5

Emergency credit

Activates at £2 balance or less

1

Minimum top-up

Payzone, PayPoint, Post Office

No fee

Exit charge

Switch supplier any day

0330 100 0303

PAYG team

Mon-Fri 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

British Gas PAYG at a glance

Tariff name
Safeguard PAYG
Supplier
British Gas Trading Ltd
Tariff type
Variable prepayment
Contract length
No fixed term
Exit fee
£0
Cap regime
Ofgem Default Tariff Cap (PPM)
Cap period
1 April 2026 - 30 June 2026
Electricity unit rate
24.32p / kWh
Electricity standing charge
53.32p / day
Gas unit rate
5.99p / kWh
Gas standing charge
31.99p / day
Emergency credit
£5
Friendly Credit
Yes (overnight + Sun + bank hol)
Minimum top-up
£1
PAYG support line
0330 100 0303

Is British Gas Pay As You Go for me?

British Gas Pay As You Go is a prepayment tariff: you load credit onto a card, key or smart meter before you can use any gas or electricity. It suits households who want strict spending control, who do not qualify for direct-debit billing because of credit history, who are repaying an energy debt to British Gas, or whose property already has a prepayment meter fitted (the most common reason in private-rented homes).

Roughly 4 million UK households are on a prepayment meter at any given time, and British Gas serves more than 700,000 of them - by some distance the largest PAYG customer base in the country. If you cannot pass a credit check when applying for British Gas, the supplier will automatically place you on the Safeguard PAYG tariff. You always retain the right under Ofgem rules to ask for a switch to credit billing once you have built a payment record - see moving off prepayment below.

Following the 2023 Times investigation into the forced installation of prepayment meters, Ofgem placed a moratorium on warrant-based PPM installs and British Gas paid £1.48 million in compensation to affected customers. Forced PPM fittings now require an enhanced vulnerability assessment and Ofgem permission. Households with a child under 5, a person over 75, or anyone with a chronic medical condition are excluded altogether.

How to get the British Gas Pay As You Go tariff

You need a prepayment meter at your address. There are two routes:

  • You already have a prepayment meter: sign up online or call British Gas - the switch usually completes within 5 to 14 working days under the Faster Switching service ;
  • You have a credit meter: ask British Gas to fit a prepayment meter, or to put your existing smart meter into prepayment mode. A standard non-smart prepayment meter installation may carry a small fee ; a smart meter is normally fitted free.

The Safeguard PAYG tariff explained

The British Gas Safeguard PAYG is the supplier's only prepayment tariff. It is a variable tariff: the unit rate and standing charge can change at each Ofgem price-cap review (every three months, on 1 January, 1 April, 1 July and 1 October). All prepayment customers pay the same rate regardless of whether they have a smart or a traditional meter.

Since 1 April 2023 the prepayment cap has been aligned with the standard direct-debit cap, so PAYG customers no longer pay the historic prepayment premium. The current Ofgem cap period (1 April 2026 - 30 June 2026) puts the typical annual dual-fuel bill at £1,641 for a direct-debit household. British Gas PAYG sits within a few tenths of a penny of that benchmark.

Current rates (June 2026)

British Gas Safeguard PAYG vs. Standard Variable Tariff unit rates and standing charges, 1 April 2026 - 30 June 2026
FuelComponentPAYG (Safeguard)Standard direct debitDifference
ElectricityUnit rate24.32p / kWh24.67p / kWh-0.35p
Standing charge53.32p / day57.21p / day-3.89p
GasUnit rate5.99p / kWh5.74p / kWh+0.25p
Standing charge31.99p / day29.09p / day--2.90p

Single-rate indicative prices for a typical dual-fuel household, exc. VAT (5% added at billing). Sources: British Gas published price list and Ofgem Default Tariff Cap for the period 1 April 2026 - 30 June 2026. Rates reviewed every three months ; always check britishgas.co.uk or your in-home display for the live rate.

What does it cost over a year?

Applied to Ofgem's typical-domestic consumption values (TDCV) of 2,700 kWh electricity and 11,500 kWh gas a year, the British Gas Safeguard PAYG tariff comes out at:

British Gas PAYG annual cost at Ofgem typical consumption
FuelAnnual usageAnnual cost (exc. VAT)
Electricity2,700 kWh£851.26
Gas11,500 kWh£805.61
Dual fuel total-£1,656.87

Calculation: (unit rate × annual kWh) + (standing charge × 365 days). Excludes 5% VAT. Your actual bill depends on your real consumption ; submit a meter reading or use the in-home display to track usage.

The tariff has no exit fee and no fixed term, so you can switch to any other supplier at any time. Smaller suppliers (Utilita, Ovo Boost, Octopus PAYG) occasionally offer fixed prepayment deals that beat Safeguard PAYG by £30 to £80 per year ; run a Selectra comparison on your real annual kWh before deciding.

How the PAYG cap has evolved

For more than a decade, prepayment customers paid a structural premium over direct-debit households. Ofgem and the Treasury have closed that gap through a sequence of reforms since 2017:

Evolution of the UK prepayment meter price cap, 2017 to 2026
DatePolicy changeEffect on PAYG customers
Apr 2017First Ofgem Prepayment Meter cap introduced.Capped PPM standing charge and unit rates ; ended runaway pricing.
Jan 2019Default Tariff Cap launched alongside the PPM cap.Direct-debit households joined the regulated regime ; PPM still paid a premium.
Apr 2022Wholesale-price crisis, PPM premium widens to roughly £258 / yr.PAYG households disproportionately hit by gas-market spike.
Apr 2023Energy Price Guarantee aligns PPM unit rate with the standard tariff.PAYG premium eliminated ; same unit rate as direct-debit households.
Apr 2024Ofgem “levelisation” partially shifts standing charges off PPM bills.PAYG standing charge slightly lower than direct-debit for electricity ; gas roughly equal.
Q2 2026Cap re-set at £1,641 typical annual dual-fuel bill.British Gas PAYG indicative rates: 24.32p / 5.99p per kWh.

In practical terms, this means PAYG households on Safeguard now pay broadly the same per kWh as a direct-debit customer on the Standard Variable Tariff. The remaining cost difference is on standing charges - and even that gap has shrunk to under 4p a day since Ofgem's 2024 levelisation step.

Smart Pay As You Go

If British Gas has fitted a SMETS2 smart meter in prepayment mode at your address, you become a Smart Pay As You Go customer. Pricing is identical to the legacy Safeguard PAYG (same unit rate, same standing charge, same Ofgem cap), but the customer experience is much closer to direct-debit billing:

  • Top up online, in the app, by phone or in a shop - no need to carry a card or key ;
  • Apple Pay and Google Pay supported in the British Gas app ;
  • Live balance and usage shown on the in-home display (IHD) and in the app ;
  • Low-credit alerts by SMS or push notification ;
  • Auto top-up (recurring £10 to £50 each week) once you have set a payment card ;
  • Top-up history for the last 12 months stored in your account.

British Gas no longer charges to swap a traditional prepayment meter for a smart SMETS2 model. Book the change-over online in My Account or call 0333 202 9802. Engineer slots are typically 2 to 6 weeks. Full top-up instructions are in our dedicated British Gas top-up guide.

Cards, keys and how to use them

If you are on a traditional (non-smart) prepayment meter, British Gas issues you with a Pay As You Go card (for gas) or key (for electricity). Each one carries a unique 19-digit number and your customer reference - keep that number safe in case you need a replacement.

Lost or damaged? Call 0330 100 0303. Replacements are free: posted within 3 working days or available the same day from a Payzone outlet (for gas cards ; electricity keys need a reference number from British Gas first).

New cards or keys must be activated before you can use them. Slot the card or key into the meter for about one minute, then remove it. It is now paired with your meter and ready to load credit at any Payzone or Post Office.

All the ways to top up a British Gas meter

British Gas supports six top-up channels. The right one depends on whether you have a smart or a traditional meter, and how quickly you need the credit to land:

Top-up channels compared

British Gas Pay As You Go top-up channels: who can use them, minimum amount, fees and time-to-credit
ChannelSmart meterTraditional meterMinimumFeeTime to credit
British Gas appYesNo£1FreeUnder 1 hour
britishgas.co.uk onlineYesNo£1FreeUnder 1 hour
Phone (automated)YesNo£5FreeUnder 1 hour
Payzone outletYesYes£1FreeImmediate (insert card/key) ; under 1 hour (Vend Code)
PayPoint outletYesYes£1FreeImmediate (insert card/key) ; under 1 hour (Vend Code)
Post OfficeLimitedYes£5FreeImmediate (insert card/key)

Vend Codes and manual entry

If you top up online, in the app, by phone or in a shop, British Gas sends the credit to your smart meter over the DCC network within about one hour. If the meter has not picked up the credit after one hour, every receipt and confirmation includes a 20-digit Vend Code (UTRN). To enter it manually:

  • On a two-barcode electricity meter: press B to wake the screen, then key in the 20-digit Vend Code using the keypad ;
  • On a three-barcode electricity meter: press A until you reach “Enter top-up code”, then enter the digits ;
  • On a gas smart meter: press A, then A again, enter the Vend Code, confirm with B.

Each Vend Code is one-time use. Keep the receipt until you have confirmed the balance has updated.

British Gas Emergency Credit

Every British Gas prepayment meter (smart or traditional) gives you £5 of Emergency Credit to fall back on when your balance runs out. Emergency Credit becomes available once your balance falls to £2 or less. You repay it from your next top-up before any new credit is applied to the meter.

Activate Emergency Credit on an electricity smart meter

If your smart meter has two barcodes:

  1. Press B until you see EmCr flashing on the screen ;
  2. Press B again to accept the Emergency Credit.

If your smart meter has three barcodes:

  1. The home screen should show EmCr Available ;
  2. Press A until you reach the Emergency Credit screen ;
  3. The screen changes to Accept EmCr? ;
  4. Press B to accept, then B again to confirm.

Activate Emergency Credit on a gas smart meter

  1. Press A twice until you see EmCr flashing ;
  2. Press A again ; the screen prompts you to activate the Emergency Credit ;
  3. Press B to confirm ; the screen reads EmCr Accepted.

British Gas Friendly Credit

In addition to Emergency Credit, British Gas applies Friendly Credit overnight and on Sundays and bank holidays. If your balance runs out outside “Payzone hours” - typically between 6 p.m. and 9 a.m. the next morning - your supply will not be cut off, provided you had at least £0.01 of credit at 6 p.m. the previous evening.

  • Weekdays: Friendly Credit kicks in from 6 p.m. and ends at 9 a.m. the next day ;
  • Sundays: full-day protection until 9 a.m. Monday ;
  • Bank holidays: full-day protection until 9 a.m. the next working day.

Any Friendly Credit used is repaid from your next top-up, after Emergency Credit. Some suppliers (EDF Energy among others) extend Friendly Credit to Saturdays too - British Gas does not at present.

British Gas Pay As You Go app

If you have a Smart PAYG meter, the free British Gas app turns your phone into a mobile top-up terminal. With it you can:

  • Top up your meter using a saved card, Apple Pay or Google Pay ;
  • See live credit balance and consumption in £ and kWh ;
  • View top-up history for the last 12 months ;
  • Set low-balance and weekly-spend alerts ;
  • Manage your direct debit if you switch off prepayment ;
  • Speak to British Gas via live chat.

Download from the App Store or Google Play. Sign in with your British Gas account credentials. Forgot your password? Our British Gas login guide covers the reset and registration flow.

Moving off prepayment to direct debit

Under Ofgem's rules, British Gas must offer you a move to credit billing if you pass a credit check (or can demonstrate a sustained on-time top-up history). The whole process normally takes 4 to 6 weeks:

1

Request the switch

Call the PAYG team on 0330 100 0303 and ask to move to credit billing.

2

Credit check

British Gas runs a soft check - no charge, no impact on your credit file.

3

Engineer visit

If approved, an engineer changes the meter (or removes prepayment mode from your existing smart meter).

4

New tariff

Your account moves to a fixed or standard variable tariff. You set up direct debit and you are done.

If you do not pass the credit check, you can re-apply after 12 months of consistent on-time top-ups. See our broader guide to switching from prepayment to direct debit for the full process.

Help if you cannot afford to top up

Self-disconnection - running out of credit and not being able to top up - is the single biggest risk on a prepayment meter. British Gas and the regulator have several backstops to keep your supply on if money is tight:

Warm Home Discount

A £150 rebate credited directly to your account each winter for eligible PAYG households (Guarantee Pension Credit recipients and low-income families on means-tested benefits).

Applications normally open in October.

British Gas Energy Trust

Hardship grants of up to £1,500 to clear energy debt. Open to British Gas customers and non-customers alike. Application includes a budget check by an independent debt adviser.

Average turnaround 6 to 8 weeks.

Priority Services Register (PSR)

Free register for households with a disability, long-term medical condition, pensioners or anyone reliant on powered medical equipment. Triggers welfare checks during cold snaps and a 48-hour priority response on top-up issues.

Register by calling 0333 188 5599.

Additional Support Credit (ASC)

For vulnerable households, British Gas can extend an additional £7 to £30 of emergency credit beyond the standard £5, repayable over a longer period. Available only by phoning the PAYG team.

Discretionary, case-by-case decision.

If you have an unresolved complaint after eight weeks, escalate free of charge to the Energy Ombudsman. Their decision is binding on British Gas under Ofgem's ADR scheme.

British Gas Pay As You Go contact

British Gas Pay As You Go contact channels
Reason for contactChannelHours
PAYG support, replacement card/key0330 100 0303Mon-Fri 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. / Sat 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Automated top-up by phone0330 100 030324/7 (automated)
Smart-meter PAYG enquiries0333 202 9802Mon-Fri 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. / Sat 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Priority Services Register0333 188 5599Mon-Fri 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Gas emergency0800 111 99924/7, free, all UK suppliers
Power cut (network operator)10524/7, free, all UK suppliers

For all other British Gas contact channels - bereavement, Welsh-language, Relay UK, international - see our full British Gas contact page.

British Gas Pay As You Go - frequently asked questions

You load credit onto a prepayment meter (or smart meter in prepayment mode) before you use any gas or electricity. The Safeguard PAYG tariff is variable, has no exit fee and is capped by Ofgem at the same level as the standard direct-debit cap. Emergency Credit (£5) and Friendly Credit (overnight, Sundays and bank holidays) protect you from being cut off if your balance runs out at an awkward time.

For the Ofgem cap period 1 April 2026 - 30 June 2026, British Gas Pay As You Go charges approximately 24.32p/kWh and 53.32p/day standing charge for electricity ; 5.99p/kWh and 31.99p/day standing charge for gas (single-rate, exc. VAT). Rates are reviewed every three months alongside the Ofgem cap.

Six channels: in the British Gas app (Apple Pay and Google Pay), online at britishgas.co.uk, by automated phone on 0330 100 0303, at any Payzone outlet (minimum £1), at any PayPoint outlet (minimum £1) or at any Post Office (minimum £5). App, online and phone top-ups work only with smart meters ; Payzone, PayPoint and Post Office work with both. Smart-meter top-ups normally land in under one hour ; if not, enter the 20-digit Vend Code from your receipt manually. Full instructions in our British Gas top-up guide.

A £5 buffer applied to every British Gas prepayment meter. It activates when your balance hits £2 or less. The used Emergency Credit is repaid from your next top-up before any new credit lands on the meter. Vulnerable households can request Additional Support Credit (£7 to £30) by phoning the PAYG team.

No - British Gas Friendly Credit prevents that. As long as you had at least £0.01 on the meter at 6 p.m. the previous evening (or before a Sunday or bank holiday), your supply is protected until 9 a.m. the next working day. Used Friendly Credit is repaid from your next top-up after Emergency Credit.

No, not since April 2023. Ofgem aligned the Prepayment Meter cap with the standard Default Tariff cap, eliminating the historic prepayment premium. The Safeguard PAYG unit rate now sits within a few tenths of a penny of the Standard Variable rate ; on electricity standing charges, PAYG is actually slightly cheaper following Ofgem 2024 levelisation. Fixed direct-debit tariffs may still be cheaper than PAYG in some quarters.

Yes. Call 0330 100 0303 and ask for a switch to credit billing. British Gas will run a soft credit check. If approved, an engineer changes the meter (or removes prepayment mode from a smart meter) within four to six weeks. If you do not pass the credit check, you can ask again after 12 months of consistent on-time top-ups.

Yes. Smart Pay As You Go runs on a standard SMETS2 smart meter set to prepayment mode. The tariff and rates are identical to the legacy Safeguard PAYG ; the difference is that you can top up online, in the app, by phone or in a shop instead of being limited to Payzone, PayPoint and the Post Office. Free to install - see our British Gas smart meter guide.

The meter stays at the address ; you do not take it with you. Take a final reading on moving day, call British Gas to close the account and arrange your final bill or refund of any remaining credit. At the new property you start fresh with whatever meter is fitted.

Since the 2023 Times investigation, British Gas suspended warrant-based PPM installs and Ofgem has restricted the practice. Forced PPM fittings now require an enhanced vulnerability assessment and Ofgem permission, with households containing a child under 5, an adult over 75 or someone with a chronic condition excluded altogether. If you are in debt, ask for an affordable repayment plan or apply to the British Gas Energy Trust before any meter change is discussed.

No - the Safeguard PAYG tariff is not marketed as 100% renewable. However, British Gas's declared electricity fuel mix is 76% renewable and 24% nuclear, well above the UK average of 38% renewables. There is no green-electricity surcharge on PAYG ; the renewable share is funded across the wider supply book.

Need a top-up or a smart PAYG meter?

Pay by phone 24/7, ask for a free smart meter or move to direct debit.

Call 0330 100 0303 Top-up guide

Further reading

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