Power cuts are the emergency the three-day kit was really designed for. Nearly every item on the government's list, from the torch to the wind-up radio to the no-cook food, assumes the electricity is off. In October 2026, as the Prime Minister asked people to stock up, thousands of homes in Cornwall were already without power after storms. This is what to do when it is your turn.
Before
- Torch by the bed, kit in a known place
- Devices and power bank charged when a storm is forecast
- Know where the fuse box is
- Join the Priority Services Register if you rely on power for medical reasons or are vulnerable
- Fill a flask with hot water before a storm hits
During
- Check neighbours' lights, then the fuse box, then call 105
- Switch off cookers, heaters and anything that was running; leave one light on
- Keep the fridge and freezer shut
- Torches and lanterns, not candles
- Everyone into one room, layers on, draughts blocked
- Radio on for updates; phone in low power mode
- Check on older or vulnerable neighbours
After
- Check the fridge and freezer and bin anything doubtful
- Reset clocks, timers, boiler, heating schedule
- Recharge the power bank and torches
- Note the outage times for any compensation claim
- Replace anything used from the kit
The first ten minutes
Is it just you?
Look out of the window. If the street lights and neighbours' houses are dark, it is a network fault. If only your house is off, check the fuse box for a tripped switch before calling anyone. A single tripped circuit is usually a faulty appliance; unplug everything on that circuit and reset it.
Call 105
Free from any phone in Great Britain, 24 hours. It reports the fault to your network operator and gives you the estimated restoration time. You can also check your network operator's live power cut map online while your phone has data. In Northern Ireland, NIE Networks on 03457 643 643.
Switch things off
Cooker, hob, iron, hair tools, electric heaters, the bath running. Anything that was on will restart when the power returns. Leave a single light switched on as your indicator.
Get the kit out
Torches to everyone, lantern in the room you will use, radio on your local BBC station. Phone to low power mode.
Fridge discipline
Decide now that nobody opens the fridge or freezer for the duration. Four hours of safe cold in the fridge, a day or two in the freezer, all of it lost if the door is opened repeatedly.
Staying warm, fed and sane
Gas boilers stop with the electricity, so plan on no heating. The light and warmth guide covers this in detail; the short version is everyone in one small room, hats and layers on early, curtains closed at dusk, towels along the door. Eat the food from the fridge first, then the no-cook food from the kit. If you have a gas hob you can light with a match, you have hot drinks; otherwise it is cold food for a day or two, which is fine.
Barbecues, camping stoves, patio heaters and generators produce carbon monoxide. Every winter people die using them indoors during power cuts. Outside only, well away from windows. If you own a generator, it runs in the open air and never in a garage, even with the door up.
If someone depends on electricity
Oxygen concentrators, dialysis, feeding pumps, powered beds, stairlifts, CPAP and refrigerated medication all need a plan before the cut, not during. Register for the Priority Services Register with your network operator: you get advance warning of planned work, priority in a fault, and in a long outage a welfare call or practical help. Know your equipment's battery life and have an escalation plan: a relative with power, a car to charge from, and 999 if a life-sustaining device is about to fail.
Fallen power lines
Stay well away, at least ten metres, and keep others back. Do not touch anything in contact with a line, including a car or fence. Call 105 to report it, or 999 if it is sparking, burning or someone has been hurt. A line on the ground can still be live even if it looks dead.
Longer outages
After major storms, rural areas have been off supply for several days. Network operators set up welfare vans with hot food and charging, and councils open rest centres; local radio tells you where. This is when the three days of water and food, the written phone numbers and the cash earn their place. Check on neighbours who live alone every day. If your home becomes genuinely cold and you have somewhere warmer to go, go.
When the power returns
- Check the fridge and freezer with a thermometer if you have one. When in doubt, throw it out.
- Reset the boiler, heating timer, oven clock and any smart devices.
- Recharge everything, then put the power bank and torches back in the kit.
- Write down when the power went off and came back. If it was off for a long time, check your network operator's website for compensation under Ofgem's guaranteed standards.
- Replace the kit items you used and note what you wished you had had.
Common questions
Who do I call in a power cut?
Call 105 from any phone in England, Scotland or Wales. It is free and connects you to your local electricity network operator, who fixes faults, whatever company sends your bill. In Northern Ireland call NIE Networks on 03457 643 643. Before calling, check whether neighbours are also off; if only your house is affected, check your fuse box first.
How long will food last in the fridge and freezer?
With the doors kept shut, a fridge stays safely cold for about four hours and a full freezer for around 48 hours (24 if half full). Eat chilled food first. Throw away anything from the fridge that has been above 8°C for more than four hours, and any thawed food you cannot cook straight away.
Will I get compensation for a long power cut?
Possibly. Ofgem's guaranteed standards require network operators to pay compensation when an unplanned cut lasts beyond set thresholds, with different thresholds in severe weather. It is paid by the network operator, not your supplier, and you may need to claim. Keep a note of when the power went off and came back.
Why should I switch things off when the power goes?
Appliances that were on when the power failed will come back on when it returns. A cooker, iron, hair straightener or heater left on while you are out or asleep is a fire risk. Turn them off, and leave one light switched on so you know the moment supply is restored.