Extreme weather: Experts Reveal Tips and Tricks to ‘Survive’ a Power cut

The Met Office has issued a storm warning across the UK, with power cuts predicted over the next 48 hours.

A yellow warning of thunderstorms has been announced across England, with these types of storms having the ability to affect power lines across the UK.

Insurance experts A-Plan Insurance take you through their tips to ‘survive’ a power cut.

The government is also planning blackouts in January 2023 in Emergency Energy Plan.

What supplies should you have in your house in case of a power cut? 

Before the potential power cuts this week due to the extreme weather, here is a list of items we think are beneficial during a power cut.

• Packs of pillar candles and matches 
• Hand heat packs and hats 
• Consider stocking up on cupboard items that you can cook on the hob or eat cold, and do not need to refrigerate.  
• Torches, allow one per person, plus replaceable batteries 
• Mobile phone power bank for emergency charging 
• Plastic tub to store all your bits and bobs so you know where it all is in the dark, something you can pull out of a cupboard or from under a bed with ease
• Consider a car operated kettle if you don’t have a gas hob – ideal for emergency tea, noodles or soup 
• A battery-operated radio may be useful to listen to news reports – and save your mobile battery 
• A home generator could set you back from around £300 and upwards depending on what you need it for, but may be worth considering  

An easy to reach First Aid kit is also essential – you may be in the middle of something, and the power goes out leading to an accident – or you may not be able to find plasters or other treatments need in the dark!  

Before the planned outages in January 2023, we would recommend stocking up gradually to avoid the panic buying that this may bring in the New Year. This could also give already cash-strapped consumers more time to ‘budget-purchase’ several items over the coming months. While the basics are relatively inexpensive, if you work from home, for example, you may need more than just a few candles. Some of the above items are an investment and would therefore be good to think about in the upcoming months. 

Helpful simple tips for a power cut

• Switch of all of your electrical appliances – this helps to prevent a surge (and therefore another power cut!) when everything comes back on at the same time.  
• If you don’t have streetlights, leave one light on in the room that you are most likely to stay in, so that you can easily spot when the power comes back on. 
• Keep your fridge and freezer doors shut – your fridge will stay cold for around 4 hours, and your freezer a few days. You can also insulate your fridge using blankets or a sleeping bag to keep it cold for longer. If you choose to run your fridge off a generator, ensure you choose the right starting and running watts depending on the size of your fridge. There are plenty of online resources available to guide you on which one to choose.  

Who to contact in the event of a power cut

UK consumers are advised to call ‘105’ which is a new, free national phone line for power cuts. Most people call their energy supplier in a power cut, who are unable to help – you actually need to speak to your Local Distribution Company (LDC), and 105 will put you straight through to them. 

UK Power Cut Call 105 Free| Find Your Electricity Provider (powercut105.com) 

How long do power cuts typically last?  

The average power cut in the UK is under an hour, thankfully! However, under the government’s “reasonable worst case scenario” that time could be exceeded, to add insult to the ever-increasing price-cap injury.  

Can I get compensation from a power cut?  

If an outage is planned, your distributor should give you at least two days’ notice – if they haven’t advised you of a planned outage, then you can claim £30 within 30 days of the outage. If the cut is unplanned, compensation will very much depend on the cause of the outage and how many homes were affected. 

Generally speaking an outage lasting 24 hours is compensated at around the £70 mark, but this depends on the circumstances. If you feel that you can make a claim, you should.  Again, you will need to contact your local distributor (LDC) as opposed to your energy provider. 

Do power cuts affect my electricity bills?  

If you experience a power cut, then you may be entitled to compensation from your LDC, which is payable within 10 days. If you submit monthly readings for your energy bills, you may also see a small decrease in usage however this is likely to be a very small decrease, depending on the length of time you are without power.  

As a general rule, if you pay by direct debit and are in credit, you are entitled to request a refund, however it is likely any credit will be swallowed by the ongoing price hike, so as minor as it may be, it may come in handy as the year progresses. 

Further information can be found at  aplan.co.uk.