British Gas Prepayment meters- Home top up now available

Joyful

Just thought I would make people aware that you can now top up your Electricity online and from 14 December will be able to do so for Gas also.

The only people who will not be able to use this system yet are those with a debt on the Gas meter. Hopefully Siemens will have a new card that will allow this by the middle of next year.

These devices are free of charge. All you need is a USB port and a Debit card. If calling BG ask for Home top up. They will then be delivered in 28 days.

Mynewt

This is great news, there's been rumblings of this type of technology for a long time. Really glad to see it being released to the alrger consumer market.

magoogy

funny enough ive just come off the phone to british gas after asking them how they can help reduce my bills as they are getting horrendous - they are going to send me one of these home top ups out and have assured me there is no charge so that is good...just wondering how easy they will be to use ???

does the op have the link to information about them?

thanks

Joyful

Sorry but I cannot find a link. They are very easy to use. It plugs into the usb port of your computer and links to a secure BG website. You enter the details of the Debit cards you wish to use and it then comes out of your bank to your key/card. Full instructions will be sent with the packs.

Mynewt

Is it the key that plugs into the usb port and then the meter after the top up?

Joyful

No there is a device that goes into the usb port. The card/key fits inside the device.

Mynewt

Ahh I see now! Thank you for that, makes a little more sense now!

Mynewt

I would assume then, that the user could top uyp the "old fashioned" way as well if they let the credit run down so they have no power for their home pc?

Joyful

Yes they can still top up normally.

BexTech

magoogy wrote: »

funny enough ive just come off the phone to british gas after asking them how they can help reduce my bills as they are getting horrendous - they are going to send me one of these home top ups out and have assured me there is no charge so that is good...just wondering how easy they will be to use ???

does the op have the link to information about them?

thanks

The only way you are going to reduce your bills is to switch to a cheaper supplier if there is one, or use less energy.

These pre-payment meters and home top-ups in themselves won't reduce costs, in fact nearly all the time increase costs, so with them if you want to save money you have to cut down even more on energy use.

Joyful

I would like to know how this will increase costs?