Vulnerable and elderly households are being urged to sign up to a special list to get extra help during power cuts.
UK Power Networks, which runs the UK's power lines, is urging eligible people to sign up to the Priority Services Register (PSR).
Doing this means you get extra help, including advance notice of power cuts and help with cooking and heating if your power supply goes down.
UK Power Networks said: "The electricity networks are 99% reliable but power cuts can happen occasionally for a variety of reasons, including severe weather.
"If the network is damaged or develops a fault we'll get your power back on. Our engineers work around the clock 24/7 to restore power supplies as quickly as is safely possible.
"We also provide extra support to customers who need it."
You can sign up to the PSR if you or someone in your home:
- relies on medical equipment
- has refrigerated medicines
- has a serious or chronic illness
- has a disability
- is living with dementia
- is of pensionable age
- has children under five living there
- has mental health difficulties
To sign up to the PSR you should contact your energy supplier directly.
If you are unsure who your energy firm is, Ofgem has a tool to use here.
Signing up to the PSR means you get the following help in a power cut:
- A priority number that you can call 24 hours a day
- Text and voice message alerts, letting you know of large power cuts coming in your area
- Tailored support if needed such as home visits, hot meals, advice and keeping your friends and relatives updated
- Where possible, text and voice messages when severe weather is expected
- A free hotel overnight and transport to the hotel in severe power cuts
- Hot drinks, hot meals, a wifi connection and charge points in very bad power cuts
You can also get help outside of power cuts.
This includes being able to speak to an expert who can give energy bill and energy saving tips.
If you are already on the PSR, UK Power Networks is urging customers to update their details if their circumstances have changed.
You can do that here.
There is no need for Brits to panic or cut their energy use despite the looming winter, Downing Street insisted this week.
No10 sought to reassure households after a week of alarming headlines about gas supplies and prices when cold weather sets in.
A leaked worst-case scenario had drawn up plans for four days of blackouts this winter if supplies ran short.
But sources have insisted it was a test of resilience, not what they expect to happen, despite soaring wholesale prices.
A No10 spokeswoman said: “Households and businesses can be confident they’ll get the electricity and gas they need over the winter”.
Asked by journalists if people should "panic", she replied "no".
Asked if people should cut back on electricity use now, she said "no".
“We are confident they have the gas and electricity they need over winter," she added.
