An outage is easier to manage when light, phone power, warmth, and information each have a simple backup.
Find your light first.
Keep a working torch where you can reach it. Our starting suggestion is one light per person. That is an editorial suggestion, not a government requirement.
Check batteries, charging cables, and controls before you need them. A head torch can be convenient if you need both hands. Use a torch rather than candles where possible; open flames add avoidable risk.
Recommended
Gritin three-mode AAA head torch
A head-mounted light leaves both hands free for simple tasks during an outage.
- 3 × AAA included
- High / low / strobe
Before buying
Supplier-identified pack: one head torch and three AAA batteries. These are AAA, not AA cells. Test the controls and carry the correct spare size. Brightness, runtime and water resistance have not been independently tested. A working light you already own is fine.
For equipment whose instructions accept 1.2V NiMH AA cells, rechargeables are an option. They need a suitable charger and a power source, and should be charged before an outage. AA cells do not fit AAA equipment. Our battery guide explains how to match the complete setup.
Recommended
Panasonic eneloop AA batteries, eight-pack
Rechargeable AA cells can support regularly used equipment whose instructions allow 1.2V NiMH.
- Eight AA NiMH cells
- 1.2V
- No charger
Before buying
The saved UK link identifies BK-3MCCE/8BE: eight AA cells, not AAA, and no charger. Confirm that the device accepts 1.2V NiMH and use a suitable NiMH charger. Charge in advance; a charger without a power source cannot replenish cells in an outage. Never substitute a similar-looking lithium-ion cell.
Make your phone power useful.
A charged power bank needs a compatible cable and a known working connection. Test the complete setup. Battery capacity labels alone do not guarantee a particular number of charges.
Save the information you might need in a form you can access without internet service. Write important contact numbers on paper. Avoid relying on one device for every part of your plan.
A consumer phone power bank is not automatically a medical-device backup. Ask the relevant provider to help make a suitable power and support plan.
Have another way to hear updates.
UK Be Ready includes a battery or wind-up FM radio. Write down useful local or national radio frequencies. Eligible households can check the Priority Services Register; Northern Ireland has separate Customer Care Registers.
Check reception where you live. Write down useful stations and local assistance numbers in advance. Social posts and forwarded messages are not substitutes for current official instructions.
Recommended
SOLARBABY 2000mAh AM/FM crank radio
AM/FM reception offers a way to hear local broadcasts without a phone connection.
- AM/FM
- Micro-USB charging
Before buying
Test local reception and keep the radio charged. Crank and solar charging are fallbacks, not assured phone power. This supplier-backed example is not a verified automatic-alert radio. NOAA is not a UK broadcast service. No independently tested capacity or runtime is claimed.
Stay warm without adding a new hazard.
Keep suitable clothing and blankets available. Match these to your climate and the people in your household. A thin foil sheet is not a replacement for adequate insulation in every situation.
Never use a barbecue, camping stove, or generator indoors or in an attached enclosed space. Follow official and manufacturer safety instructions; improvised heating can create fire and carbon monoxide hazards.
Check in with people.
Agree on who you would contact or visit if communication fails. Where relevant, find out about additional support from your utility provider before an outage.
You don’t need to predict every problem. A working light, a tested charger, reliable information, and a shared plan are a useful place to start.
Go to the source.
Supporting sources, checked 25 October 2026. Our explanations and product examples are editorial choices, not hands-on tests or official product approvals. Equipment quantities are starting suggestions, not a safety guarantee.
GOV.UK · Be ReadyBe ready for emergenciesHow we use sources