If you have lost your electricity or gas top up card (also called a KeyPad card, prepayment card or top up key), don’t panic. You can usually collect a new card from your nearest PayPoint store or your nearest Payzone store. All you have to do is tell the shopkeeper that you need a new card. You can find your nearest PayPoint store, by looking out for this sign:

Or, look out for this sign for your nearest Payzone store:

If you recently topped up your lost card and you have no money now, if you take your receipt to the PayPoint store you recently bought your credit from, then they may be able to top up your new card through a refund process, which won’t cost you anything.

If you have lost your top up card and you still have a little bit of money left on it, unfortunately there is nothing a PayPoint shopkeeper can help you with in terms of a refund. You will have to ask for a new card and top it up with fresh money. In terms of getting a refund for the credit on your lost card, take a meter reading immediately after you lose your card, and present this to your supplier. Your supplier will provide you with credit and you won’t lose any credit you paid for.

Related: Prepayment, pay as you go and top up energy supplier guide

Alternatively, you can request a new prepayment card from energy suppliers such as OVO Energy. Usually, your supplier will post you a new pay as you go card within 3 days.

In terms of topping up without your card, simply contact your energy supplier on the phone to get your top up card premise number. Your premise number is a 19-digit number and you can also find it on any PayPoint or Payzone receipt. You can use this number to top up normally, such as at your nearest PayPoint or Payzone store. The shopkeeper will simply enter your premise number, and your credit will be applied immediately. Remember to order a new card top up though, because this is easier than simply using your premise number.

Emergency credit

If you need credit immediately, you can request emergency credit at your meter. Here’s details on emergency credit from the big six:

– Npower standard emergency credit amount: £7.00, or £12.00 for Economy 7;
– British gas standard emergency credit amount: of £5.00;
– EDF emergency credit amount: £6.00;
– E.ON emergency credit amount: £5.00;
– Scottish Power emergency credit amount: £5.00;
– SSE emergency credit amount: £5.00.

Smaller energy suppliers also offer emergency credit between £5.00 and £15.00. You will need to pay this money back when you top up, however. So for example if you owe £5.00 of emergency credit and you top up £20.00 on your card, you will be credited with £15.00 on your card, unless you arrange a different payment method with your energy supplier. To get emergency credit, contact your supplier and ask for it, or insert your card into the meter.