Electricity is such a key part of modern life that doing without seems inconceivable. But despite the UK’s relatively resilient infrastructure, power cuts do happen, sometimes because of bad weather or a system fault. Most power cuts are brief, thankfully, but there are some things to consider when the power goes down.

Who is affected by the power cut?

Your electricity distribution company will have a power cuts information page on their website. You can use this to report an outage affecting your home or to find out how widespread it is, and how long the power cut is likely to last.

Community groups on social media might also have information, and you may wish to check on vulnerable neighbours to make sure they are okay.

Local radio could also have information if the outage is widespread – use your car radio if you don’t have a battery or wind-up radio.

Runing out of credit

If your electricity supply has been cut because you’ve run out of credit and you are not able to top up, Citizen’s Advice has some tips for getting temporary credit, emergency credit and additional support credit.

Lighting and cooking while the electricity is off

Battery-powered lights come into their own during an outage. Prioritise lighting areas like stairs, even a string of fairy lights or garland lights will make all the difference. Candles are an option for lighting – but never leave them unattended as they are a fire risk.

Microwaves, kettles, electric hobs and ovens, of course, will not work if there is not electricity. Gas ovens and hobs will work, but it’s likely you’ll have to light them manually. Camping stoves and barbecues come into their own during a power cut – but only if you have the fuel available. Check the manufacturer’s instructions on your stove. And be cautious about using it indoors. Barbecues should not be used inside at all.

In some rare cases, water supplies might be disrupted during an outage – here are some tips for managing a water switch-off.

Keeping warm during a power outage

Even gas boilers rely on electricity, and so do heat pumps. This means that during a power outage, some households may not have any heating or hot water.

It is usually easier to warm a person, rather than a whole room, so dress in layers, and wrap up in a blanket or two. If you regularly use your fireplace, then that can help warm a room; but it’s best not to risk lighting a fire if the chimney has not been swept recently.

Medical and accessibility equipment during a power cut

Medical equipment, stairlifts and personal alarms may stop working during a power outage. People who rely on these should be on their power supplier’s priority services register to ensure they get extra support.

Charging your phone during a power cut

Preserve power by turning on battery saver mode, and turn down the brightness on your screen. Turn off Bluetooth, and minimise your phone use to keep your device working for as long as possible. Power banks can be handy in an outage – but only if they’re charged.

While your phone still has battery, make a note of any important contacts if you don’t already have them memorised or written down.

Your home Wi-Fi network might not work during a power cut, so you may need to use mobile data. Check with your provider to make sure you don’t incur excessive charges during the power outage, and buy more data if you think you will need it.

Mobile networks may fail if power supply to the local mast is disrupted, but it may still be possible to contact the emergency services on 999 or 112.

What’s the best way of protecting food in your fridge and freezer during a power cut?

The Food Standards Agency says that domestic fridges will keep food safe for four hours, and food in a freezer will stay good for 48 hours (or 24 hours if it is not full). However – this will depend on how warm or cold it is outdoors; and this time will be reduced if you open the fridge or freezer often.

A fridge thermometer with a min-max setting will tell you if the inside of your fridge has gone higher than 8C – chilled food that has been stored at 8C or above for longer than four hours is not safe to eat.

To minimise food waste, eat perishable chilled foods first, and then defrosted frozen foods.

What happens after a power cut?

Once the power comes back on, remember to re-set the time on appliances or devices with clocks. Switch smartphones back on to Wi-Fi so that you don’t use up mobile data.

Preparing for a power outage

Some power cuts are scheduled, in which case you’ll have time to prepare. But having a plan will make even an unexpected outage more bearable. Gov.uk has some information about preparing for a power cut, and here are a few action steps:

• Charge power banks and battery-powered lights, and check that you have the right batteries for torches, or even get a wind-up torch.
• If you plan to use an open fire or solid-fuel stove for emergency heating, ensure the chimney is swept and you have sufficient coal or wood available.
• Make a list of emergency contact numbers on paper in case you need to make a call on someone else’s phone.
• If you rely on mobility or medical devices, ask the supplier or your healthcare team to find out what you should do during a power cut.
• Stock up on food that you can eat without cooking and make sure your camping stove has a full gas cylinder.
• Let your power supplier know if you need to be on their priority services register.
• If you need power to work from home, investigate options like co-working spaces that are not affected by the outage.

It’s never a good time to lose a key utility, but having a plan will make it easier to cope.