Guides
Calm, practical answers based on official advice. Each guide lists its sources and says when we last checked it.
Power cuts
How long does food last in a power cut?Your fridge stays cold for up to 4 hours with the door shut, a full freezer up to 48 hours. What to eat first and when to throw food out.
Will my gas boiler work in a power cut?Most gas boilers need electricity, so heating usually stops in a power cut. What still works and how to keep warm safely.
What is the Priority Services Register?A free register for extra help in a power cut. Who can join, what you get and how to sign up, including Northern Ireland.
Bigger emergencies
Rarer events, from payment outages to a radiation incident. Most UK emergencies are storms and power cuts, so start with your score.
If the UK were drawn into a war: what would change at homeWhat the government has actually said, what would most likely affect your home (power, phones, payments, water), and the practical steps to take now.
Radiation or chemical incident: go in, stay in, tune inWhat the UK Health Security Agency says to do in a radiation or chemical incident: go in, stay in, tune in. Plus iodine tablets and Emergency Alerts.
When card payments and banks go downCard payments and banking apps do fail. How much cash to keep at home, what happened in real UK outages, and other simple backups.
Cyber attack on power, water or the NHS: what to doWhat happened when the 2024 Synnovis attack hit London hospitals, what a cyber attack on power would mean at home, and how to avoid scams that follow.
Fuel and food shortages: stocking up without panic buyingHow to keep three days of food and water without panic buying, what happened in the 2020, 2021 and 2023 UK shortages, and the legal limit for storing petrol.
Leaving home in a hurry: a grab bag and a planWhat to pack in an emergency grab bag, how to plan with your household, and what to do if the emergency services tell you to leave.
A blackout longer than a week: what fails, and whenAfter Storm Arwen some homes waited 13 days for power. What stops working and when, from heating to phones and water, and how to get through it.
Heard a claim online? Rumour radar checks it against official sources.