Power cuts
Power cuts are one of the everyday emergencies a UK home can face. Being ready is mostly about knowing what stops working in your home, knowing who to call, and keeping a few things in one cupboard.
Start with the household plan. Tell it who lives with you and how your home is heated, and it gives you a one-page plan to print.
Tools
- Backup power: which do I need?Tick what you'd want to keep going in a power cut. We'll tell you whether a power bank is likely to be enough, or whether to look at a portable power station on our sister site Ferncharge.
- Your home in a power cut: household planTell us who lives with you and how your home is heated, and get a plan for what stops working, what to do in the first hour and first day, who to call and what to keep in the cupboard.
- What stops working in a power cutTick what your home has, from the boiler to the landline, and see what stops in a power cut, what may keep going and what to do about each.
- Who to call in a power cutPick where you live and get the number to call, a link to find your local network operator, and where to report a cut or check for updates.
Guides
- Power cut: what to doWhat to do in a power cut, calmly: check if it's just you, who to call, what to switch off, and how to keep warm, fed and in touch. Based on official UK advice.
- Power cut checklistA printable power cut checklist for your home: what to have ready, what to do in the first hour, and what to check when the power comes back. Official UK advice.
- Does a gas boiler work in a power cut?Most gas boilers stop in a power cut because their controls and pump need electricity. What that means for heating and hot water, and how to keep warm.
- Heat pump in a power cutA heat pump stops when the power goes. How to keep the warmth in, keep yourself warm, check on hot water, and decide whether backup power is worth looking at.
- Backup power for power cutsWhat backup power a UK home needs in a power cut: a power bank for phones, and when a portable power station is worth comparing on Ferncharge.
Medical equipment and extra help
If someone at home relies on medical equipment, a telecare alarm or extra care, join the Priority Services Register and talk to the equipment supplier about a backup plan. Our plan includes the steps.