Most winters, a storm takes the power out somewhere in Scotland. Sometimes it’s back in minutes. Sometimes it’s out overnight, or longer in rural areas. The difference between a bit of an adventure and a miserable, worrying night is usually whether you’ve got a few simple things ready in one place.
This guide covers exactly what to keep in a power cut kit, the best torches, lanterns and batteries for the job, and what to do when the lights go out. Everything we mention is in stock online, and you can order it for Click & Collect from your local Home Hardware store.
What to Put in a Power Cut Kit
Keep all of this together in one box or bag, somewhere everyone in the house knows about and can find in the dark, like a kitchen cupboard or under the stairs.
| Item | Why you need it | Our pick |
|---|---|---|
| Lantern | Lights a whole room so the family can sit together | Duracell Lantern 500 Lumen |
| Head torch | Hands-free light for the fuse box, stairs and cooking | Energizer Vision Headlight 200 Lumens |
| Torch for each person | So nobody’s left in the dark | Dekton Explorer Torch 400 Lumens |
| Automatic power cut light | Comes on by itself the moment the power goes | Active Sensor LED Torch Light |
| Spare batteries | Enough for every torch and lantern, in the right sizes | Energizer Power Batteries AA Box Of 24 |
| Power bank and cable | Keeps a phone charged to call for help and get updates | Status Power Bank 4000mAh |
| Battery or rechargeable radio | News and updates when the internet’s down | VQ DAB Portable RadioVQ DAB Portable Radio |
| Flask | Hot drinks for hours after the kettle stops | Thermos Stainless Steel Flask 1 Litre |
| Hot water bottle | Warmth with no power needed | CoseyToes Long Hot Water Bottle Tartan |
| Candles and matches | Backup light, used carefully | Prices Candles Household Candle 165mm Pack of 5 |
What to Do in a Power Cut
- Check whether it’s just you. Look outside: if the street lights and neighbours’ windows are dark too, it’s a wider power cut. If it’s only your house, check your fuse box or consumer unit for a tripped switch first.
- Report it or check for updates by calling 105. It’s the free number for reporting power cuts anywhere in Great Britain, and it puts you through to your local network operator. In most of central and southern Scotland, including Ayrshire, that’s SP Energy Networks. In the north, it’s SSEN.
- Switch off appliances that could be dangerous if the power comes back while you’re not watching, like cookers, heaters and irons. Leave one light switched on so you know when the power’s back.
- Keep the fridge and freezer closed. They stay cold much longer if you don’t open them.
- Keep warm. Close doors to keep heat in the rooms you’re using, layer up, and use hot water bottles and blankets.
- Check on neighbours, especially anyone elderly, unwell or living alone.
Best Lighting for a Power Cut
You need two kinds of light: something to light a room so everyone can sit together, and a torch or head torch for moving around and doing things. Browse the full torches and lanterns range.
Lanterns: Light the Whole Room
A torch beam is great for finding your way, but you can’t sit in one. A lantern spreads light around the room, so you can play a game, eat or read. The Duracell 500 lumen lantern is a bright option for a living room, and the Status 13 LED lantern runs on D batteries.
Head Torches: Hands-Free When You Need It
The most useful torch in a power cut is the one you don’t have to hold. A head torch leaves both hands free for checking the fuse box, carrying a hot drink, helping a child up the stairs or making a sandwich. The Energizer Vision 200 lumen headlight runs on three AAA batteries (included), for up to 7 hours on high or 20 hours on low. For a brighter beam, there’s the Energizer Vision 450 lumen headlight, or the USB-rechargeable Dekton rechargeable head torch.
Torches: One for Everyone
Keep a torch for every person in the house, so nobody has to share. The Dekton Explorer 400 lumen torch has an adjustable beam and comes with its three C batteries included. For something small to keep in a drawer or by the bed, the Amtech 9 LED mini torch runs on AAA batteries. The Energizer 4D LED torch is a big, chunky torch that’s easy to find in the dark.
Automatic Power Cut Lights
The Active Sensor LED torch light is worth having in a hallway or by the stairs. It sits on a mains charging base and works as a motion-sensor night light, but if the power goes off, its 15 LED area light switches on automatically, and it switches off again when the power comes back. Lift it off the base and it’s a torch. It means you’re never fumbling in the dark the moment the lights go out.
Battery Lights for Dark Corners
Stick-on battery lights are handy around the house anyway, and they come into their own in a power cut. The Smart Garden Multi Light gives 220 lumens from three AAA batteries and fixes with magnets, sticky tabs or a keyhole slot. Dekton homelights come in a set of three for cupboards, landings and the under-stairs cupboard.
Batteries: Get the Right Ones, and Enough of Them
A torch with flat batteries is no use at all. Check which sizes your torches, lanterns and radio take, and keep at least one full set of spares for each.
- Alkaline batteries are best for a kit that sits in a cupboard. The Energizer AA box of 24 holds power for up to 7 years in storage, and Duracell Plus AA batteries stay fresh for up to 10 years. The same box is available in AAA.
- Don’t forget the big sizes. Lanterns and big torches often take D batteries or C batteries, and people rarely have spares.
- Rechargeables are great for everyday use, but they slowly lose charge sitting in a drawer, so top them up before winter. The Energizer universal charger charges NiMH rechargeable batteries in several sizes, including AA, AAA and C.
- Test before you need them. A Draper battery tester tells you which spares are still good.
Keep Your Phone Charged
Your phone is how you’ll report the power cut, check updates and contact family. When a storm is forecast, charge everything. A power bank like the Status 4000mAh power bank gives you a top-up when the sockets are dead. Keep a cable that fits your phone in the kit: the Status 3 in 1 charging cable covers micro USB, USB-C and Lightning in one lead. Turn your screen brightness down and close apps you don’t need to make the battery last.
A Radio for News and Updates
If the power’s out across a wide area, mobile signal and internet can go down too. A radio that doesn’t need the mains keeps you up to date with local news and storm warnings. The VQ DAB portable radio has a built-in rechargeable battery with up to 12 hours of listening time, plus DAB, DAB+ and FM. Charge it fully before winter, and top it up when a storm is forecast.
Staying Warm Without Power
Most central heating needs electricity to run, even with a gas boiler, so a long power cut in winter can get cold quickly.
- Fill flasks when a storm is forecast. A Thermos 1 litre stainless steel flask of hot water means tea, hot water bottles and instant soup even with the power off.
- Hot water bottles like the CoseyToes long tartan hot water bottle keep you warm for hours with no power at all.
- Gather in one room, close the door, and draw the curtains to keep the heat in.
- If you have an open fire or stove, it really comes into its own. Our guide to getting your fire ready for winter covers fuel and safety.
Candles: Use With Care
Candles are a good backup, and Price's household candles are cheap to keep in the kit with a box of safety matches. But candles are a common cause of house fires, especially when people are tired and the house is dark. Battery torches and lanterns are much safer, so use them first. If you do light candles, put them in a stable holder on a heat-proof surface, away from curtains, and never leave them burning when you leave the room or go to sleep.
Before the Storm: A Quick Checklist
- Charge phones, power banks and the radio.
- Test every torch and lantern, and replace any flat batteries.
- Fill a flask or two with hot water.
- Put the power cut kit somewhere easy to find in the dark.
- Make sure the car has fuel, in case you need to leave.
- Note down the 105 number, and anyone who’d need checking on.
Common Power Cut Mistakes
- Not knowing where the torches are. Keep everything in one place.
- Flat or leaking batteries in torches that haven’t been used since last winter. Check them each autumn.
- Relying on your phone torch, which drains the battery you need for calls.
- Leaving candles unattended.
- Opening the freezer to check on it.
- Using gas appliances for heat indoors.
Our Recommendation
- Light for the room: Duracell Lantern 500 Lumen.
- Hands-free: Energizer Vision Headlight 200 Lumens.
- Comes on automatically: Active Sensor LED Torch Light.
- Spare batteries: Energizer Power Batteries AA Box Of 24, plus D and C if your lantern or torch needs them.
- News and updates: VQ DAB Portable RadioVQ DAB Portable Radio.
- Warmth: Thermos Stainless Steel Flask 1 Litre and a hot water bottle.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I keep in a power cut kit?
A lantern to light a room, a torch or head torch for each person, spare batteries in the right sizes, a power bank and charging cable, a battery or rechargeable radio, a flask, a hot water bottle, and candles with matches as a careful backup.
What number do I call in a power cut?
Call 105. It’s free and puts you through to your local electricity network operator to report a power cut or get updates. In most of central and southern Scotland that’s SP Energy Networks, and in the north it’s SSEN.
What is the best torch for a power cut?
A head torch is the most useful, because it leaves both hands free. Add a lantern to light the room you’re sitting in, and an automatic emergency light that switches on by itself when the power goes.
Which batteries are best for an emergency kit?
Alkaline batteries, because they hold their charge for years in storage. Rechargeable batteries slowly lose charge when not in use, so top them up before winter if you keep them in your kit.
How do I keep warm in a power cut?
Gather in one room with the door and curtains closed, layer up, and use hot water bottles and blankets. Fill flasks with hot water when a storm is forecast. Never use a gas cooker, barbecue or camping stove to heat a room.
Are candles safe to use in a power cut?
They can be, with care, but battery torches and lanterns are much safer. If you use candles, put them in a stable holder on a heat-proof surface away from curtains, and never leave them unattended.
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