No power: blackouts and power cuts

Start here: the core guides

In reading order.

1. The power's out: what to do in the first 10 minutesSix calm steps in a power cut or blackout: torch not candles, report it on 105, switch off and unplug, keep the fridge shut, no BBQs or stoves…
2. Power cuts in the UK: what to doIn a power cut, report it free on 105 in England, Scotland and Wales, or 03457 643643 in Northern Ireland. Use a torch, not candles. Turn off irons,…
3. Could the UK have a Spain-style blackout? What the official plans sayWhat happened in Spain and Portugal on 28 April 2025, how likely a national blackout is in Great Britain, and what the government's own planning…
4. How to charge your phone in a power cutKeep your phone going in a power cut: save battery first, then a charged power bank, the car (outdoors, never in a garage), solar and wind-up…
5. How to keep warm without power, safelyKeep warm in a winter power cut without risking carbon monoxide: one warm room, layers, blankets and draught-stopping, from the UK Chief Medical…
6. Cooking without electricity: what's safe indoors and what isn'tCamping stoves, butane burners and barbecues are outdoor-only because of carbon monoxide. What you can do indoors in a power cut: no-cook food, a gas…
7. Emergency lighting for a power cut: torches, lanterns, head torches and candlesBe Ready says torches are safer than candles. How to light a home in a power cut: a head torch each, a lantern for the room you're in, the right…
8. Fridge and freezer in a power cut: how long is food safe?The Food Standards Agency says a power cut of less than 4 hours is unlikely to affect chilled or frozen food. Keep the doors shut: a fridge should…
9. Power cut kit: what to keep in one box, and how long power cuts lastGOV.UK's Be Ready campaign says most power cuts are short and local, while wider outages are less common but can last several days. In Great Britain,…

Report a power cut

This winter, month by month

The dates that matter for UK homes from November to March, from GOV.UK, UKHSA and the Met Office. Checked 28–31 October 2026.

Before the first big storm: join the Priority Services Register if anyone at home relies on power for health, and check your landline works in a power cut.

Buy only what helps, and free tools

• Power cuts near me
• Fridge and freezer timer
• Power station runtime calculator
• What to buy for a power cut
• Power cut shopping list
• What to buy for a cyber or bank outage
• Power stations compared
• Wind-up radios compared
• Solar panels compared
• Home batteries compared
• Get a quote: home battery back-up

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Everything else in no power

• Wind-up and solar radios with DAB and FM: what to buy for a UK emergencyWhich emergency radio to buy in the UK: FM first, DAB+ if you can, long wave no longer needed. Crank, solar and battery power explained, and what a…
• Thunderstorm warning: power cuts and lightning safety at home and outsideWhat to do when there's a thunderstorm warning in the UK: unplug non-essential appliances, avoid the landline, where to shelter outside, what to do…
• Do flower-pot candle heaters work? An honest answerTerracotta pot and tealight 'heaters' don't make more heat than the candles alone, and UK fire services have warned against them after a flat fire in…
• When the mobile network goes down: how to reach your familyWhat fails first when power and phones go down, why to text before you call, how a family plan with check-in times and meeting points works, landline…
• Your landline in a power cut: the digital switch explainedDigital landlines need mains power, so most stop in a power cut. Who gets a free battery back-up, how long it lasts, why a corded phone no longer…
• NESO's emergency power cut rules, explained for householdsWhat the new Demand Control Rotation Protocol and the government's Electricity Supply Emergency Code mean at home: 3-hour rota cuts, load-block…
• Portable power stations: is one worth it, and what size do you need for a UK power cut?A plain watt-hour worksheet for phones, lights, the router, CPAP and the fridge, what 300 Wh and 1,000 Wh really run, and what to check before you…
• Solar generators for UK home back-up: do they work in winter?What a 'solar generator' actually is (a battery power station plus a folding panel), how much the UK winter sun can recharge it, whether it can run a…
• Do portable solar panels work in a UK winter?What a 100 W folding solar panel can realistically give you in December versus June in London, Manchester and Edinburgh, using the EU's PVGIS solar…
• Solar panels on your roof: why they switch off in a power cut, and what you can doWhy most UK rooftop solar panels stop working in a power cut, what 'island mode' and battery back-up mean, what to ask an installer before you add a…
• Generators for home: safe use, fuel and the backfeed dangerA petrol or diesel generator must run outdoors, at least 6 metres from the house, never in a garage. Plug appliances into it directly; never connect…
• Can a power cut damage your TV, PC or appliances?Why damage usually happens when the power comes back on, what GOV.UK and network operators say to unplug, whether surge protection is worth it, and…
• Power cut: what happens to your boiler, hot water, Wi-Fi and phoneWhich parts of a UK home stop working in a power cut, by heating type: combi and system boilers, hot water cylinders, heat pumps and storage heaters.…
• Can a smart meter switch off your power remotely?Smart meters can be switched to prepayment remotely, and suppliers can cut supply in rare cases under strict rules, the same protections as any…
• Bank app or card not working? What to do in a bank outageHow to check whether your bank is down, how to pay for things in the meantime, how to avoid outage scams, and how to complain and claim extra costs…
• Do you need a portable power station for power cuts?For most UK homes, a power bank and torch cover a typical power cut. Ofgem says network operators should restore power within 12 hours outside severe…
• How many phone charges will a power bank give you in a power cut?As a rough guide, divide the power bank's mAh by your phone's battery mAh, then take off about a third for losses: a 10,000 mAh bank gives a 4,000…
• Choosing a torch for a power cut: what to look forGOV.UK's Be Ready advice is to keep a battery or wind-up torch at home with spare batteries, because torches are safer than candles, and not to rely…
• Wind-up radios: what to look for before you buyA good wind-up radio for a UK home should receive FM (and ideally DAB+), have more than one way to power it — hand crank plus USB or batteries — and…
• Which radio station to listen to in a power cutIn a power cut, a battery or wind-up radio tuned to your BBC local radio station is a simple way to hear local updates. GOV.UK Be Ready says to keep…
• Staying in touch when networks failDigital landlines need mains power, so they stop working in a power cut unless you have a battery back-up — and providers must offer one free if you…
• Broadband and phone outages: what to do, and how to prepareIf your broadband or landline stops, Ofcom suggests restarting your router and devices, checking your provider's status page or app, and reporting…
• The digital landline switch: will your phone work in a power cut?UK landlines are moving from the old analogue network to digital, and GOV.UK says the upgrade is expected to be complete by January 2027. Digital…
• Cooking in a power cut: what's safe, and what to keep outsideIn a power cut, electric hobs stop and many gas cookers need power too. The Food Standards Agency says a camping stove or barbecue can be used to…
• Medicines that need a fridge: what to do in a power cutMedicines that need a fridge, such as insulins, some injections, liquid antibiotics and eye drops, are kept at 2°C to 8°C. NHS trust advice says…
• Keeping warm without heating: what works, what's safe, and where to get helpIf the heating is off, broken or too costly to run, UKHSA advises wearing several thin layers, which may keep you warmer than one thick layer,…
• Winter power cut checklist for UK homesIn a winter power cut, report it on 105, or 03457 643643 in Northern Ireland. Use torches, not candles. Wear warm clothing and use blankets and…
• Will there be blackouts this winter? What the 2026/27 outlook saysThe National Energy System Operator (NESO) published its Winter Outlook 2026/27 on 23 October 2026. It forecasts a 5.9 GW surplus, a 9.5% buffer…
• Long blackout or cyber attack: keeping your household goingThe UK National Risk Register plans for a total failure of Great Britain's electricity transmission system, with about 60% of demand back within 2…

Also useful

• Cyber attack on the grid or the banks: what it would mean at homeWhat the UK National Risk Register says a cyber attack on the electricity grid or a high-street bank could do, how long it might last, and simple…

Official sources

1. GOV.UK Be Ready: power cuts (read 26 Oct 2026 for our guide)
2. Food Standards Agency: food safety in a power cut (read 26 Oct 2026 for our guide)
3. NHS: Carbon monoxide poisoning (read 26 Oct 2026 for our guide)
4. Ofgem: Check if you can get a payment for a power cut (read 26 Oct 2026 for our guide)

Official advice comes first. If a source says something different now, follow the source.