Power cut guide
Medical Equipment and Power Cuts: How to Make a Plan
Quick answer: If you or someone you care for relies on electrically powered medical equipment, make a written plan before a power cut happens. Ask the equipment supplier and clinical team what backup you have and how long it lasts, join the Priority Services Register with your network operator and supplier, and keep phones and batteries charged. If a life is at risk at any point, call 999 straight away.
Is the power off where you are? See live power cuts from the network operators and reports from neighbours.
This guide is for people who use equipment such as oxygen concentrators, home dialysis machines, ventilators, feeding pumps, powered beds and mattresses, hoists or stairlifts, and for their families and carers. It doesn’t replace advice from your clinical team. It helps you ask them the right questions and turn the answers into a plan you can follow when the lights go out.
Why a plan matters
Most power cuts in Britain are short, but some last many hours, especially after storms. Being on a priority list does not mean your power is restored first. Network operators fix faults as fast as they can for everyone, and being registered won’t necessarily get you reconnected sooner. What it does do is make sure the operator knows about you and can contact you, and in longer cuts may offer extra help.
That means the real protection is your own preparation: knowing exactly what your equipment does when the power stops, how much backup you have, and who you’ll call.
Safety: If someone’s life or health is in immediate danger, call 999. Don’t wait for the power to come back or for a call back from the network operator. For urgent medical help that isn’t an emergency, call NHS 111.
Step 1: Talk to your equipment supplier and clinical team
The company that supplies your equipment, and the team that prescribed it, know your specific device. Every machine is different, so general advice online, including this page, can only take you so far. Ring them and ask:
- What happens to this equipment the moment the power goes off? Does it alarm, switch to battery, or simply stop?
- Does it have an internal battery? How long does it last when fully charged, and how do I check the charge?
- What backup do you provide, such as a spare cylinder, a second battery or a manual alternative?
- Can it safely run from an external battery pack or portable power station? If so, what type and size?
- Who do I call in a power cut, and is that line open 24 hours?
- At what point should I stop treatment, go to hospital or call 999?
Write the answers down. Keep a copy by the equipment and another with your emergency kit, so anyone helping you can read it in torchlight.
Step 2: Join the Priority Services Register
The Priority Services Register (PSR) is a free service run by electricity network operators, energy suppliers and water companies. Anyone who relies on medical equipment that needs electricity can join, along with many other groups. In most of Great Britain you can register once through your local electricity network operator and your details are shared with your supplier, gas network and water company. It’s still worth telling your supplier directly.
Being on the register can mean:
- advance notice of planned power cuts, so you can prepare;
- priority updates and a dedicated contact line during an unplanned power cut;
- in longer power cuts, welfare support where available, such as hot food, drinks or help with somewhere to stay.
Our guide to the Priority Services Register explains who can join and how to sign up, including on behalf of someone else. You can also find your operator’s sign-up details on our Priority Services Register page.
In Northern Ireland, NIE Networks runs its own Customer Care Register for people with medical equipment at home. Call 03457 643 643 or sign up on the NIE Networks website.
Common equipment and what to ask about
This table is a starting point for your conversation with your supplier or clinical team. It is not a set of instructions.
| Equipment | What usually happens in a power cut | Questions to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Oxygen concentrator | Switches off. Most patients are given a backup cylinder. | How long does my backup cylinder last at my flow rate? How do I connect it? How do I get a replacement? |
| Home dialysis (haemodialysis or APD) | Depends on the machine. Some have a short battery backup meant to let you finish safely. | What do I do if the power goes mid-session? When can I restart? When must I contact the unit? |
| Home ventilator, CPAP or suction | Varies. Some have internal or external batteries. | How long does the battery last? Do I need a spare battery or a manual alternative? |
| Feeding pumps and syringe drivers | Varies. Some run on rechargeable batteries. | How long does a full charge last? What if it runs out? |
| Pressure-relieving mattress or powered bed | Varies by model. Powered air mattresses rely on a pump. | How long will it hold pressure without power? What should I do if it starts to go soft? |
| Stairlift or hoist | Varies. Some run on batteries charged from the mains. | How many journeys can it make without mains power? What if someone is stuck part-way? |
| Fridge for medicines | Stops cooling but stays cold for a few hours if kept shut. | How long can this medicine be kept out of the fridge? At what temperature? |
Oxygen
Home oxygen concentrators plug into the mains, so they stop when the power does. Your oxygen supplier should give you a backup cylinder for exactly this reason, and each supplier has a 24-hour helpline. How long a cylinder lasts depends on the size and your prescribed flow rate, so ask your supplier for the figure that applies to you.
- Keep the backup cylinder somewhere you can reach quickly, not behind boxes in a cupboard.
- Practise connecting it, or agree in advance who will do it for you.
- If you have a portable concentrator, keep it charged, and charge it fully before any planned power cut.
- Never use candles, gas camping lights or anything with a naked flame near oxygen. Use battery torches and lamps only.
Your oxygen supplier refunds the electricity cost of running a concentrator on behalf of the NHS. That’s separate from power cut compensation.
Home dialysis
Kidney charities and renal teams stress that each machine behaves differently. Some automated peritoneal dialysis machines can resume if power comes back within a set time; some home haemodialysis machines have a short battery backup designed to let you end treatment safely, not to finish it. Your renal nurse will explain the rules for your machine. If a power cut looks likely to last more than a few hours, contact your kidney team.
Medicines that need a fridge
A fridge keeps cold for up to about 4 hours in a power cut if the door stays shut. Many medicines have some tolerance for room temperature, but the rules vary. For example, many types of insulin that are already in use can be kept at room temperature for a set period (often up to 28 days), while spare supplies should be kept in the fridge, never in the freezer. Always check the leaflet that came with your medicine, or ask your pharmacist. If you’re unsure whether a medicine is still safe to use, call your pharmacist or NHS 111 rather than guessing.
Step 3: Sort out backup power and batteries
For many people, the most practical backup is simply keeping the batteries they already have topped up. Build these habits now:
- keep internal and spare equipment batteries fully charged, and note how old they are;
- check charge levels when storms are forecast or a planned power cut is announced;
- keep a charged power bank for your mobile phone;
- have battery torches, not candles, with spare batteries.
Some people use a portable power station (a large rechargeable battery with sockets) to run small medical devices. Whether that’s safe for your equipment is a question only the manufacturer or supplier can answer, so check before relying on one. Our guide to choosing a portable power station for power cuts explains capacity and output in plain terms. The battery backup calculator gives a rough idea of how long a battery could run a device of a given wattage.
Safety: Never run a petrol or diesel generator indoors, in a garage or near open windows. Carbon monoxide kills. Never plug a generator into your house wiring unless a qualified electrician has fitted a proper changeover switch.
Step 4: Make sure you can call for help
Many homes are moving from old copper landlines to digital ones, which stop working in a power cut unless they have battery backup. If you rely on your landline, for instance because there’s no mobile signal at home, or you use a telecare alarm or pendant, tell your phone provider. Under Ofcom guidance, providers must offer a solution such as a battery backup unit that gives at least an hour of emergency calls, free for people at risk.
Our guide to phones, broadband and landlines in a power cut covers this in more detail, including what happens to mobile signal.
- Save 105 (power cuts in England, Scotland and Wales), your equipment supplier’s 24-hour number, your clinical team and a trusted neighbour in your mobile.
- Write the same numbers on paper in case your phone battery dies.
- If you’re in Northern Ireland, save NIE Networks on 03457 643 643, as 105 doesn’t cover NI.
Step 5: Write it down and share it
A plan only helps if people can find it in the dark. Keep it short, one page if you can, and put it somewhere obvious.
- Equipment list: each device, what it’s for and what it does when power stops.
- Backup: where the spare cylinder, batteries or manual alternatives are kept, and how long each lasts.
- Contacts: 999, 105, NHS 111, equipment supplier, clinical team, GP, PSR reference if you have one, and two people who can come round.
- Triggers: at what point you’ll call the supplier, the clinical team or 999, and whether you’d go to stay elsewhere.
- Getting out: if you can’t use the stairs or a lift without power, how you would leave the building in an emergency.
Give a copy to a family member, carer or neighbour who has agreed to check on you during a power cut. If you look after someone else, our guide to looking after babies, older relatives and pets in a power cut has more on checking in and keeping people warm.
Tip: Set a reminder every six months to check batteries, test the backup cylinder or spare battery, and make sure the phone numbers in your plan are still right.
During a power cut: a quick checklist
- Check the person using the equipment is safe and switch to backup if needed.
- If anyone’s life is at risk, call 999.
- Find out whether the cut is local or wider: check your postcode for live power cuts and estimated restoration times, or call 105.
- Tell the network operator you rely on medical equipment, even if you’re already registered.
- Contact your equipment supplier if your backup won’t last until the estimated restoration time.
- Save battery: turn phone brightness down and close apps you don’t need.
- Keep the fridge door shut if it holds medicines.
Frequently asked questions
Will I get my power back faster if I’m on the Priority Services Register?
Not necessarily. Network operators restore power as quickly as they can for everyone. Being registered means they know you’re vulnerable, can keep you updated, and may offer extra help in a long power cut.
Who should I call if my oxygen concentrator stops in a power cut?
Switch to your backup cylinder and call your oxygen supplier’s 24-hour helpline if you need help or more oxygen. Report the power cut to 105. If you’re struggling to breathe or feel very unwell, call 999.
Can I run medical equipment from a portable power station?
Sometimes, but check with the equipment manufacturer or supplier first. They can tell you whether it’s safe, what type of power it needs and how much it draws.
Do I get compensation if my medical equipment stops working in a power cut?
In Great Britain, the standard power cut payments under Ofgem’s rules apply to everyone, based on how long you were off. They’re not linked to equipment or health needs. If you’ve lost medicines or had other costs, ask your network operator. Our guide to power cut compensation lists the current amounts.
Does the Priority Services Register cover Northern Ireland?
Not under that name. In Northern Ireland, NIE Networks runs a Customer Care Register for people who depend on medical equipment, and you can sign up online or by calling 03457 643 643.
Your next step: call your equipment supplier this week and ask the questions in Step 1, then sign up to the Priority Services Register. Those two calls will do more to protect you than anything you buy.
Sources
- Asthma + Lung UK u2013 How is home oxygen delivered?
- NHS Highland u2013 Contingency planning for power outages: home oxygen
- Kidney Care UK u2013 Managing home dialysis during a power cut or energy blackout
- Priority Services Register (thepsr.co.uk)
- SP Energy Networks u2013 Priority Services Register
- NHS Somerset / PrescQIPP u2013 How to manage your insulin stock at home
Checked against these sources on 28 October 2026. Rules and amounts can change – your network operator or Ofgem has the final word. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
More on home, food and health: The Priority Services Register Explained · All power cut guides