Never Caught OutIndependent UK guide Crisis

Long haul · Warmth

Staying warm without mains power

Homes get cold quickly when the heating goes off. The aim is to keep people warm, not the whole house.

First draftDrafted 1 November 2026Applies across the UK

One warm room

The NHS advises heating rooms you regularly use to at least 18°C if you can. Without power, pick one room, close the doors and curtains, and gather the household there.

Layers and bedding

Be Ready lists blankets, sleeping bags and warm clothing because homes become cold very quickly when the heating goes off. Several thin layers trap heat better than one thick one.

Carbon monoxide

Carbon monoxide warning

Never use a barbecue, camping stove, patio heater or generator indoors, or in a garage, tent, porch or caravan awning. They give off carbon monoxide (CO), a poisonous gas you cannot see, smell or taste. Fit an audible CO alarm marked EN 50291 (look for the BSI Kitemark) in rooms with fuel-burning appliances.

Headache, dizziness, feeling sick, tiredness, confusion and breathlessness can be signs of CO poisoning. Get into fresh air straight away. Call 999 if someone is seriously unwell, or NHS 111 for advice. If you suspect a leak, call the gas emergency number on 0800 111 999 (0800 002 001 in Northern Ireland). NHS advice on carbon monoxide.

Heaters and fire

Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service advises keeping heaters at least one metre from furniture and curtains, switching off and unplugging them before going out or to sleep, not using extension leads, and only using gas heaters in well-ventilated areas.

Hypothermia

The NHS lists signs including shivering, pale cold skin, slurred speech, slow breathing, and tiredness or confusion. Hypothermia is a medical emergency: call 999.

Kit for this guide

Warmth kit. All research-based.

  • Blankets and sleeping bags Research-based
  • Hats, gloves and warm socks Research-based
  • Carbon monoxide alarm Research-based
  • Hot-water flask Research-based

No products, brands or prices yet, and no affiliate links. What “Research-based” and “Tested by us” mean.

Official sources we used

  1. Keep warm, keep well (NHS)
  2. Hypothermia (NHS)
  3. Carbon monoxide poisoning (NHS)
  4. Gas and electric heaters (Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service)
  5. Be ready for emergencies, including the Be Ready checklist (UK Government, Be Ready)

We link to official pages so you can check the latest advice yourself. If something here differs from what an official source says now, follow the official source. Where we quote or adapt official text, it contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

First draft

This is a first draft. It is built from the official sources listed above, but we have not finished reviewing it. If anything here differs from official advice, follow the official source.