What should I do when there is no electricity in my house?

There are lots of different reasons why there might be no electricity in your house – from power cuts to faulty wiring.

Here, we’ll cover some common reasons why you might have lost power, and walk you through what to do.

Why is my power out?

Some of the most common causes of power outages include:

• Tripped switch in the fuse box
• Faulty wiring
• Equipment failure
• Storm damage
• Power grid problems

The steps you need to take to get your electricity back up and running will depend on what the cause of the issue is. Which brings us onto…

What to do if your electricity has gone off

Luckily, there are some straightforward checks you can do to try and get to the bottom of why your power has gone off and find a solution.

Here are the questions to ask.

1. Has a fuse tripped?

First things first, head to your consumer unit (also known as your fuse box) to check whether one of your fuses has tripped and is in the ‘off’ position (pointing downwards).

If it is, push the switch back up into the ‘on’ position to get the power back on.

Hopefully, this will solve the issue. However, if the fuse trips again, this might be because of an overloaded circuit – meaning too many appliances are drawing power from the same circuit.

Try unplugging some of the appliances or moving them over to another circuit to see if that solves the problem.

If not, there could be a bigger issue to deal with. For instance, short circuits can be a sign of faulty or loose wiring (or a faulty appliance/plug), while ground fault surges are caused by a live wire touching a bare copper ground wire – head over to our guide on why your RCD is tripping to learn more.

It’s important to get issues like these resolved as soon as possible – contact a qualified electrician in your area to inspect your property and get your electricity back up and running.

2. Is there a power cut?

If the electricity has gone off but the fuse box hasn’t tripped, check to see whether your neighbours have also lost power.

Don’t worry if it’s too late to go knocking on doors – if it’s dark, you can just take a look outside to see whether their lights are on.

If several of you are all experiencing a power outage, your local area may have lost its electricity supply.

You can check whether the National Grid is aware of any issues on their website and report the power cut if not.

Alternatively, you can call these numbers to report the issue and get updates:

• England, Wales & Scotland – dial 105
• Northern Ireland – dial 03457 643 643
• The Republic of Ireland – dial 1800 372 999

While you’re waiting for your power to come back on, scroll down for our advice on how to keep safe during a power cut.

3. Do you have a prepayment meter?

If you have a prepayment meter, check that you’ve topped it up.

It sounds simple, but you never know – it may just have run out of cash!

If that’s the case, just add some cash to it and, fingers crossed, your electrics should turn straight back on.

Think your meter might be faulty? Contact your landlord or energy supplier to get it fixed.

4. Have you paid your bills?

If you’re behind on your electricity bills, your provider will eventually cut your energy supply off. So, it’s worth checking that you’re up to date.

That said, you’ll normally get some notice if your supplier is planning to cut off your electricity.

And they should usually offer some help to get you back on track – such as arranging installment payments.

If you think this might be why you have no electricity in your home, you can get your supply back by getting things sorted with your power company. Or, if you’re having trouble, organisations like Citizens Advice can often help.

Still not sure why you have no electricity in your house?

Carried out the checks above and still have no electricity in your house – and no clear answers?

Then it’s time to call in an electrician.

If you’ve established that it’s just your home that has no electricity, and you have checked there are no issues with fuses or circuit breakers, the issue is likely down to an electric fault somewhere in your home – such as loose wiring.

It’s important to get this resolved as quickly as possible – not just so you can get your electricity back up and running, but also because the fault causing the issue could be dangerous.

Enter your postcode into the search box below to find a trusted electrician near you.

How to stay safe during a power cut or outage

While you’re waiting for help to arrive, you’ll need to prioritise your safety.

Here are some important steps to follow while you’re waiting for your electricity to come back on.

1. Get help if in danger

If there is a dangerous situation associated with the power cut, contact the emergency services immediately.

2. Switch off electrical appliances

Switch off any electrical appliances that shouldn’t be left unattended, except for one light. This will help you to notice when the power has been restored.

3. Report any power cuts

Report the power cut to The National Grid if it’s affecting your whole street. Follow instructions from your energy provider or The National Grid if they contact you.

4. Avoid using your gas appliances to heat your home

Your boiler usually won’t work during a power outage as it requires electricity. But don’t resort to using other gas appliances like hobs to heat your home – this could lead to carbon monoxide poisoning.

Be careful with other kinds of heating and lighting too, like paraffin heaters and candles. In an unfamiliar situation, accidents can easily happen.

5. Locate a torch

Keep a supply of batteries at home or use a wind-up torch for emergencies such as a power cut.

6. Make a simple cold meal or order a takeaway

Don’t try to cook with other heat sources indoors, as this may cause an accident or injury.

7. Check security alarms and smoke alarms

Security alarms should automatically disarm in a power cut for safety reasons, and smoke alarms should fall back to the battery backup power. Make sure to test these systems when the power comes back on.

8. Stay elsewhere if needed

For power cuts that don’t have an immediate solution, make arrangements to stay with friends, family or a neighbour until your power is back on.

9. Keep an old-school corded phone in the house

In case of emergencies, it’s useful to have a backup phone if your mobile battery runs out and/or your digital cordless phone won’t work

Key takeaways

• Your first step should always be to check if a fuse has tripped
• If your neighbours have also lost power, it’s likely a power cut – report the issue to National Grid
• If only your house is affected and there’s no tripped fuse, contact an electrician to help
• Always prioritise your safety when there’s no electricity, while you wait for help to arrive

FAQs

What causes a power cut at home?

A disruption to The National Grid usually causes an actual power cut. This could be due to bad weather damaging pylons or equipment at your local substation. Excessive heat or high demand on the electricity network can also cause a loss of power.

What to do if only my house has no power?

Check the fuse box to see if any switches have tripped, and make sure that your pre-payment meter is topped up if you have one. Then, if you’re still left without power, call an electrician to help identify the fault and get your elecrtricity supply back up and running.

How much does a new fuse box cost?

The cost of a new fuse box will depend on the type of fuse box you want to replace your old one with. As an example, the cost of a 10-way populated consumer unit (MCBs) is around £120 for supply only. Meanwhile, the cost of a 10-way populated consumer unit (RCBOs) is around £250.

For more information, check out our guide to the cost of replacing a fuse box with a consumer unit.

How much does it cost to replace a fuse box in a house?

If you want to replace your old-style fuse box with a newer, safer consumer unit, you’re looking at around £75 to remove the old fuse box, £250 for the new fuse box and £160 for labour.

What to do if the electricity has gone off but the fuse box has not tripped (UK)?

If your electricity has gone off but the fuse box hasn’t tripped, check whether your neighbours have also lost electricity. If they have, there’s likely a power cut in your area – check the National Grid’s website to report the issue or get updates.

Why does my circuit breaker keep tripping with nothing plugged in?

If your circuit breaker keeps tripping even though you don’t have anything plugged in, you could have faulty or loose wiring or a ground fault. To identify the problem, contact a qualified local electrician to conduct an electrical inspection of your home.