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Are Candles Safe During a Power Cut?

Published 2026-08-11

TBBy Tom BeaumontEditorial contributor

The Answer

Battery-powered or wind-up electric lights are the safer default during a power cut. Current UK preparedness guidance explicitly says torches are safer than candles. An open flame can be knocked over, placed near combustible material, forgotten, or used while people are tired or moving through unfamiliar darkness, so prepare electric lighting before an outage instead.

The Short Answer

Keep a torch or lantern where it can be reached without crossing a dark room, and store compatible spare batteries or maintain its charge. Avoid using a phone torch as the only option because it consumes energy needed for communication. If a fire starts, leave the property, stay out, and call the emergency services rather than collecting equipment.

The Full Explanation

Why Electric Light Is the Better Default

A torch or lantern provides light without an exposed flame. Diffuse lanterns can illuminate a shared room, while personal torches and head torches help people move or work. Preparing those roles in advance removes the temptation to improvise with candles after the power has already failed.

Protect Phone Battery

UK power-cut guidance notes that using the phone torch drains the phone more quickly. Keep a separate light so the phone remains available for outage information and emergency communication, and maintain a charged power bank if that fits the household plan.

Prepare Before the Outage

Place electric lights in consistent accessible locations, include spare batteries where required, and make sure household members know how to operate the controls. A ready light is more useful than a high-output product that is flat, missing its cable, or stored somewhere people cannot reach safely.

Related Questions

How many emergency lights do I need?Plan enough electric lights for personal movement, hands-free tasks, shared spaces, and difficult routes.How should I store an emergency lantern?Accessible storage and maintained power make electric lighting available before anyone reaches for a candle.Rechargeable or replaceable-battery lantern?Either can work when its power source is maintained; a mix can reduce dependence on one system.

Sources

  1. 1
    Power cuts

    UK Government

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