Paying for your gas or electricity | Mencap

Paying for your gas or electricity

An information sign next to a hand holding some pound notes. Behind the notes are a gas flame and an electric socket.

This page has information about different ways you can pay for your gas or electricity.

A hand holding some pound notes. Behind the notes are a gas flame and an electric socket.

You can pay for your gas and electricity by:

Direct debit
Paying when you get a bill
Prepayment (pay as you go)

Direct debit

A calendar with a red circle around a date. The calendar has a red arrow pointing to some money and a gas flame and an electric socket.

Direct debit is when your energy supplier takes the same amount of money from your bank account every month.

A woman writing. She is thinking about money and gas and electricity.

Paying by direct debit can help you to plan how much money you will spend on gas and electricity.

A calendar with a red circle around a date, some money and an arrow pointing down.

Most energy suppliers make it cheaper for you to pay for your gas and electricity by direct debit.

A woman talking on the phone. In the speech bubble is a calendar, some money, a gas flame and an electric socket.

Contact your energy supplier if you think they are taking too much money for your direct debit.

Paying when you get a bill

A hand holding some pound notes. Behind the hand is an electric bill and a house with electric sockets inside.

If you pay for your gas or electricity when you get your bill, you will only pay for the gas or electricity that you have used.

An arrow pointing up between some money and a bill.

It often costs more money to pay for your gas or electricity if you pay when you get your bill.

An information sign next to an electric bill.

To find out what other information will be on your energy bill, go to our How to understand your energy bill page.

Prepayment (pay as you go)

A hand holding some pound notes. Behind the hand is a gas flame and an electric socket.

If you have a prepayment meter, you have to pay for your gas or electricity before you use it.

A hand putting a card into a prepayment meter with a red circle around the card.

If you have a prepayment meter, you have a card or a key which you have to top up.

A lady paying some money. Beside her is a gas flame and an electric socket.

To top up your card or key, you pay for your gas or electricity at the shop.

A ten pound note with an arrow pointing to a card with a gas flame on it.

The amount of money you have paid is added to the card or key.

A hand holding a card with a gas flame on it and an arrow pointing to a card being put into a meter.

When you have topped up your card or key, you can put it in your meter.

A lady paying some money. Beside her is a gas flame and an electric socket.

You will need to top up your card again before you use all of the gas or electricity you have paid for.

A mobile phone with a gas flame on the screen.

Some energy suppliers let you top up by using a smartphone app.

An arrow pointing up between some pound notes and a pay as you go meter.

It often costs more money to pay for your gas or electricity on a prepayment (pay as you go) meter.

How to get help

A laptop screen with a picture of a group of people and the word welcome.

You can get help and advice on our website at www.mencap.org.uk/COL

A lady looking worried and thinking about money.

If you are worried about money, contact our Learning Disability Helpline:

A man talking on his phone.

Call us Monday to Friday on 0808 808 1111

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Email us at helpline@mencap.org.uk  

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Fill in our online form 

Thank you to British Gas Energy Trust for funding.