How to Deal With a Power Cut in the UK
A power cut can turn an ordinary evening into a scramble within seconds. The lights go, the Wi-Fi drops, the boiler may stop, and suddenly every torch in the house seems to have vanished.
Most UK power cuts are short and manageable, but it helps to know what to do straight away. The right steps can keep people safe, protect appliances, reduce food waste, and help you get accurate updates without wasting time.
Stay calm and check what has actually happened
Start with the simple checks. A power cut may affect the whole street, but it could also be a fault inside your home.
Look out of a window. Are street lights off? Are neighbours’ homes dark? If the whole area looks affected, it is likely to be a local network problem.
If your home is the only one without power, check your consumer unit, often called the fuse box. A switch may have tripped because of a faulty appliance, overloaded circuit, or temporary electrical fault.
Before touching anything, make sure the area is dry and safe. Do not go near electrical equipment if there is water nearby.
If a switch has tripped:
Turn off or unplug appliances on that circuit.
Push the tripped switch fully back to the on position.
If it trips again, leave it off.
Contact a qualified electrician if you cannot identify the cause.
If you smell burning, see sparks, hear buzzing from wiring, or notice scorch marks around sockets, do not try to fix it yourself. Switch off power at the consumer unit if it is safe to do so, move away from the area, and call for professional help.
Call 105 for a UK power cut update
In the UK, the number to call for a power cut is 105. It is free to call from most landlines and mobiles, and it will connect you to your local electricity network operator.
This is not usually the company that sends your electricity bill. Your supplier sells you energy. Your local network operator maintains the cables and equipment that bring electricity to your area.
Call 105 if:
Your whole street or wider area has lost power.
You see damaged overhead lines or electricity equipment.
You need an update on when power may return.
You rely on electricity for medical or accessibility needs and need urgent support.
You are not sure whether the problem is inside your home or on the network.
If there is an immediate danger to life, call 999. This includes situations involving fire, serious injury, or a fallen power line creating a clear hazard.
Never touch or approach damaged power lines. Keep other people and pets away. Electricity can travel through the ground, fences, trees, and water.
Knowing how to deal with a power cut in the UK starts with this one useful number: 105.
Keep people safe before worrying about gadgets
Once you have checked the basics and reported the outage, think about people first.
Make sure everyone in the home knows the power is off, especially children, older relatives, guests, and anyone who may be using stairs or mobility aids. Put a torch or lantern in shared areas so people can move around safely.
Avoid candles where possible. They create a fire risk, especially if there are children, pets, curtains, blankets, or tired people moving around in the dark. Battery torches, lanterns, and rechargeable lights are much safer.
If you do use candles as a last resort:
Keep them in proper holders.
Place them on a stable, heatproof surface.
Keep them away from fabric, paper, and furniture.
Never leave them unattended.
Put them out before going to sleep.
Do not use outdoor heating or cooking equipment indoors. Barbecues, camping stoves, petrol generators, and gas patio heaters can produce carbon monoxide, which you cannot see or smell. Use them only outside, well away from doors, windows, vents, and garages.
If anyone uses powered medical equipment, check whether it has a battery backup. If the person is at risk because the equipment has stopped working, call 999.
Protect appliances and stop damage when power returns
Power often comes back suddenly. When it does, electric heaters, ovens, hair straighteners, irons, and other appliances can switch on again if they were left running.
Turn off and unplug non-essential appliances during the outage. This reduces the chance of damage from a surge when power returns and makes the restart less risky.
Focus on:
Electric hobs and ovens
Heaters
Irons and hair tools
Washing machines and tumble dryers
Desktop computers and games consoles
Sensitive electronics without surge protection
Leave one light switched on. This gives you an easy sign that the power has returned.
If your home has a burglar alarm, gate system, electric garage door, or stairlift, check how it behaves during a power cut. Some systems have battery backups, while others may need manual operation. Keep instructions somewhere easy to find, not only online.
If you work from home, save battery power on laptops and phones. Turn down screen brightness, switch off Bluetooth if you do not need it, and avoid streaming video. A mobile power bank is useful, but only if it is charged before the outage.
Keep food safe while the power is off
The fridge and freezer can usually cope for a while if you keep the doors closed. Every time you open them, cold air escapes and the temperature rises faster.
As a general guide, food in a closed fridge may stay cold for several hours. A full freezer can often keep food frozen longer than a half-full one. The exact time depends on the appliance, room temperature, how full it is, and how often the door is opened.
During a power cut:
Keep fridge and freezer doors closed.
Use cupboard foods first if you need to eat.
Avoid cooking large meals unless you can do it safely.
Note roughly when the power went off.
Check food carefully when power returns.
If frozen food still contains ice crystals or feels fridge-cold, it may be safe to keep or cook. If chilled food has become warm, smells odd, looks unusual, or you are unsure, throw it away. This is especially true for meat, fish, dairy, cooked rice, and ready-to-eat foods.
Do not taste food to check whether it is safe. Food poisoning is not worth the risk.
Stay warm, or stay cool, depending on the season
A power cut in winter can quickly make a home uncomfortable, especially if the boiler controls, pump, or thermostat need electricity.
Close curtains and doors to hold heat in the rooms you use most. Put on layers rather than relying on one thick item. Warm socks, hats, and blankets can make a noticeable difference.
If you have vulnerable people at home, check on them early. Babies, older people, and people with long-term health conditions may feel temperature changes more quickly.
In summer, the issue may be heat rather than cold. Keep curtains closed on the sunny side of the home. Open windows only when the air outside is cooler than indoors. Drink water and avoid unnecessary activity during the hottest part of the day.
If your home becomes unsafe because of cold or heat, seek help. That could mean contacting neighbours, family, your local council, NHS 111 for health advice, or 999 in an emergency.
Check on neighbours without putting yourself at risk
Power cuts affect people differently. One household may only lose TV and Wi-Fi. Another may have no way to keep medical equipment running, heat baby milk, charge a mobility aid, or receive updates.
If it is safe, check on nearby neighbours, especially anyone who may be older, disabled, isolated, or caring for young children. A quick knock on the door can make a real difference.
Offer simple help:
Share the 105 number.
Lend a torch or power bank.
Help someone check whether their trip switch has gone.
Pass on updates from the network operator.
Offer to contact a relative for them.
Do not enter damaged buildings, touch electrical equipment, or move fallen cables. Kindness helps most when it stays safe.
Sign up for extra support if you need it
Electricity network operators and energy suppliers offer extra help through the Priority Services Register. This is free and designed for people who may need extra support during power cuts or with energy access.
You may qualify if you:
Are of pension age
Have a disability or long-term health condition
Use medical equipment that needs electricity
Have a hearing or sight condition
Have young children at home
Need extra communication support
Are temporarily vulnerable because of illness, pregnancy, or another life event
Being on the register does not guarantee your power will return first. It can help the network operator identify households that may need extra communication, welfare support, or priority contact during an outage.
You can ask your energy supplier or local electricity network operator about joining. If you rent, you can still register. If more than one person in the household has support needs, make sure those needs are recorded.
Prepare a simple power cut kit before you need it
The easiest power cut is the one you prepared for last week. A small kit can save a lot of stress, especially during storms or winter weather.
Keep it somewhere easy to reach in the dark. A hallway cupboard is better than the back of the loft.
A useful kit includes:
Torches and spare batteries
A rechargeable lantern
A power bank for phones
A battery or wind-up radio
Warm blankets
Basic first aid supplies
A written list of useful numbers
Any essential medication information
Bottled water if your water supply depends on electric pumping
Ready-to-eat food
Manual tin opener
Supplies for babies, pets, or care needs
Write down key contacts on paper. During a power cut, your phone battery may be low, your broadband may be off, and saved numbers may be harder to access than expected.
Useful numbers can include:
105 for power cuts
999 for emergencies
NHS 111 for urgent medical advice that is not life-threatening
Your electricity supplier
Your landlord or letting agent
A qualified electrician
Family, neighbours, or carers
If you have a prepayment meter, keep an eye on your credit before bad weather is forecast. Smart prepayment meters may work differently during outages, but it is still sensible to avoid running too close to zero.
Use a generator only if you can do so safely
A generator can be useful for some homes and small businesses, but it can also be dangerous if used badly.
Never use a petrol or diesel generator indoors. That includes sheds, garages, conservatories, balconies, and covered entrances. Generators produce carbon monoxide and need plenty of ventilation.
Place a generator outdoors, away from windows, doors, and vents. Keep it dry and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Do not plug a generator directly into a home socket unless a qualified electrician has installed the correct transfer equipment. Back-feeding electricity into the network can endanger engineers working to restore power.
If you only need to charge phones or run small devices, a power bank or portable battery station may be a safer and simpler option.
Know what to do when the power comes back
When the lights come back on, pause before switching everything back on at once.
Check for anything that was left on before the outage. Make sure hobs, heaters, ovens, and hair tools are off. Then reconnect appliances gradually.
Check your fridge and freezer. If the outage lasted long enough to affect food safety, sort food before it gets forgotten. Take photos if you think you may need to claim through home insurance, but remember many policies have limits and exclusions.
Reset clocks, heating controls, alarms, and Wi-Fi routers if needed. Some boilers may need a manual reset after power is restored.
If power comes back but some sockets or lights still do not work, check your consumer unit again. If switches keep tripping, unplug appliances and call a qualified electrician.
If the outage caused damage to appliances, contact your insurer or electricity network operator to ask what support or claims process may apply. Compensation rules can apply in some situations, particularly for long outages, but the details vary by case and by the guaranteed standards in force at the time.
The key things to remember
A power cut is easier to handle when you follow a calm order.
Check whether the fault is only in your home. Call 105 for local power cut updates. Keep people safe first, then protect appliances, food, heat, and phone battery. Avoid candles where possible, never use outdoor cooking or heating equipment indoors, and keep clear of damaged power lines.
The best time to prepare is before the next outage. Put together a small power cut kit, write down key numbers, and sign up for the Priority Services Register if anyone in your home may need extra support. That way, if the lights go out, you already know what to do next.
