A dim kitchen at dusk lit by a battery torch standing on the table next to a small radio and a folded blanket
AI-generated image, not a photograph of a real person or place.
doodlepower

WHAT THE GUIDANCE SAYS

When the lights
go out.

CALL 105 free, in Great Britain

  • Report it on 105
  • Keep the fridge shut
  • Torch, not candles
  • Calm, warm and informed

Most power cuts are short. A little planning makes any of them easier.

UK guidance covers four things: who to call, what to switch off, how long your food stays safe and what the network owes you if it drags on. Here they are, in the order you'll need them.

Updated

Check how long

THE SHORT ANSWER

Report it, switch off,
keep the cold in.

Guidance from GOV.UK, Ofgem and the Food Standards Agency
comes down to a handful of simple steps.

REPORT

Call 105, free

Report an unplanned power cut on your network operator's website or call 105 for free in England, Scotland and Wales. In Northern Ireland the number is 03457 643643.

Check how long

FOOD

Keep the doors shut

The Food Standards Agency says a fridge should stay cold for up to 4 hours, and a full freezer frozen for up to 48 hours, if you keep the doors closed.

See the numbers

WARMTH

Layers and closed doors

Use blankets and layered clothing, keep doors of unused rooms closed and draw the curtains. Check on vulnerable neighbours if you can.

What to do

A QUICK TIME CHECK

How long has
the power been off?

Pick how long it has been to see what the guidance says. The bar shows how much there is to do.

Time check

Choose a time
Under 4 hoursFood is fine

An outage of less than 4 hours is unlikely to affect the safety of chilled or frozen food. Report it and keep the fridge shut.

More than 4 hoursChilled food first

If the fridge reaches 8°C or above, eat foods that need refrigeration within 4 hours or throw them away. A fridge thermometer helps you tell.

More than 12 hoursPayment due

Outside severe weather, network operators must fix a cut within 12 hours. Homes get £100 automatically if fewer than 5,000 properties are affected.

A day or moreFreezer at its limit

A full freezer should stay frozen for up to 48 hours, a half-full one for about 24. Store food outside only if it is below 8°C, in a sealed box.

Sources: Food Standards Agency, Food safety in a power cut; Ofgem, Check if you can get a payment for a power cut. Times are estimates and vary by appliance.

Based on Food Standards Agency advice on food in a power cut and Ofgem's rules on fixing power cuts in England, Scotland and Wales.

TWO NUMBERS WORTH KNOWING

One to call,
one to keep cold.

One number to write down before you need it,
one for how long a full freezer holds.

105

Free number to report a power cut

In England, Scotland and Wales, 105 puts you through to your local electricity network operator. Write it down on paper, as your internet may be down too.

REPORTING · PREPARE (GOV.UK)

48 hours

How long a full freezer stays frozen

A full freezer should keep food frozen for up to 48 hours, or 24 hours if half full, as long as the door stays closed. These are estimates.

FOOD · FOOD STANDARDS AGENCY

Ofgem says homes are paid £100 automatically when a cut lasts more than 12 hours (fewer than 5,000 properties affected) or more than 24 hours (5,000 or more), plus £45 for each further 12 hours, outside severe weather.

DURING A POWER CUT

Five minutes
that help.

A person wrapped in a thick blanket, seen from behind, looking out of a window at a row of unlit houses at dusk
AI-generated image, not a photograph of a real person or place.

These steps come from the government's Prepare guidance on power cuts.

  1. Report it

    Use your network operator's website to report and track the cut, or call 105 if you can't get online.

  2. Switch things off

    Turn off irons, ovens, electric fires and fryers, and unplug the TV and computer in case of a surge when power returns.

  3. Stay clear of power lines

    Electricity at high voltages can jump gaps with no warning, so keep well away from fallen or damaged lines.

  4. Get the news by radio

    A battery or wind-up radio can pick up updates when TV and internet are down. Try FM and digital.

GET READY BEFORE IT HAPPENS

A small kit,
a short list.

A closed fridge-freezer in a dark, quiet kitchen with soft light from a window
AI-generated image, not a photograph of a real person or place.

Prepare suggests keeping a battery or wind-up torch, spare batteries, a power bank, a radio, bottled water and food that needs no cooking somewhere easy to find in the dark. Torches are safer than candles.

If you rely on medical equipment or have additional needs because of medical or personal circumstances, you may be able to join the free Priority Services Register. Ofgem says network operators must offer registered customers extra help in a power cut, such as battery packs.

Questions

Questions people ask

What number do I call in a power cut?

Call 105 for free in England, Scotland and Wales to reach your local electricity network operator, or report it on their website. In Northern Ireland call 03457 643643.

How long will food in my fridge stay safe?

The Food Standards Agency says a fridge should stay cold for up to 4 hours with the door closed. Cuts of under 4 hours are unlikely to affect chilled or frozen food.

Do I get compensation for a power cut?

Often, automatically. Ofgem says homes get £100 if a cut lasts over 12 hours (under 5,000 properties affected) or 24 hours (5,000 or more), plus £45 per extra 12 hours. Severe weather rules differ.

Should I use candles?

Government Prepare guidance recommends a battery or wind-up torch, saying torches are safer than candles, and suggests not relying on your phone's torch as it drains the battery.

What is the Priority Services Register?

A free register with your network operator and energy supplier for people with additional needs. Registered customers get extra help in power cuts, though not extra payments, Ofgem says.

Sources

Where the facts come from

  1. Prepare (UK government): Power cuts
  2. Prepare (UK government): Get prepared for emergencies
  3. Ofgem: Check if you can get a payment for a power cut
  4. Food Standards Agency (GOV.UK): Food safety in a power cut, advice for consumers

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