Power Cuts in Lancashire: How to Prepare and Keep Your Home Warm

Lancashire experiences around 20 to 40 significant power cuts per year, with the majority happening during autumn and winter storms. The Fylde Coast, exposed Pennine areas around Rossendale and Burnley, and rural parts of the Ribble Valley are the most frequently affected. A typical outage lasts one to four hours, though severe weather events have caused cuts lasting 12 hours or more. Here is how to prepare your home and keep your family safe and warm when the lights go out.

Why Lancashire Is Vulnerable to Power Cuts

Lancashire’s geography makes parts of the county more susceptible to power outages than most of England. The exposed western coastline from Morecambe Bay to Blackpool receives the full force of Atlantic storms, which can bring down overhead power lines and damage substations. The Pennine hills in the east create additional exposure, with high winds funnelling through valleys around Rossendale, Bacup, and Todmorden.

Rural areas are most at risk because they rely on overhead power lines rather than underground cables. Communities in the Forest of Bowland, the Trough of Bowland, and the Ribble Valley’s smaller villages can be without power for extended periods when storms damage lines in remote locations where repair crews have difficulty accessing.

Electricity North West (ENWL) is the distribution network operator for Lancashire. They manage the local grid and coordinate power restoration during outages. Their contact number (105) and their online power cut map are the first places to check during an outage.

The Heating Problem During Power Cuts

Even if you heat your home with gas, your central heating will not work during a power cut. Modern gas boilers need electricity to run the pump, fan, ignition system, and controls. When the power goes off, the boiler shuts down completely. The same applies to heat pumps, which run entirely on electricity.

In a well-insulated Lancashire home, internal temperatures drop by about one to two degrees per hour in midwinter. A poorly insulated home can lose three to four degrees per hour. That means after four hours without power, your home could be uncomfortably cold, and after eight hours, temperatures may drop below the level considered safe for vulnerable people.

The exceptions are homes with wood-burning stoves, open fires, or solid fuel systems that do not need electricity. If you have a working fireplace or log burner, you have a built-in backup heating source. Keep a supply of dry firewood or coal available during the winter months.

Building a Power Cut Kit for Your Lancashire Home

Every Lancashire household should have a basic power cut kit ready, particularly if you live in an area prone to outages. Here is what to include:

• Torches and batteries – At least two reliable torches with spare batteries. LED torches last longer. Keep one in the kitchen and one in the bedroom. Avoid candles where possible due to fire risk.
• Battery-powered or wind-up radio – For receiving updates during extended outages when phone batteries may run low. BBC Radio Lancashire (103.9 FM in most areas) provides local emergency updates.
• Portable phone charger (power bank) – Fully charged and ready. A 20,000mAh power bank can charge a smartphone four to five times. Essential for calling 105 or checking ENWL’s outage map.
• Extra blankets and sleeping bags – For warmth if the power cut extends overnight. Keep these accessible, not buried in the back of the loft.
• Hot water flask – Fill a large thermos flask with boiling water when you know a storm is approaching. Having hot water for drinks provides warmth and comfort during a long outage.
• Camping stove (gas) – A small portable camping stove lets you boil water and heat food. Use only in well-ventilated areas and never in a sealed room. Keep a gas cartridge or two in stock.
• Battery-operated carbon monoxide detector – If you plan to use any gas or solid fuel heating during a power cut, a CO detector is essential safety equipment.

Staying Warm Without Electricity

When the power goes off and your central heating stops, these strategies keep your home as warm as possible:

Gather in one room. Body heat from family members makes a noticeable difference in a small space. Close the door and hang a blanket over it if it has gaps around the frame. A living room with the curtains drawn and two or three people is significantly warmer than the same space with one person.

Close all curtains and blinds. Even in daytime, curtains provide an extra layer of insulation against heat loss through windows. At night, thick curtains can reduce window heat loss by 10% to 15%.

Close doors to unused rooms. Reduce the volume of space you are trying to keep warm. Shut bedroom doors, bathroom doors, and any rooms you are not using.

Layer up. Wear multiple thin layers rather than one thick one. A base layer, jumper, fleece, and coat is warmer than any single garment. Wear a hat indoors – you lose significant heat through your head. Warm socks and slippers keep your feet comfortable on cold floors.

Use a hot water bottle. If you still have access to hot water (from a gas hob or camping stove), fill a hot water bottle. One placed in your lap or at your feet provides hours of localised warmth. Wrap it in a towel to prevent burns.

Battery Backup and Generator Options

For Lancashire homeowners who want guaranteed power during outages, portable power stations and home battery systems offer reliable solutions.

Portable power stations like the EcoFlow Delta or Jackery Explorer range from £300 to £1,500 depending on capacity. A mid-range unit (1kWh to 2kWh) can run LED lights, charge phones, and power a small electric blanket for 6 to 12 hours. They charge from a wall socket when power is available and some models can charge from solar panels.

Home battery storage systems like the GivEnergy All-in-One (5kWh, £2,500 to £3,500) or Tesla Powerwall (13.5kWh, £5,500 to £7,000) can power essential circuits during an outage if configured with an Emergency Power Supply (EPS) function. Combined with solar panels, they can provide ongoing power during extended daytime outages.

Petrol or diesel generators range from £200 for a small portable unit to £2,000+ for a larger model. They provide reliable power but are noisy, produce fumes (must be used outdoors), and require fuel storage. For rural Lancashire homes with frequent outages, a generator can be worthwhile.

Never run a generator, barbecue, or camping stove indoors. Carbon monoxide poisoning is a serious risk – several fatalities occur in the UK each year from generators used in enclosed spaces during power cuts.

Protecting Vulnerable People During Power Cuts

Elderly residents, people with disabilities, and those with medical equipment that depends on electricity are at greatest risk during power cuts. Electricity North West operates a Priority Services Register that flags vulnerable customers for faster restoration and welfare checks during outages.

To join the Priority Services Register, contact ENWL directly or ask your energy supplier to add you. The service is free and ensures that during a power cut, ENWL will prioritise your area for restoration and may provide direct support such as hot meals, blankets, or alternative accommodation during extended outages.

If someone in your Lancashire household relies on electrically-powered medical equipment (such as oxygen concentrators, electric hoists, or feeding pumps), discuss a power cut plan with their medical team. The NHS and your GP can help develop a contingency plan that includes battery backup for essential medical devices.

Who should I call during a power cut in Lancashire?

Call 105, the national power cut number. This connects you to Electricity North West for Lancashire postcodes. You can also check their power cut map online at enwl.co.uk/power-cuts. For emergencies (downed power lines, electrical fires), call 999. Never approach or touch fallen power lines.

Will my smart meter stop working during a power cut?

Your smart meter stops displaying data during a power cut, but it resumes normal operation when power returns. If you are on a prepayment smart meter, any credit you had before the outage is preserved. When power comes back, your meter reconnects automatically and your supply resumes.

Can solar panels power my home during a power cut?

Standard grid-connected solar panels shut down during a power cut for safety reasons (to prevent electricity feeding back into the grid while engineers work on it). However, if you have a battery storage system with Emergency Power Supply (EPS) functionality, the battery can continue to power your home using stored solar energy even when the grid is down. Not all battery systems have this feature, so check with your installer if power resilience is important to you.