105

Free national fault line

Free, 24/7

48

counties & areas

covered by this guide

6

DNOs

operating in England

up to £150+

Compensation

for cuts over 24h

Live outage map for England

The map below shows incidents reported by users in real time across the UK, centred on England. England's outage pattern is bimodal: dense urban networks (London, Birmingham, Manchester) suffer occasional substation failures and third-party cable strikes, while the rural West (Cumbria, the South West peninsula) takes the brunt of Atlantic storms that down overhead lines for hours.

Live Power Outages in the UK

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Source: user reports · Selectra

Report a power cut in England

Use the form below to log a power cut in seconds. Each report helps neighbours across England stay informed and lets the DNO spot incidents faster, especially where vulnerable customers or medical equipment depend on the supply. For the official network log, also call 105 (Free national fault line) or use your DNO's outage page.

Reports are anonymous and appear immediately on the live UK map above.

Thank you. Your report has been submitted and will help others in your area.

Reports are anonymous. We use your address to place the marker on the map and never display your personal details.

Distribution Network Operators in England

Whichever supplier you buy your electricity from, the wires and substations in front of your home belong to one of the operators below. They are the only party that can fix a network fault, and the only party that pays Ofgem compensation when a long cut breaches the Guaranteed Standards of Performance.

UK Power Networks

Covers London, the East of England and the South East.

Operator guide

Electricity North West

Covers Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Cumbria.

Operator guide

Northern Powergrid

Covers North East England and Yorkshire.

Operator guide

National Grid Electricity Distribution

Covers the Midlands and the South West.

Operator guide

SP Energy Networks

Covers Cheshire, Merseyside and North Wales.

Operator guide

SSEN

Covers central southern England (Solent to Oxford).

Operator guide

Find your county in England

48 council areas and ceremonial counties · search by name or filter by your DNO.

No counties match your search.

What to do during a power cut in England

1

Check if it is just you

Look at neighbours and the street lights. If only your home is dark, check the consumer unit and reset any tripped switches. If the whole street is out, it is a network fault.

2

Call 105

Dial 105 — free, 24/7. Have your postcode ready. Ask for an estimated time of restoration (ETR) and a fault reference number.

3

Unplug electronics

Unplug TVs, computers, routers and games consoles to protect them from a power-surge when supply is restored. Leave one light on so you can tell when the power comes back.

4

Log the times

Note the exact start and end times. A cut over 24 hours in normal weather entitles you to £75 from your DNO under Ofgem's Guaranteed Standards. Severe weather has higher thresholds and a £2,000 cap.

The Selectra expert answers your questions on power cuts in England

Dial 105 (Free national fault line). It is free, 24/7 and routes you automatically to the right Distribution Network Operator for your postcode. Do not call your supplier (Octopus, British Gas, EDF…), they cannot fix a fault on the network.

England is served by six Distribution Network Operators across 48 counties, from the dense underground cabling of inner London to the long overhead lines that crisscross the Cumbrian fells. Whichever county you are in, dial 105 (free, 24/7) to report a power cut: the call is routed automatically to your local DNO based on your postcode. Use the map and county finder below to identify your operator, or call 105 (or 03457 643 643 in Northern Ireland) and we will route you automatically.

Most cuts are restored within 1 to 3 hours. Rural single-feeder spurs can take 6 to 24 hours after major storms. Severe-weather events (Storm Arwen, Storm Babet) have caused multi-day cuts in remote England areas — these qualify for higher Ofgem compensation payments.

Yes, in most cases. Under Ofgem's Guaranteed Standards of Performance (GSOP), domestic customers receive £75 after 24h off in normal weather, then £40 per additional 12h up to £300. Severe-weather events have higher thresholds and a £2,000 cap. Payment is normally automatic from your DNO within 10 working days.

Join the Priority Services Register through your supplier. It is free and entitles you to advance notice of planned cuts, priority restoration, welfare calls and tailored support during outages. Anyone over 65, with a disability, on dialysis or oxygen, or with young children at home is eligible.

Power cuts elsewhere in the UK

Different country, same DNO model — pick a region.