What to do in a power cut

GOV.UK describes the UK's electricity system as resilient: most power cuts are short-lived and local. Wider, longer outages can happen, though, sometimes lasting several days, often because severe weather damages equipment. Remember that gas boilers and hobs, heat pumps, home internet and sometimes even mobile signal and mains water can be affected.

First: report it

Your electricity network operator (not your energy supplier) fixes power cuts. The quickest way is to report online and track updates on their website; find yours by postcode at powercut105.com. If you can't get online, call 105. It's free in England, Scotland and Wales and connects you to your local operator. In Northern Ireland call 03457 643643.

If you see damaged or fallen power lines, keep well away. GOV.UK warns that electricity at high voltage can jump gaps without warning. If there is a life-threatening emergency and your landline doesn't work, try 999 or 112 from a mobile: emergency calls automatically roam onto any available network.

During the power cut

• Switch things off. Turn off irons, ovens, electric fires and fryers. Unplug your TV and computer, which can be damaged by a surge when power returns.
• Light safely. Use a torch rather than candles. GOV.UK suggests not relying on your phone's torch, as it drains the battery.
• Stay warm. Use blankets and layers, close the doors of rooms you're not using and draw the curtains. Older people, babies, young children and people with long-term health problems are most likely to become ill if they get too cold.
• Stay informed. Use a battery or wind-up radio and try both FM and digital. A car radio works too, but in severe weather it may be safer to stay inside.
• Save your phone. Turn the brightness down and only use it when you need to. (Our suggestion.)
• Check on neighbours and share blankets, food or news if you can.
• Never cook or heat indoors with a barbecue or camping stove. The NHS warns this can cause carbon monoxide to build up. If you smell gas or think a gas appliance is leaking carbon monoxide, call the National Gas Helpline on 0800 111 999.

Food in the fridge and freezer

The Food Standards Agency says an outage of less than 4 hours is unlikely to affect chilled or frozen food. Keep the doors closed as much as possible:

• A fridge should stay cold for up to 4 hours.
• A full freezer should stay frozen for up to 48 hours (around 24 hours if it's half full). These are estimates and vary by appliance.
• In a power cut, chilled food can be kept below 8°C. If the fridge reaches 8°C or more, eat chilled food within 4 hours or throw it away. A fridge thermometer helps you tell.
• Eat in this order: fridge food first, then defrosted food that doesn't need cooking, then other perishables, and tins and dried food last.
• If it's below 8°C outside, you can store food outdoors in a clean sealed box, out of the sun and away from animals.

What to have ready

GOV.UK's power cut advice is to keep a torch and spare batteries, a battery or wind-up radio, at least 3 days of bottled water (3 litres per person per day), food that doesn't need cooking plus a tin opener, ready-made baby formula and pet food if needed, and a little cash. Keep the 105 number and your radio frequencies on paper next to the torch.

Our suggestion for power: one LED torch per two people running on AA batteries, with spares for the torch and radio, and enough power bank capacity for about one phone charge per person per day. For two adults over 3 days, the calculator suggests a 26,800 mAh and a 20,000 mAh power bank.

If someone relies on powered equipment

If you use medical equipment, a personal alarm or a health sensor, make a plan now with your care team or the equipment provider. Sign up to the free Priority Services Register through your network operator or energy supplier: you'll get notice of planned power cuts where possible and priority support in an emergency. If your only phone is a landline, ask your provider whether it will work in a power cut; some offer a free back-up battery.

Rota power cuts and load blocks

In the unlikely event of a national energy shortage, GOV.UK explains that power could be cut on a rotating basis, area by area, for around three hours at a time. Each area has a "load block" letter, which you can look up by postcode at powercut105.com or find on some electricity bills.

Next: the full emergency kit checklist, storm preparation or our Power Cut page.

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