds.
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You should hear a clicking noise when your supply returns
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If it doesn’t work the first time, wait a couple of minutes before trying again
If you’re still having trouble, you can try adding your top-up manually.
For gas:
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Once you’ve topped up, press any button on your gas meter
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Your meter will automatically begin reconnecting
If it doesn’t reconnect, check all your gas appliances are switched off, then try again.
Youtube tutorials for re-enabling meters:
(Aclara SMETS2 Gas)
(Aclara SMETS2 Electricity)
(Elster Meter Electricity)
(Elster Meter Gas)
(Secure Meter Electricity)
(Secure Meter Gas)
(Landis & Gyr Electricity)
(Landis & Gyr Gas)
(EDMI Meter Gas)
(EDMI Meter Electricity)
Need some more information about your smart meter? Check out the following smart meter manuals:
What happens if I have a Pay As You Go meter that runs out of credit?
Your meter(s) will warn you when your balance is running low. To top up, use your OVO Energy Top-up app, go online or visit a local PayPoint shop.
It’s important to know that, if you don’t add credit in time, you could lose power when your credit reaches £0. If this ever happens, each meter has £15 credit to keep you going in emergencies or until you can next top up. Any emergency credit you use will be repaid out of your next top up.
If your emergency credit runs out and you can’t afford to top up, please chat with us here. Just click the green chat icon at the bottom right of your screen. Or call us on 0330 175 9669 – we can help.
What to do in a power cut
Power cut helpline number: 105
Power cuts usually don’t last long, but if it lasts for more than a few hours call the Power Cut Helpline on 105 to speak to your Distribution Network Operator (DNO). They’re responsible for problems with the cables supplying electricity to your home.
Before you call:
- Check your trip switch to make sure there’s not a fault with your wiring or electrical items
- See if your neighbors have power. If they don’t, it’s likely there’s a problem with the local network
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.
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 Pay As You Go Forum category.
There are also tons of helpful resources and information available on our OVO Help pages.
If you or anyone in your household is vulnerable, or just needs a little extra assistance at a difficult time in your lives, our Priority Services Register is a free support service you might find useful.
Struggling with your energy bills? Our Winter Support Package might be helpful to you.
