Prepare for and respond to adverse weather and utility problems

To prepare for a power cut, you can:

• save the power cut emergency number, 105, to your mobile phone
• make sure you have a torch (these are much safer than candles)
• buy a battery powered radio so you can keep up to date with relevant news
• stock your cupboard with food that doesn't need cooking
• keep your mobile phone or laptop fully charged so you can communicate with the power network

The Priority Services Register is a service that vulnerable people can sign up to, to ensure they get help in the event of an issue with utilities.

Find out about the scheme and how to sign up.

If there is a power supply disruption to your home, you will need to notify the power distributor, so they are aware of the extent of the problem. This may be difficult if you have a digital home phone.

To ensure you are still able to contact the power distributor in a power cut, it is advisable to either:

• keep an analogue phone as a backup (this is one which plugs straight into the phone socket and does not need another power source)
• use a mobile phone
• use the internet via battery powered computer

The company's contact details should be on your bill. This may well be a different company to the one which you pay your bills to.

Check with your neighbours if they have a power cut as well. If they do have a power cut, it may be an electricity failure in your home.

If you have an electricity failure and only you have lost power, you should check your trip switch- this is a circuit breaker fuse system, it will be near your electricity meter.

If the trip switch is still on, call your electricity network operator.

If the trip switch is off, switch it back on.

If it switches back off, one of your appliances may be faulty so unplug all appliances and reset the trip.

If only part of your supply has failed and the trip will not reset, there may be a fault with your wiring. Contact a registered electrician.

You can call 105 to report or get information on power cuts in your area.

In Buckinghamshire there are 3 power distribution companies. Find out who your power distribution company are.

All 3 companies allow you to check for, and notify them of, a power cut on their websites or by phone:

• Western Power Distribution: 0800 6783 105 for faults and emergencies. 0800 096 3080 for all general enquiries
• UK Power Networks 0800 31 63 105.
• Scottish & Southern Energy 0800 072 7282