Living Well at Home UKClear, practical guidance for later life
Emergency planning

By Does Your Duck Quack

Power cuts, floods, heatwaves and severe cold

Prepare for power cuts, floods and extreme weather with emergency contacts, backup plans for medical equipment and the right national helplines.

Checked: 6 October 2026 · Next review: 6 April 2027 · Applies to: UK, with nation notes
How this guide was prepared

Purpose: urgent guidance · Level: detailed

Checked by: Does Your Duck Quack. Sources are linked below; seek professional advice for individual circumstances.

The short answer

What to do first

Prepare for power cuts, floods and extreme weather with emergency contacts, backup plans for medical equipment and the right national helplines.

Start here: The free 105 number is used for electricity network emergencies in Great Britain: England, Scotland and Wales. Northern Ireland uses 03457 643643 for power cuts. Floodline is 0345 988 1188 for Environment Agency, Natural Resources Wales and SEPA areas; Northern Ireland’s Flooding Incident Line is 0300 2000 100 for reporting flooding incidents, not an emergency rescue.

Do not wait: If you rely on powered medical equipment and lose power, contact the clinical team and electricity network using the backup plan. Call 111 if someone is unwell in heat or cold, or 999 in an emergency.

Visual guides

See the decision at a glance

Damp and mould decision chart
  1. Immediate health or structural danger?Use urgent housing, health or emergency routes for collapse risk, severe illness, electrical danger or major flooding.
  2. Record and reportPhotograph affected areas, note dates, leaks, heating and ventilation, and tell the landlord or responsible owner in writing.
  3. Address the causeLeaks, building defects, cold surfaces and ventilation need the appropriate repair; wiping mould alone is not a lasting solution.
  4. Escalate unresolved problemsUse the council, housing provider, environmental-health or nation-specific advice route.
Heater placement
  1. Keep clearFollow the manufacturer’s clearance from curtains, bedding, furniture, clothing and walking routes.
  2. Use safelyPlace on a stable surface, avoid unsafe extension leads and never use a heater intended for another setting.
  3. Plan for vulnerabilityDiscuss burns, falls, cognition, oxygen, emollients and fire risk with the fire service or care team.
Power-cut preparation
  1. List essential equipmentRecord alarms, lifts, beds, oxygen, ventilation, refrigeration and communication that depend on power.
  2. Confirm backupAsk each supplier about battery duration, safe shutdown, fault alerts and the emergency contact.
  3. Prepare essentialsKeep lights, charged phones, warm clothing, medicines information and agreed contacts accessible.
  4. Register and reviewCheck Priority Services eligibility with energy and network providers and retest plans after equipment changes.
Severe-weather plan
  1. Check official warningsUse current Met Office, government and local emergency information rather than social-media rumours.
  2. Prepare essential supportPlan medicines, food, drinking water, heating or cooling, power-dependent equipment and safe contact.
  3. Reduce travel riskReview appointments, carers and deliveries early, and confirm who will attend if roads or transport are disrupted.
  4. Escalate health dangerUse urgent NHS advice for concerning symptoms and call 999 for immediate danger.

Scope of this guide

This guide helps you understand the options and questions to ask. It is not personal medical, legal or financial advice. Check the official sources for your nation and seek qualified help for high-stakes decisions.

If someone may be in immediate danger

Call 999 for a life-threatening emergency. For an urgent problem that is not clearly life-threatening, use the official NHS urgent-care route for the UK nation you are in. Have the address, symptoms, onset time, medicines and allergies ready.

Who this guide is for

People whose health, medicines, communication or ability to keep warm or cool depends on reliable electricity, water, transport or nearby support.

A short plan can make disruption less frightening, particularly when someone depends on powered medical equipment, refrigerated medicines, lifts, heating or a phone. Write down who to call, how to get alerts and where to go if the home becomes unsafe. Keep the person involved and make a separate plan for a carer or key holder who may not be nearby.

What to do now

1. Save the power-cut and flood contacts

The free 105 number is used for electricity network emergencies in Great Britain: England, Scotland and Wales. Northern Ireland uses 03457 643643 for power cuts. Floodline is 0345 988 1188 for Environment Agency, Natural Resources Wales and SEPA areas; Northern Ireland’s Flooding Incident Line is 0300 2000 100 for reporting flooding incidents, not an emergency rescue.

2. Register support needs and equipment

Ask the electricity, gas and water network or supplier about the Priority Services Register and what support it provides locally. Tell the relevant clinical team if power is essential for oxygen, ventilation, a stairlift or another device; ask about a written backup plan, battery duration, safe charging and who to contact if supply fails.

3. Plan for local flood alerts and evacuation

Sign up for the official flood alerts available in your nation and know how warnings arrive if internet or phone service fails. Keep essential medicines, glasses, mobility aids, documents and a charged phone accessible. Agree who will help the person leave and where they can go.

4. Reduce heat and cold risks early

During hot weather, keep rooms as cool as practical, use shade, check on anyone living alone and follow NHS advice about fluids unless a clinician has set a restriction. In cold weather, keep warm safely and ask for help before heating fails.

5. Keep a small, personal emergency kit

Include a torch, spare batteries or charged light, power bank, drinking water if safe for the person, ready-to-eat food, a medicines list, key contacts, warm layers and copies of essential details. Add supplies that reflect dietary, continence, sensory or mobility needs.

Warning signs and checks

Common questions

What number do I call during a power cut?

In England, Scotland and Wales, call 105 to reach the electricity network operator. In Northern Ireland, the network number is 03457 643643. These routes report a power cut or electrical network issue; they are not substitutes for 999 if there is a fire, immediate danger or a medical emergency.

Does 105 work in Northern Ireland?

No. 105 is the Great Britain power-cut number. Northern Ireland uses 03457 643643. Save the right number for the address where the person lives, especially if a relative or carer may need to call on their behalf. Network arrangements and support-register details can change, so confirm the number through the relevant official electricity network information.

Who should I call about flooding?

In England, Wales and Scotland, Floodline is 0345 988 1188 for information from the relevant flood authority. In Northern Ireland, the Flooding Incident Line is 0300 2000 100 for reporting incidents such as flooding affecting roads or property. It is not an emergency rescue line.

What if a power cut stops medical equipment?

Follow the written backup plan from the equipment or clinical team and contact the electricity network using the correct national number. If the person becomes unwell, call 111 for urgent advice or 999 for a life-threatening emergency. Do not wait for batteries to run out before asking for help, and do not change settings or connect the equipment to an unapproved power source.

Differences across the UK

Power reporting, resilience schemes and emergency advice differ in Northern Ireland and Great Britain. Power-cut numbers and flood warning systems differ across the UK. The 105 electricity number applies in Great Britain; Northern Ireland has a separate network number. England, Wales and Scotland use the shared Floodline service, while Northern Ireland’s incident line is for reports and advice. Emergency rescue is always 999.

When to get urgent help

If you rely on powered medical equipment and lose power, contact the clinical team and electricity network using the backup plan. Call 111 if someone is unwell in heat or cold, or 999 in an emergency.

Primary sources

The publisher checked this guide against the 11 official sources below. This is an editorial source check, not approval by a clinician, lawyer or benefits adviser.

Editorial note: By Does Your Duck Quack.