Power cut guide: who to call, what are your rights and how to get compensation
Bad weather can often be the culprit behind cuts to multiple services like electricity, gas or internet either for a number of reasons such as damage or system faults caused by the hazardous conditions. In current conditions, the National Energy System Operator has warned the margin between demand and supply may be incredibly tight as amber weather alerts have been extended across the entire UK.
You don’t have to be left entirely in the dark during an unplanned power cut though as experts at Citizen’s Advice highlighted you may be due compensation in some circumstances. As well as some important information on who to call, what to do and how to stay safe during a power outage.
If you live in England and your power is cut due to bad weather you may be due £85 in compensation if it was off for 24 hours. If it’s due to a severe storm, you may be entitled to the £85 only once it hits the 48-hour mark.
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After these deadlines, you could receive an additional £40 for each extra six hours you don’t have electricity. This is capped at a maximum compensation of £2,000. You should expect to be paid this compensation into your bank account or via cheque within four weeks of the power being back on and if not you may need to contact your supplier to make a claim.
When it comes to gas supplies being cut off there’s a few more conditions to be met before you could be entitled to compensation. If more than 30,000 homes were affected, the supplier took reasonable steps to prevent the cut during bad weather or you caused the gas supply to be cut off you won’t be able to get compensation.
You generally shouldn’t have to claim compensation from your gas network operator as they normally try to contact you if you’re owed money. The gas network operator will usually send the payment to your supplier who will credit your account and alert you to this.
If you find yourself in an unplanned power cut, Citizen’s Advice recommends calling 105 if you’re in England, Scotland or Wales or 03457 643643 in Northern Ireland. This free call line contacts your electricity network operator who will be able to give you further information, help and advice about the power cut.
The Government’s Prepare Campaign urges people to plan ahead for power cuts, particularly by signing up to their energy supplier’s Priority Service Register if they’re eligible so they can get additional support during power outages. It also advised having battery or wind-up torches at home, with full stock of spare batteries, and keeping these in areas that are easy to find in the dark.
During a power cut, the government urged Brits to stay away from hazards like power lines and turning off or unplugging electrical items like ovens, fryers, TV and PCs. Try to keep your fridge and freezer doors closed at all times to help them stay cold.
If you have a baby it’s also advisable to have ready-to-use formula on hand in case you are unable to boil water. Your internet and mobile signal may be disrupted by an outage but it’s possible to use radios, such as in a car, to get updates on the situation.