No. 5 · Heating
Keeping warm when the heating stops
In short: Most gas central heating stops in a power cut because the boiler needs electricity. Heat people, not the house: gather in one small room, close it off, dress in layers, use hot-water bottles and good bedding. Only use fuel-burning heaters made for indoor use, with ventilation and a working carbon monoxide alarm, and never use a barbecue or camping stove indoors.
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Why it matters
Long power cuts are rare in the UK, but they do happen. Storm Arwen in November 2021 cut power to over a million customers; around 40,000 were still off after three days, nearly 4,000 after a week, and the last were reconnected after 13 days.
Arwen hit in late November, and the longest cuts were in remote, rural areas, in the cold. The NHS says older people living alone in a cold house are particularly at risk of hypothermia. Cold is the main risk in a UK winter blackout, more than hunger.
Heat people, not the house
- Pick one room, ideally small, south-facing and away from outside doors, and live in it.
- Close the doors to other rooms. Block draughts at the bottom of doors with a rolled towel.
- Close curtains at dusk and open them on sunny windows in the day.
- Dress in layers: thermal base layer, jumper, fleece. Hats and thick socks indoors.
- Sleep together in the warm room with duvets, sleeping bags and blankets; a small tent pitched indoors keeps a surprising amount of body heat in.
- Fill hot-water bottles from the camping stove for beds (cover them, and never use one to rewarm someone with hypothermia).
- Eat regular hot food and drinks. Keep clothes dry; damp clothing drains heat fast.
The NHS recommends heating the rooms you use to at least 18°C where you can. In a long outage you may not manage that, which is why the warning signs below matter.
Fuel heaters and fires, safely
- Wood burner or open fire: the best option if you have one. Get the chimney swept before winter, store dry fuel, use a fireguard and never leave it unattended.
- Portable gas heaters: only use a heater designed for indoor use, follow the maker's ventilation instructions exactly, keep the room ventilated, and turn it off before sleeping.
- Never indoors: barbecues, camping stoves, patio heaters, generators, or a car engine in a garage. The NHS warns that barbecues and camping stoves used inside, portable generators and engines in an enclosed space can all cause a build-up of carbon monoxide.
- Have a fire extinguisher and fire blanket near any flame, and a plan to get out.
Carbon monoxide: the silent risk
Carbon monoxide (CO) has no smell or colour. ONS figures record 24 deaths from accidental carbon monoxide poisoning by gas and fumes (not counting fires) registered in England and Wales in 2024, and power cuts push people towards exactly the appliances that cause them.
NHS symptoms include headache, dizziness, feeling sick, tiredness, confusion and shortness of breath. The NHS says symptoms can get worse in the affected room and ease when you go outside.
- Fit a CO alarm in every room with a fuel-burning appliance (NHS advice). Battery or sealed-battery models keep working in a power cut.
- If it sounds: turn the appliance off, open windows, get everyone outside, and get medical advice (111, or 999 if someone is struggling to breathe, confused or unconscious). For a suspected gas leak, call the free National Gas Helpline on 0800 111 999.
- Landlords in England must fit CO alarms in rooms with a fixed combustion appliance (excluding gas cookers) under the 2022 regulations.
Know the signs of hypothermia
NHS signs in adults: shivering; pale, cold, dry skin; slurred speech; slow breathing; tiredness or confusion. Babies may be cold to the touch, floppy, unusually quiet and sleepy, and refuse to feed.
- Call 999 if you think someone has hypothermia.
- While you wait: move them somewhere warm and sheltered, remove wet clothing, and wrap them in a blanket or sleeping bag with the head covered.
- The NHS says do not use a hot bath, hot-water bottle or heat lamp on them, don't rub their limbs, and don't give alcohol.
When to leave home for warmth
If you can't keep a room safely warm and someone in the household is vulnerable (a baby, an older person, someone unwell), moving is the right call. Listen to local radio for rest centres or warm spaces, and arrange in advance to stay with friends or family outside the affected area. UKHSA issues Cold-Health Alerts in England from November to March; an amber or red alert during a power cut is a strong reason to act early.
Set up a warm room in a power cut
- Choose the smallest room you can all fit in, away from outside doors.
- Close doors to the rest of the house and block draughts under doors.
- Close curtains as soon as it gets dark.
- Bring in duvets, sleeping bags and layers for everyone.
- Check the battery CO alarm works if you'll use any fuel-burning heat.
- Make hot drinks and fill covered hot-water bottles for bedtime.
- Check on each other, especially babies and older people, for signs of cold.
Checklist
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- Thermal base layers, hats, gloves and thick socks for everyone
- Extra duvets, blankets or winter sleeping bags
- Two to four hot-water bottles with covers
- Emergency foil blankets
- Battery carbon monoxide alarm in any room with a fuel appliance
- Working smoke alarms on every floor
- Dry firewood or fuel if you have a burner, and chimney swept
- Fire extinguisher and fire blanket
- Draught excluders or old towels
- A small tent that can be pitched indoors (optional)
Questions people ask
Does gas central heating work in a power cut?
Usually not. Most modern boilers need electricity for the controls, ignition and pump, so the heating stops even though the gas is still on.
How do I keep warm in a power cut without heating?
Gather in one small room, close it off, block draughts, close curtains, wear layers and hats, use good bedding and hot-water bottles, and eat hot food and drinks.
Is it safe to use a gas heater indoors in a power cut?
Only if it's designed for indoor use, used exactly as the maker says, with ventilation and a working carbon monoxide alarm. Never use a barbecue, patio heater or camping stove to heat a room.
What are the signs of hypothermia?
The NHS lists shivering, pale cold dry skin, slurred speech, slow breathing, and tiredness or confusion. Babies may be cold, floppy, quiet and refuse to feed. Call 999 if you suspect it.
Where should I put a carbon monoxide alarm?
The NHS advises one in each room with an appliance that burns gas, oil, coal or wood. Choose a battery or sealed-battery model so it keeps working in a power cut.
Sources: NHS, keep warm, keep well · NHS, hypothermia · NHS, carbon monoxide poisoning · ONS, accidental carbon monoxide poisoning deaths registered in England and Wales, 2024 · Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (Amendment) Regulations 2022 · Met Office, Cold-Health Alerts · Ofgem, final report on the networks' response to Storm Arwen (June 2022) · BEIS/E3C, Storm Arwen Review final report. General information only, not professional advice. In an emergency, always call 999.