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Power cut compensation calculator 2026/27

Roughly what should your network operator pay after a long power cut? Enter how long you were off and the kind of incident. Uses Ofgem’s figures for 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027.

Figures checked on 1 November 2026 against Ofgem’s 2026/27 table. Applies in England, Scotland and Wales; Northern Ireland has separate rules.

Count from when your network operator knew, for example when you called 105
You are
What kind of incident was it?

Your network operator decides this. Ofgem’s severe weather categories are based on network faults and are not the same as Met Office warnings or storm names.

Not exact

This is an estimate, not a promise. Your operator’s records of when it knew and when power came back decide the payment, and the incident type is its call. We show whole pounds from Ofgem’s table and do not round or split periods.

How it works

SituationPayment starts afterFirst paymentThenCap for homes
Normal weather, fewer than 5,000 properties12 hours£100 home, £195 business£45 for each further 12 hoursNone
Normal weather, 5,000 or more properties24 hours£100 home, £195 business£45 for each further 12 hours£400
Severe weather, category 124 hours£90£45 for each further 6 hours£2,235
Severe weather, category 248 hours£90£45 for each further 6 hours£2,235

Only complete extra periods count. Ofgem’s table gives caps for domestic customers only, so the calculator does not apply a cap for businesses.

Worked examples

  • A home is off for 36 hours in normal weather, fewer than 5,000 affected: £100 after 12 hours, plus two further 12-hour periods at £45. £190. (This matches Ofgem’s own example.)
  • A home is off for 72 hours, 5,000 or more affected: £100 after 24 hours, plus four 12-hour periods at £45 (£180). £280, under the £400 cap.
  • A home is off for 60 hours in a category 2 storm: £90 after 48 hours, plus two 6-hour periods at £45. £180.
  • A home is off for 11 hours in normal weather: no guaranteed payment, because it did not pass 12 hours.

Other payments

  • Several cuts in one year: £100 for homes and businesses if you have repeated power cuts of at least 3 hours between 1 April and 31 March. This one is not automatic: you must claim it from your network operator.
  • Late payment: if a payment is missed, the operator may owe you an extra £40.
  • Planned work without proper notice: £40 for homes, £80 for businesses.
  • No payment for appliance damage, a national power shortage or low supply after a cut.

Payments are otherwise automatic, by cheque, bank transfer or through your supplier. Being on the Priority Services Register does not add money, but it can get you extra help in a cut. For the full rules, see Power cut compensation 2026/27.

Safety

In a long cut, use a torch rather than candles. Never run a generator, barbecue or camping stove indoors: they give off carbon monoxide. Fit a carbon monoxide alarm.

Official sources we used

  1. Reliability Guaranteed Standards of Performance payments 2026 to 2027 (spreadsheet) (Ofgem)
  2. Adjustments to the Guaranteed Standards of Performance 2026 (Ofgem)
  3. Check if you can get a payment for a power cut (Ofgem)
  4. The Electricity Networks (Guaranteed Standards of Performance) Regulations 2015, SI 2015/699 (legislation.gov.uk)

Ofgem uprates these sums each April in line with CPIH. Figures checked on 1 November 2026. If an official source now says something different, follow it. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.