BBC local radio FM frequencies by region, for a power cut

In a power cut, tune a battery or wind-up radio to your BBC local station on FM (or BBC Radio Scotland, Wales, Cymru, nan Gàidheal, Ulster or Foyle). GOV.UK Be Ready says to write the frequencies of your local and national stations on paper. Find your station in the table below, tune to it now, and tape the number to the radio. Frequencies change with where you live, so check with the BBC's transmitter checker.

Why write down a radio frequency?

When the power goes, the TV and broadband router go with it, and you'll want to save your phone battery. GOV.UK Be Ready says to keep a battery or wind-up radio and spare batteries at home, because there may be updates by radio during a power cut. It also says to write down, on paper, the frequencies of the local or national stations you use for news.

Finding a station on a calm afternoon is easy. Finding it in the dark, with a torch in one hand, is not. A number on a label makes it quick.

Which station is mine?

Our table lists 38 BBC local stations in England, mostly one per county or city area. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have nations stations, and Wales and Scotland also have Welsh and Gaelic language stations.

The table below lists the main FM frequencies for each one. Where a station has several, each is a different transmitter covering a different area, so only one or two will work well where you live.

England

Scotland

Wales

Northern Ireland

44 stations. 5 frequencies are from the BBC's own page; the rest are from Ofcom's published FM transmitter data (technical parameters file), which Ofcom blocks automated downloads of, so we read the copy saved on the Internet Archive on 15 Oct 2026. Where a station has several transmitters, try each frequency until one is clear. Read 4 Nov 2026.

Where the numbers come from. For Cumbria, Derby, Gloucestershire, Norfolk and Somerset, they are from the BBC's own medium wave changes page. For every other station, they are from Ofcom's published technical data for FM transmitters, listed strongest transmitter first. Where both list the same station, the frequencies match. Small relay transmitters are left out to keep the list short, so if your area isn't covered, use the checker below.

How do I tune in and check it works?

1. Find your station in the table and note its frequencies.
2. Check your address. The BBC's transmitter checker shows which BBC services you can receive where you are.
3. Tune the radio. The BBC's retuning guide says FM radios have a Scan or Auto-Tune button that searches for and stores stations. If the scan misses yours, turn the dial or use the + and – buttons to reach the number.
4. Listen for a minute. Make sure it's your local station, not a neighbouring county's.
5. Write it down. Put the frequency on a label on the radio and on your household plan. Add a second station, such as a national one, in case the first is off air.
6. Test it on batteries, not the mains, and with the aerial fully out.

The power cut numbers are from Be Ready's checklist, which also suggests keeping radio frequencies with your list of important numbers on paper.

What about DAB, medium wave and the TV?

• FM. The BBC says FM is available on most radios and offers better coverage across the UK than medium wave. Most cheap battery and wind-up radios have FM.
• DAB. More stations and selection by name. But the BBC says its local and nations stations are carried on local commercial DAB multiplexes, so where there is no commercial DAB service you may not get your BBC local station on DAB. Be Ready suggests trying both FM and digital.
• Medium wave. The BBC says the last BBC Local Radio medium wave services, in Cumbria, Derby, Gloucestershire, Norfolk and Somerset, will close by the end of November 2026. The same stations stay on FM, DAB, BBC Sounds and online. If you used an old MW-only radio, it's time to switch.
• TV, BBC Sounds and smart speakers. These all need mains power or the internet, so they may not work in a power cut.

For more on why local radio matters in a power cut and what to do in a storm, see our guide to local radio in a power cut.

Which radio should I keep for this?

Any radio with FM that runs without mains power will do: battery, wind-up or solar. Our wind-up and solar radio guide explains what to look for, and the power cut kit list shows what to keep with it. For the steps to take when the lights go out, see the first 10 minutes of a power cut.

Is there a US equivalent?

Yes. In the US, the National Weather Service runs NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards, a nationwide network of radio stations broadcasting weather warnings, watches, forecasts and other hazard information 24 hours a day. See our US power outage guide.

Related guides

• Which radio station to listen to in a power cut
• Wind-up radios: what to look for before you buy
• Power cut kit: what to keep in one box, and how long power cuts last
• Staying in touch when networks fail

We're an independent UK site, not the government. We check guides against official sources and link to them. In an emergency call 999.

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