Could your household cope with a 24-hour power cut? A UK checklist

Quick checklist

Who to call: the power cut checklist UK basics

Across the UK, call 105 to report a power cut or ask for updates. It connects you to the company that runs the power lines in your area, called your distribution network operator, or DNO. In Northern Ireland, 03457 643643 also works. Write the number on paper and stick it somewhere you can find in the dark.

If you smell gas in Great Britain, call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999. In Northern Ireland, call 0800 002 001. If anyone is in danger, call 999. Never try to work on a gas or electricity supply yourself.

Next, look at the Priority Services Register. It is free, and it lets your energy and water companies know you may need extra help in an outage. You might qualify if you rely on medical equipment, have a health condition or reduced mobility, are of pension age, or have a child aged five or under at home. Start at thepsr.co.uk, or ask your energy supplier or water company.

Light: the first thing you will want

When the lights go out, you want a torch within arm's reach. Aim for one per person, kept somewhere you can find it without light, such as beside the bed or by the front door.

Look for LED torches, because they use little battery power. A head torch frees both hands, which helps on stairs or with a child. Keep spare batteries in the same place, and check them when the clocks change.

A cheap AA battery LED torch (Retailer link coming soon) for each bedroom works well, and a head torch with an adjustable beam (Retailer link coming soon) suits the person who will be helping everyone else. Skip candles where you can. A naked flame is a fire risk, especially with children, pets and draughts. Our power-cut lighting guide compares the safer options room by room.

Phones, news and contact

Charge your phone when a Met Office warning is issued. The Met Office warnings page shows what is expected where you live. Then keep a charged power bank (Retailer link coming soon) in the kitchen drawer. Check its capacity before you buy, and top it up every few months, because they slowly lose charge.

A battery or wind-up FM radio (Retailer link coming soon) is on the official Be Ready checklist for good reason. Phone masts and home broadband may be affected, while a radio only needs a few batteries. A phone that plugs into your broadband router usually stops working when the router has no power, so a mobile or an old-style corded landline matters.

Write down the numbers of family, neighbours and your doctor's surgery. Your phone's contact list is no use with a flat battery.

Warmth: pick one room

Many gas boilers need mains electricity to run their controls, so a power cut can switch off your heating too. This is not true of every boiler, so check yours.

Choose one room to keep warm, preferably small and with a door. Close the curtains at dusk and put on layers. Use blankets and duvets, and keep everyone together. Fill a flask with a hot drink when you hear a warning, before the power goes. Our guide to keeping warm in a power cut has more ideas for winter nights.

Food and drink: keep it simple

For one day, you need very little. Aim for food you can eat cold, such as bread, peanut butter, tinned fish or beans with a ring pull, biscuits and fruit. Our no-cook food cupboard guide has a full list.

For water, the official Be Ready advice is 3 litres per person per day. Keep fridge and freezer doors shut, and eat chilled food first. If you are unsure whether a food is safe, do not eat it.

Medicines and health

Make a written list of the medicines each person takes, and keep it with the torch. Be Ready advises asking for repeat prescriptions up to five working days ahead. Speak to your GP or pharmacist about what is sensible for you. Do not stockpile prescription medicines beyond what a clinician agrees.

If anyone relies on powered equipment, such as an oxygen concentrator or a stairlift, register with the Priority Services Register and ask the equipment provider what to do in a cut. Our guide to power cuts and medical equipment goes through the questions to ask.

Do this today (free)

1. Write 105 and 0800 111 999 on a piece of paper and stick it inside a kitchen cupboard.
2. Put a torch and your phone charger by your bed.
3. Check whether you could join the Priority Services Register at thepsr.co.uk.
4. Pick the room you would keep warm and clear a space for blankets.
5. Test your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. Press the test button on each one.

For a wider plan, see our 30-minute household emergency plan.

If you have £10, £25 or £50

These are budgets to plan with, not quotes. Prices change, so check the current price before buying.

• About £10: a spare torch and batteries for the bedroom that has none.
• About £25: add a head torch and a battery radio.
• About £50: add a power bank and a carbon monoxide alarm if you do not have one.

Sources and further reading

• Be Ready campaign (GOV.UK)
• Be ready for emergencies: checklist and household plan
• Priority Services Register
• Met Office weather warnings
• Food Standards Agency