Power cut compensation: when can you claim?

Keep the outage reference. It can help you recover the payment you are owed.

The answer in 2 lines. In England, compensation for a network power cut depends on its duration, scale and cause. Under the published 2026/27 rates, the initial household payment in normal weather is £100 when restoration exceeds the applicable threshold: 12 hours for fewer than 5,000 affected premises, or 24 hours for 5,000 or more. Severe weather has different thresholds and payments. Your electricity network operator handles this, rather than simply the supplier on your bill. Do not assume that a payment also covers spoiled food or damaged appliances.

The first 3 steps

Record the interruption: note when the electricity went off and returned, your address, and any outage reference. Keep messages and screenshots.
Report the power cut: call 105 to reach the local network operator. The Met Office power-cut guide explains this service and how to prepare.
Ask about payment: request the outage classification, applicable guaranteed standard and payment arrangements. Keep a written record of the answer.

Stop: danger

Water near electrical equipment: keep away from wet sockets and the consumer unit. Do not enter floodwater to restore the supply.
Immediate danger takes priority: leave an unsafe area and call 999 for a life-threatening emergency. A compensation enquiry can wait.

What the latest published rates cover

The following household figures are from Ofgem’s 2026/27 payment schedule. Open Annex 2 for the electricity interruption standards.

Normal weather, fewer than 5,000 premises affected: £100 if supply is not restored within 12 hours, then £45 for each further completed 12-hour period.
Normal weather, 5,000 or more premises affected: the initial threshold is 24 hours; the payment is £100, with £45 for each further completed 12-hour period and a £400 cap under this standard.
Severe weather: the initial payment is £90 after the applicable 24-hour or 48-hour threshold, depending on storm category. Further payments are £45 per completed six-hour period, subject to the published £2,235 cap.

Ask the operator which category applies. A weather warning alone does not establish your entitlement.

Automatic payment: still check it arrives

The operator should identify eligible customers and arrange payment, but you should chase anything missing. Payment can arrive directly or through your energy account; it need not appear as a particular line on your next bill.

Use Citizens Advice’s England compensation guide: select the section matching planned work, normal weather or severe weather, then follow its claim instructions. Check the time limit it gives for claiming, which can depend on the type of interruption and whether you are on the Priority Services Register. Do not wait for any deadline before enquiring.

What not to do

Assuming every lengthy interruption qualifies under the same rule: planned work and severe weather have separate conditions.
Discarding damaged belongings before taking photographs and checking what evidence your insurer needs.
Sending bank details through an unsolicited compensation message. Contact the operator through independently checked contact details.

Spoiled food and damaged appliances

The guaranteed payment compensates for a service failure. It does not automatically reimburse the contents of your freezer, repairs or replacement appliances. Check your home insurance policy for cover, exclusions and excesses before submitting a separate claim.

Make an inventory, photograph the damage and retain receipts where available. Ask whether inspection is needed before disposing of an appliance. Do not retain unsafe food just to preserve evidence. You can also ask the operator to consider a separate damage claim or goodwill payment, but acceptance is not guaranteed.

If the payment is refused or missing

Write to the operator with the outage reference, interruption times and the outcome you want. Request a calculation and the reason for any exemption. Mark the message as a formal complaint and retain the response.

Follow Ofgem’s complaints instructions to identify the next stage and available independent redress. Ofgem sets the rules but does not resolve individual compensation disputes. This guide concerns England; the electricity framework also covers Great Britain, while Northern Ireland has separate arrangements.

Good to know

A fault confined to your own wiring is different from a distribution-network interruption.
Repeated interruptions can fall under a separate standard. Give the operator your complete outage history and ask it to assess eligibility.
A faulty meter should be reported to your energy supplier; do not assume it is a network fault.

Illustrative example: after an interruption in Leeds, Priya saves the outage messages and asks the operator which standard applies. She checks its calculation against the published schedule. She photographs spoiled freezer contents for a separate insurance enquiry, rather than assuming the network payment reimburses the food.

A made-up story, for illustration.

Bobby

Sources, verification, confidence

Verified on 4 November 2026, for England. Confidence: high for the published 2026/27 rates and the distinction between network compensation and damage claims; medium for individual entitlement, which depends on classification, exclusions and interruption records.