Emergency Numbers to Keep at Home

When the power goes off, the first thing most households reach for is a phone. That is exactly when the numbers you need are hardest to find: the mobile may be low on charge, the landline may depend on mains power, and the broadband router is dead. The answer is a short written list, kept in two places, that you can read by torchlight.

The number that matters most is 105, the free power cut line for England, Scotland and Wales, which puts you through to your local electricity network operator for help and advice¹. In Northern Ireland the number is 03457 643 643, the NIE Networks customer helpline for reporting a power cut or a damaged power line⁴. For danger to life, fire or a serious medical emergency, it is still 999⁷.

Everything else on the list is about the people and services you would want to reach if the cut lasted longer than an evening: family, neighbours, your doctor, your utility suppliers and your insurer. Write them down on paper, keep a copy by the phone and a copy in your grab bag, and add your meter and account details so you are not hunting for them in the dark⁸.

The numbers to keep by the phone and in your grab bag

Start with a single sheet of paper. The government's Be Ready campaign is direct about it: write down important phone numbers on paper and store them somewhere easy to find in a power cut, including emergency contacts, your medication list, radio frequencies and insurance policy details⁹. The same advice appears across the national campaigns: keep a paper copy of important phone numbers for family, neighbours, doctor and utilities in case your mobile loses power or you cannot reach your contacts⁸.

A sensible list covers more than the emergency services. Ready Scotland suggests your household plan should include your GP surgery, school or childcare provider, care providers and home assist services, insurance provider and policy number, vet, local council, and close family members or friends¹². If you care for someone, keep a list of phone numbers and addresses of the people who need to know there has been an emergency¹³.

Keep one copy by the phone and one in your grab bag, and put 105 on the fridge or saved in your mobile contacts so it is there before you need it¹¹. A phone in the bedroom is worth having too, in case you need to make an emergency call at night, and if it is a mobile, keep it charged¹⁴.

Power cut line in Northern Ireland: 03457 643 643

If you live in Northern Ireland, the reporting number is different and worth learning. NIE Networks runs a customer helpline on 03457 643 643 for reporting a power cut or a damaged power line⁵. The same number appears in the Northern Ireland household emergency kit guidance, listed as Northern Ireland Electricity's contact number⁴, and in weather warnings issued by the Northern Ireland Executive¹⁵.

Northern Ireland has had recent, practical reminders of why the number matters. During Storm Boelo, NIE Networks asked customers to report a power cut or damaged equipment on 03457 643 643 or through its Powercheck app¹⁷. That is the kind of event where a written number and a charged phone earn their place.

The Northern Ireland guidance also covers what to do about damage. Report anything that looks dangerous to NIE Networks on 03457 643 643, and never touch damaged electricity equipment⁶. If your home has been flooded, one source lists a separate number for flooded homes in Northern Ireland, 0345 7643 643¹⁸.

Ways to report a power cut without phoning

You do not have to ring to report a cut. You can report it online at powercut105.com, or call 105, which is a free service in Scotland, England and Wales². Ofgem's guidance for unplanned cuts is the same: report it directly to your local network operator using their website, or call 105 for free³.

Whichever route you use, do not assume the company already knows. Official guidance is blunt: don't assume that the power company know you have no power, and ring them as soon as possible¹⁹. A single call or online report helps the operator build an accurate picture of who is off and where the fault lies.

If your phone service depends on the internet, plan for the possibility that it fails with the power. In the most serious circumstances your mobile phone, landline and broadband connection could all be down, so you may not be able to contact emergency services on 999²⁰. If you have no back-up power to your landline and a life-threatening emergency, attempt to call 999 or 112 using a mobile: you might get overlapping signal from a nearby area that is unaffected, because emergency calls automatically roam onto all available networks¹.

A non-mains powered landline telephone will help you stay in touch during any disruptions to your power supply²². A cordless landline may not work in a power cut, because the base station needs power and may not have a back-up battery²³. Ofcom confirms that moving to a digital landline does not change your number: you keep it and continue to make and receive calls in much the same way²⁴.

What the network operator will and will not do for you

The operator's job is to find the fault, fix it and tell you what is happening. When you call 105 you are put through to your local electricity network operator, who can give you help and advice²⁶. That is the right call for a cut, a damaged line or a question about restoration.

What the operator will not do is know automatically that your particular home is off. That is why the guidance tells you to ring rather than wait²⁵. It also will not replace the emergency services: if there is a fire, a medical emergency or a risk to life, call 999 as soon as you are safe to do so⁷. A personal emergency evacuation plan does not change that; the resident should still phone 999 in an emergency²⁷.

There are limits to what any phone line can do in the worst cases. If mobile, landline and broadband are all down, you may not be able to reach 999 at all²⁰, which is why the written list and a charged phone matter. Emergency Alerts are a separate channel: they do not track your location, need your phone number or collect personal data, and those without a mobile will still be made aware through the news and local emergency services²⁸.

If a national shortage is likely to last a few days, an emergency power cut rota will be published. You enter your postcode to see when you will have a power cut the next day and a timetable of risk for the days after, and you should keep checking the rota every evening²⁵. Save that web address with your other numbers so you can find it without searching.

Keeping your numbers and meter details ready

A list is only useful if it survives the event. Keep a paper copy of important phone numbers and other essential information in case your mobile loses power or you cannot access your contacts⁸. Keep important numbers such as family or insurance written down somewhere safe in case you cannot access them on your phone or online²⁹. Store one or more emergency contact numbers on your mobile or keep a written copy in your wallet or purse, using the ICE or Medical ID feature if your phone has one³⁰.

Add the details that identify you to your supplier: your account number, your meter details and your policy number. Ready Scotland's household plan guidance suggests including your insurance provider and policy number alongside your other contacts¹². All utilities have a 24-hour operation call line, so have the telephone number of your power provider easy to hand so you can make that call³¹.

Keep the phone itself ready. The Met Office advises considering a separate battery charger and storing key information such as the power cut helpline number (105) on your phone³². A mobile phone charger belongs in the household emergency kit³³, and if you have a mobile phone, keep it with you at all times in case you need to make an emergency call¹³. Keep people's email addresses in your phone too, as they may be handy when calls will not connect²⁹.

On generators, official guidance is cautious. The expense of installing a generator for a household may not be worth the cost, and having torches and lanterns is a suitable alternative for the few hours you may be without power³⁴. If you do keep one, follow the maker's instructions and the fire service's advice on siting and carbon monoxide, and never run one indoors or in a garage.