A calmer household plan for a power cut

Give the torch a home

Be Ready recommends a torch and spare batteries and says torches are safer than candles. Choose a location everyone in the household can find in the dark. Test the torch, check which batteries it takes and make sure someone with reduced grip or sight can actually operate it. Owning a torch somewhere in the loft is less useful than knowing a working one is by the hallway cupboard.

Gather warm clothing and blankets in an accessible place. Avoid improvising indoor heating or cooking arrangements. Outdoor cooking equipment and generators are not indoor substitutes for mains power: follow manufacturer safety instructions and official advice rather than trying a social-media workaround.

Keep communication options simple

A charged power bank and the right phone cable can help, but do not assume a charging connector guarantees compatibility. Check your own equipment. A battery-powered or wind-up FM radio provides another way to hear news if internet access is unavailable. Test reception and write down the frequencies you use for local or national news.

Put key numbers on paper rather than only in a phone. To report or get information about a power cut, Be Ready lists 105 in England, Scotland and Wales, and 03457 643643 in Northern Ireland. These are not a replacement for 999 if someone is in immediate danger.

Treat equipment dependency as a separate plan

If someone relies on powered medical, mobility or communication equipment, contact the equipment provider or care team before an outage. Ask what to do if power is lost, how the equipment should be used and whether any backup arrangements are appropriate. A consumer phone power bank is not automatically suitable for medical equipment.

Check support-register eligibility with your utility suppliers. Be Ready refers to Priority Services Registers in Great Britain and Customer Care Registers in Northern Ireland. Registering can help suppliers understand support needs; it does not guarantee uninterrupted electricity or immediate restoration.

Practise the first five minutes

In daylight, ask each adult where they would find the torch, phone cable, radio and written contacts. Decide who would check on a neighbour or family member if you could not call them. You are testing whether the plan is easy to use, not whether the kit looks impressive. Make any changes now, when there is time and light to do so.

• Working torch and matching batteries located
• Useful radio frequency written down
• Relevant power-cut number on paper
• Equipment-dependent needs discussed with the right provider