Prepare a grab-and-go outage kit, store water and no-cook food, make a plan for heating and communications, and arrange extra support for anyone who depends on powered medical or telecare equipment. During a cut, report it to the correct network operator, keep refrigerator and freezer doors shut, stay warm safely and check on people who are vulnerable to cold.
Why a winter power cut needs a household plan
Most UK power cuts are local and short-lived, but the Prepare campaign’s power-cut guidance notes that outages lasting several days, or affecting a wider area, are possible even though they are unlikely. Winter adds risks because darkness arrives early and many homes depend on electricity for heating controls, pumps, lighting, cooking, internet access and medical equipment.
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The government states: “Gas ovens, boilers, heat pumps and your home internet won’t work without power.” — UK government Prepare campaign, “Power cuts” (current page observed 13 October 2026). A gas supply may still be present, but an electrically controlled boiler, ignition system or heat pump can stop operating. Mobile masts and mains-water supplies may also be affected, so do not rely on one communication or utility service.
The aim is not to make your home self-sufficient indefinitely. It is to keep people safe, informed, warm and hydrated while you report the fault and wait for reliable restoration information.
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Assemble an outage kit and keep it accessible
Store the kit where everyone can reach it in the dark, not in a locked shed or a loft that may be unsafe to access. Check it before winter and after every use. The Prepare emergency-kit guidance recommends the following essentials.
| Item | What it is for | Preparation detail |
|---|---|---|
| Battery or wind-up torch | Safe lighting for rooms, stairs and outside checks | Keep spare compatible batteries if it is battery-powered; test the torch and keep it with the kit. |
| Battery or wind-up radio | Updates when internet, television or mobile data are unavailable | Check that it receives the local stations and bands your household uses; keep spare batteries where applicable. |
| Bottled drinking water | Drinking, with additional water for household needs | Use the household calculation below and rotate stored water according to the container maker’s advice. |
| Non-perishable, no-cook food | Calories without electricity, gas or heat | Choose food household members can eat as supplied and include a manual tin opener. |
| Charged power bank and charging leads | Keeping phones available for calls and alerts | Charge the bank before winter and after use; store the correct cables with it. |
| Hygiene and first-aid supplies | Hand cleaning, basic wound care and sanitation | Include items used regularly by your household, such as sanitary products, wipes and prescribed first-aid materials. |
| Paper contact sheet | Important numbers when phones or internet are unavailable | Write the outage reporting number, household contacts, care-team numbers and local radio frequencies. |
Add household-specific supplies: prescription medicines, glasses, mobility aids, spare batteries for essential devices, nappies and formula-feeding equipment, pet food and medication, warm clothing, blankets and any items needed by a disabled or older household member. Keep medicines available for several days and follow the prescriber’s storage instructions.
Choose lighting and radio power deliberately
Battery and wind-up equipment solve the same problem differently. Batteries provide immediate, familiar operation but need charged or spare cells. Wind-up devices do not depend on stored cells, but someone must regularly crank them and small models can be tiring to use. Select controls that every household member can operate, and test the radio in the room where it will be used.
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| Battery-powered torch or radio | Simple, bright or loud operation when suitable batteries are installed | Keep the specified spare batteries, check expiry dates and test the contacts. |
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Torches are safer than candles because they do not introduce a naked flame near curtains, bedding or oxygen equipment. Do not leave any light source unattended.
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Store the right amount of water
The government emergency-kit page cites a World Health Organization survival minimum of 2.5–3 litres of drinking water per person per day (the cited page does not state a year). The same Prepare guidance describes 10 litres per person per day as a more comfortable amount that also allows basic cooking and hygiene. These are planning figures, not a universal legal household standard.
Calculate a baseline by multiplying the figure by the number of people and days you want to cover. Then add what your household actually needs: babies may need extra water for feeding, a person using a medical device may need water for the device or cleaning, and pets need their own supply. Keep drinking water separate from water reserved for washing or flushing, and use sealed, food-safe containers.
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Identify the electricity network operator
Your distribution network operator (DNO) runs the local wires and substations; it is different from the electricity retailer named on your bill. Ask your supplier which DNO serves your address, save its outage-reporting details and note the operator’s website or app before an emergency. In England, Scotland and Wales the national power-cut reporting number is 105. In Northern Ireland, the Prepare campaign lists 03457 643643.
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Ask about priority support
Contact your supplier and DNO in advance about the Priority Services Register if anyone in the home has additional needs. In Northern Ireland, equivalent arrangements are called Customer Care Registers. Registration does not guarantee uninterrupted electricity, but it can help the network or supplier identify communication and welfare needs.
Explain specific requirements, such as a person who cannot safely use stairs in darkness, needs powered oxygen or dialysis-related equipment, is dependent on powered mobility or relies on a digital telephone. Confirm how the provider will contact you during an outage and update the record when your circumstances change.
Plan for digital landlines, telecare and medical devices
If your telephone service is digital, ask the phone provider how it works during a mains outage and what backup power is available. Telecare users should contact the telecare provider and care team directly: agree how alarms will operate without electricity, how long any backup battery lasts and what to do if it fails.
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For powered medical equipment, ask the equipment supplier or clinical team for a device-specific plan. Confirm whether a manufacturer-approved battery, uninterruptible power supply or alternative treatment arrangement is appropriate. Do not improvise electrical connections or use a generator indoors. Keep emergency and clinical contact numbers on paper, and tell a trusted neighbour what signs mean that help is needed.
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Prepare for babies, children, pets and neighbours
Babies and young children
- Store nappies, wipes, warm layers and any prescribed medicines in the outage kit.
- Plan safe feeding if sterilising equipment, bottle warmers or refrigeration normally use electricity; ask a health visitor or clinician about your baby’s specific needs.
- Keep age-appropriate no-cook food and a torch where children cannot mistake it for a toy.
Pets
- Keep several days of food, drinking water, medication, leads or carriers and waste bags.
- Plan how to maintain warmth and ventilation without placing animals near unsafe heaters or open flames.
- Have a paper note with your vet’s number and any treatment instructions.
Neighbours who may need help
Before winter, agree a simple check-in with older adults, people with long-term health conditions, disabled neighbours and households with babies. Ask how they prefer to be contacted and whether they rely on powered equipment. During a cut, a short visit can identify cold, darkness, lack of water or a failed alarm sooner than a phone call. Do not enter a property or handle electrical equipment without permission; call emergency services if there is immediate danger.
What to do when the power goes off
- Pause and make the area safe. Use the torch, not a candle, to check stairs and rooms. If there is smoke, fire, a burning smell, sparking or a damaged cable, leave the danger area and call 999.
- Report the outage. Call 105 in England, Scotland or Wales, or 03457 643643 in Northern Ireland. Give the address, any visible damage and urgent medical or welfare information requested by the operator.
- Switch off hazards. Turn off appliances that could become dangerous when power returns, such as hobs, irons and portable heaters. Unplug sensitive electronics if appropriate, but do not touch wet equipment or damaged wiring.
- Preserve phone power. Send essential messages, switch on battery-saving mode and use the charged power bank. Keep one phone available for emergency calls rather than using every device for entertainment.
- Listen for updates. Use the battery or wind-up radio if television, internet or mobile service is unavailable. Follow instructions from the network operator, local authority and emergency services.
- Protect food. Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed. Record the time the outage began and check the appliance thermometer without repeatedly opening the door.
- Keep people warm and check on others. Put on layers, use blankets and close unused rooms and curtains. Contact the people in your agreed check-in plan.
- Avoid electrical improvisation. Do not approach fallen lines, use indoor equipment designed for outdoors, or connect a generator to household wiring. Leave repairs to qualified professionals.
Food safety during an outage
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) guidance, published 26 July 2023 and applicable to England, Northern Ireland and Wales, gives estimates rather than guarantees. Appliance design, room temperature, how full the appliance is and how often its door is opened all change the result. A fridge thermometer is more reliable than smell or appearance.
| Situation | FSA estimate or advice | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Outage under 4 hours | Unlikely to affect chilled or frozen food safety | Keep doors closed and continue monitoring. |
| Fridge without power | May stay cold for up to 4 hours | Keep the door shut; check the thermometer when practical. |
| Full freezer without power | Food may remain frozen for up to 48 hours | Do not open unnecessarily; keep food packed together. |
| Half-full freezer without power | Food may remain frozen for up to 24 hours | Keep the door closed and assess food individually when power returns. |
| Normal refrigerator setting | 5°C or below | Use this as the normal target when electricity is available. |
| During a power cut | Food may be stored below 8°C | If the temperature reaches 8°C or higher, eat food that normally requires refrigeration within 4 hours. |
Read the FSA’s full consumer advice for food-specific decisions: Food safety in a power cut – advice for consumers. When in doubt, discard food rather than tasting it to test safety. Do not refreeze food that has thawed unless current FSA instructions for that food say it is safe.
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Wear several loose layers, socks and a hat, and use blankets. Close doors to unused rooms and draw curtains to retain heat, while keeping ventilation and access routes safe. Concentrate people in one comfortably warm room if practical, but do not block heaters, vents or exits.
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The Prepare cold-weather guidance identifies hypothermia as a medical emergency. Warning signs can include unusual shivering, confusion, drowsiness, slurred speech or loss of coordination. Move the person to a warm place, remove wet clothing, wrap them in dry layers and call 999; do not use direct intense heat or give alcohol.
Never bring a barbecue, camping stove, patio heater or other outdoor cooking or heating appliance indoors. The FSA notes that camping stoves and barbecues are generally designed for outdoor use only. Carbon monoxide can build up without an obvious smell. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for any approved indoor appliance, keep ventilation requirements clear and never use a cooker as a room heater.
Who needs an early welfare check
- Older adults and people living alone
- Babies and young children
- People with long-term conditions, disabilities or reduced mobility
- Anyone using powered medical or telecare equipment
- Neighbours in poorly insulated homes or without alternative heating
- Pets and animals needing controlled temperature or powered equipment
When electricity returns
- Wait for the network operator’s restoration message or a stable supply before reconnecting equipment.
- Check for damaged sockets, cables, leaks, smoke or unusual smells; keep away from damage and report it.
- Turn appliances back on gradually, starting with essential equipment. Reset clocks and check that heating, alarms, routers and medical-device backup systems have resumed normally.
- Use the thermometer and the FSA time-and-temperature guidance to decide what refrigerated or frozen food is safe. Dispose of food that has exceeded the relevant limits or cannot be assessed safely.
- Recharge the power bank, radio and torch batteries, replace used first-aid or hygiene items and restock water and no-cook food.
- Tell neighbours and care contacts that the supply is back, especially if someone’s welfare depended on a check-in.
For a public-health perspective on a prolonged national outage, see the Department of Health and Social Care’s advice to the public and clinicians, published 16 December 2025: Public health advice from UK CMOs during a national power outage. The Met Office power-cut advice also provides seasonal household safety reminders.
Quick Recap
A printable pre-winter checklist
- Accessible torch, spare batteries or a tested wind-up light
- Radio that receives local stations, with batteries or a working winding mechanism
- Charged power bank and phone leads
- Drinking water calculated for people, babies, medical needs and pets
- No-cook food and a manual tin opener
- Medicines, first-aid and hygiene supplies for several days
- Warm layers, blankets and safe indoor lighting
- Paper outage number, DNO details, local radio frequencies and care contacts
- Priority Services Register or Northern Ireland Customer Care Register enquiry completed where relevant
- Device-specific backup plan agreed with medical, telecare and equipment providers
- Neighbour check-in plan, including who contacts whom and when
- Fridge thermometer installed and household members familiar with the FSA limits
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