What to know in an emergency?
What should I do in a power cut?
If your power goes out, firstly check if other homes in your area are affected - see if the street lights are on, or if your neighbour’s electricity supply has gone off.
If your neighbours’ power is still on: check your trip switch if you have one (you’ll usually find it in your fuse box - it will be either black or red). If it has tripped, turn off all your appliances and then reset it to the ‘on’ position. If it continues to trip, call a qualified electrician.
If you think it is a power cut: find out more information about power cuts in your area by typing in your postcode on the power cut website. You can report a power cut, as well as damage to electricity power lines and substations by calling 105 from your mobile or landline..
Read more information on power cuts and find your electricity network operator.
If it’s not a power cut and you’re a Pay As You Go customer: your Pay As You Go meter could be off supply. Before notifying us of a meter fault, make sure you have enough credit in your meter first - this may be why your power is off.
If your meter is still not working, we’ve got more help below:
**Still need help?**
- Chat to us via webchat, Monday to Sunday 7am-11pm
- Call us on 0345 270 0700, Monday to Friday 9am-5pm
- If you Pay As You Go, are off supply and need to call us outside the hours above, please call on 0345 058 0005 - 5pm-8pm Monday to Friday and 9am-4pm Saturday
- If you’re off supply and think it could be a meter fault, you can call 0345 270 0700 outside the hours above and our automated service will direct you to the help you need
Electrical emergencies
If you witness damage to overhead electricity lines or can see they have fallen, are hanging low, or look visibly damaged, please call the 24-hour emergency helpline on 105.
Please remember that cables may still be live, so keep as far away from the hazard as possible and warn people in the vicinity to do the same.
Gas emergency
If you smell gas or think there might be a gas leak:
Open all doors and windows
Turn off the gas at the emergency control valve by the gas meter and don’t turn it on again until advised by a Gas Safe registered engineer
Don’t use any electrical equipment (including light switches) or naked flames
- Call The national gas emergency number on 0800 111 999 immediately.
Important safety checks
Never
use a gas appliance if you think that it’s not working properly
cover an appliance or block the convection air vents
block or obstruct any fixed ventilation grills, air bricks or outside flues.
Warning signs
Your gas appliance may not be working properly if you notice:
yellow or orange-coloured flames (except in fuel-effect fires)
sooty stains or scorch marks on or around gas appliances
a pilot light that often blows out.
Carbon monoxide
Carbon monoxide poisoning is dangerous. Make sure you’re able to spot the signs of a carbon monoxide leak.
Signs to look out for include:
Yellow or brown staining around or on appliances
Pilot lights that frequently blow out
Increased condensation inside windows
Yellow rather than a blue flame (except for flueless fires).
Guard against carbon monoxide
You can’t see it, smell it or taste it, but carbon monoxide gas can kill or seriously injure in just a matter of hours. In the home environment, carbon monoxide gas can be produced by faulty gas appliances. Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning can often be mistaken for flu or food poisoning and may include all, or any, of the following:
recurring headaches
nausea, sickness or stomach pains
dizziness
tiredness or drowsiness
chest pains
visual problems.
If you think your appliance is spilling/leaking carbon monoxide:
Switch it off and don’t use it again until remedial action has been taken
Open all doors and windows to ventilate the room - don’t sleep in it
Contact a Gas Safe Registered™ engineer to make repairs.
If you believe that you have a faulty appliance and anyone in the household has a headache, dizziness, weakness, upset stomach, vomiting, chest pain or confusion contact your GP or NHS 24 (Scotland) or NHS 111 (England /Wales) urgently, by calling 111. Tell them you think you may be suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning and ask for their advice.
More information on carbon monoxide awareness is available from:
Boiler Care
If you have a Boiler care plan or policy with us and your boiler has stopped working, please call us on the numbers below (lines are open 24/7):
Boiler Maintenance and Support Care - 0800 111 4686
Boiler Insurance - 0800 027 7788
If your boiler is not turning on, especially after a period of no use, for example if you only use your gas for heating and then don’t use it in the summer months. Please check your boiler doesn’t need a reset or repressure.
Last updated: 18 May 2025