Lebara SIM Replacement: Keep Your Number, Plan and Credit

The useful answer

Your number and plan move to the replacement

Lebara's SIM swap page covers a phone that is lost or stolen, a SIM that is not working, a lost or deleted SIM or eSIM, and a SIM that is incompatible with the phone.¹

For a lost physical SIM, Lebara says the old card is deactivated and the existing mobile number and plan transfer automatically to the replacement.² That is a replacement of the same line, not a new account wearing a convincing moustache.

No PAC is needed because the line is staying with Lebara. A PAC belongs to a move between providers, not a swap between two SIM credentials on one existing line.

PAYG cash credit is less neatly documented. Lebara's transfer sentence names the number and plan, but not a separate cash balance. Record the displayed balance before the swap and check it again afterwards. If it differs, take the record to support.

Do the cheap checks first

A silent SIM does not always need replacing

If the card is still in your possession, restart the phone, remove and reseat the SIM, and try it in another unlocked compatible handset if one is available. A locked phone can reject a perfectly healthy Lebara SIM.

Lebara also suggests checking whether there is enough plan allowance or top-up credit, and whether the SIM has expired. You can inspect the balance in MyLebara, dial *#1345# to see it, or dial 5588 to hear it.³

The clean replacement route

Save the facts before the old SIM stops

1. Record the mobile number.Check MyLebara or the phone settings, then write it somewhere that is not the phone you are about to dismantle.
2. Capture the current plan and balance.Take a screenshot or note the plan name, renewal state and PAYG credit. This gives support something concrete if the post-swap account looks wrong.
3. Open Lebara's replacement page.Choose whether you have an account and follow the identity checks for the existing line.¹
4. Wait for the replacement credential.That means a physical Tri-SIM through the post or a new eSIM QR code, depending on the route.
5. Install and test.Check calls, texts, mobile data, the number, plan and displayed balance before putting the matter in the victory drawer.

Plan and credit checks

Confirmed transfer does not mean skip the receipt

Lebara's wording is clear about the existing number and plan moving automatically to a replacement physical SIM.² Once the new SIM connects, open MyLebara and check that the correct plan is present and that its next renewal or expiry information looks sensible.

For PAYG credit, use the balance you recorded before the request as the comparison point. If the figures differ, do not top up repeatedly to see whether the account takes the hint. Contact support and provide the mobile number, replacement order details and your earlier balance record.

Lebara lists chat and phone support from 7am to 11pm UK time every day. Dial 5588 from a working Lebara SIM or +44 207 0310791 from another network or outside the UK; calls to the latter can cost whatever the calling operator charges.⁴

Plastic card or digital profile

Physical SIM and eSIM take different routes

Lebara says new physical replacements are Tri-SIM cards, so the same card can be separated to fit standard, micro or nano slots.² Its confirmation tells you to insert the replacement into an unlocked phone and switch it on; it should begin working immediately.⁵

An eSIM is not moved by peeling anything out of a tray. Lebara says moving an eSIM to another device requires customer services to send a new QR code. The current eSIM stops working once the new one is enabled on the new device.⁶

If you deleted the eSIM profile, request a replacement through the SIM swap page. Lebara says it sends a new QR code by email.⁶ Keep the email private and do not post the QR code in a forum or screenshot gallery.

Avoid the wrong fix

A replacement is not the answer to every SIM problem

• You are moving to Lebara from another networkThat is a new service plus a PAC transfer, not a replacement of an existing Lebara SIM.
• You want a separate second numberOrder a new line. A replacement is supposed to inherit the existing one.
• The SIM works but mobile data does notCheck allowance, coverage and APN settings before replacing the card. The SIM troubleshooting guide sorts these causes in a more useful order.
• The account details are already wrongAsk support to correct or explain them before the swap, rather than hoping a new card will repair an account problem.

If you genuinely need a separate new line, check the current Lebara referral plans and confirm the offer at checkout. That shopping route is not a substitute for replacing the SIM attached to a number you want to keep.

Quick answers

Lebara replacement SIM questions