Lighting
What to do when the lights go out with Slightly Anxious
Emergency lighting for a power cut: head torches, lanterns and torches compared, and why candles are a last resort.
By Slightly Anxious
1st July 2026 16 minute read
IN SHORT
Most power cuts happen at night. Have a rechargeable lantern for every room you will use most and a head torch for each person, and keep batteries and candles only as a backup.
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It’s the middle of the night and you are woken by you don’t know what. You reach for the bedside light and turn it on. Nothing. You’re still in absolute darkness. You get out of bed and struggle to find the room light, stumbling over stuff on the floor, holding on to the wall for support and direction. Finally, after what seems an eternity, you find it and switch it on. Nothing. You are in absolute darkness.
The scary fact is that most power cuts happen during the night. The less scary fact is that it's usually only a few hours before the power comes back on again and you can turn your lights back on. The really scary fact is that if you have read our articles; ‘Why you’re right to be Slightly Anxious’ and ‘The complete UK household emergency preparedness guide’, or indeed any of them on the Slightly Anxious website, you would see how the chances of power failures happening are increasing and so is the expected length of time it will take to get the power switched back on again. Which is why we take it that it is only responsible to prepare for the worst and by that we mean, a whole week without mains electricity to power your lighting.
A little history
Some quick history: back in the times of before household electrical lighting was commonplace in the UK, which was only about a century ago (1920s), we depended on gas to light our streets and less so, our homes. As you will see, gas still has a role to play today in emergency lighting and is much safer than it was and is a worthy addition to any emergency storage.
Before gas was used, prior to the 1820s, people used a variety of methods, oil lamps and candles being the most common. Two centuries later and when people think of emergency lighting they automatically think of candles, possibly due to them being a staple during the war years and the frequent power cuts due to the industrial disputes of the 1970s searing them into the collective cultural memory. The trouble is that throughout history there is an enormous number of household fires caused by candles. During times when we have had electrical lighting, every time there is a power cut, there is an increase in the number of household fires due to candles. People knock them over, they leach hot wax, flammable material including clothing can get caught in the flame and get alight. They are truly a fire risk and while we wouldn’t say don’t have them, what we strongly advise is that they are at the very bottom of your list and the alternatives we provide in this article are much preferable and will keep you alive longer!
Light at a glance
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In midwinter you may need light for 16 hours out of 24
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Most power cuts happen at night
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Keep a power failure torch plugged in by your bed
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Have a lantern for every room you use most, at least 4 in total
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A head torch for each person keeps both hands free
When the lights go out
The first thing we need to address is what to do when you realise that the lights have gone out. This is about you being able to see so that you can start on your journey of dealing with what may be an emergency. First thing to do is not move! If you fall over, you are just adding to the emergency. If you just stay still for a minute, then your eyes will hopefully get accustomed to the dark. If you move slowly and securely, make your way to the windows and open the curtains or blinds. For most of us, who live in urban areas, the streets outside tend to have some lights on. If they’re out, then you have a good idea something is wrong.
Here comes the crunch! You need access to emergency lighting if you are going to function when the sun isn’t out and that, in peak winter, can be for 16 hours out of 24. There is no way about it you must have some emergency lighting. Think about how much your panic levels will reduce if, from when you wake up to no lighting to getting some, is just a matter of mere seconds. Also remember that the young and the elderly will probably get even more anxious waking up in the dark, so having emergency lighting will be the way to keep everybody calm.
Power failure torches
The first thing we recommend are power failure torches. These are specifically built for this very scenario and are basically a rechargeable torch attached to a charger that plugs into an electrical socket. This ensures that the torch is always charged and we suggest that you have at least one in your bedroom in the plug socket nearest to you. That way should be able to reach it as it will have a light on it. Ideally you should put one in every room but obviously plug sockets are at a premium. Examples are the Safetlight 3-in-1 Rechargeable Torch, Automatic Night Light & Emergency Power Cut Light at c.£15-£25 or the Xtralite NiteSafe 3-in-1 Rechargeable LED Torch, Night Light, and Automatic Power Failure Light at c.£20-£30. Spend only a few pounds more and upgrade to a Ultrasecure Mains Power Failure LED Torch at c.£25-£30 and you get the same, just with a LED lamp that comes on automatically if there is a power cut. This means it's fairly obvious both where it is and that you are suffering a power cut.
Your next job now that you’re out of bed with a power failure torch, is accessing your store of actual torches. Power failure torches are by design, small and only have a charge for a few hours. They are there to get you through the first few minutes. Now you need to get you hands on your emergency store and the torches it holds, these will be much bigger, give off more light and last a lot longer. Here are some examples:
These all have in common, although at different prices, that they are rechargeable using a USB cable which makes recharging far easier, batteries get lost, and they are waterproof, which is always useful in any emergency. A quick word on your emergency store that holds your torches and yes we do mean in the plural. You should really think of having a few available, just so different members of your household can use them and because when one of them runs out of power and you don’t have a means of recharging then you can move to a new one. Do have a read of our article ‘What to do when the power goes out’ to see the options for recharging. You should also make your emergency store for torches a separate container from anything else and clearly labelled. You need to be certain that the emergency torch store is always in the same place and that its just fully powered torches in there. There is nothing worse than having to search for your emergency store and then search through loads of items in the dark just to find a torch, which may or may not have been charged.
Find out if it is just your home
Your next job now that you have some proper light is to assess the extent of your power outage. It really could be as simple as a circuit tripping in your fuse box and just needing switching back on again. So the fuse box is your first port of call to see that everything is OK, which oddly enough is not really what you want. A tripped fuse box can usually be rectified very quickly. You either have to just switch a switch back on and if a tripped switch doesn’t switch back on, then you need to unplug whatever is plugged into that circuit and try again. If you have a fully working fuse box and no lights, it means the power outage is from outside your property and therefore far more serious.
We should state here that we know for a minority of our members, fuse boxes are not something they are usually acquainted with and the thought of being so can be quite intimidating. This is why as part of our service to our customers, we provide an emergency plan printed on laminated paper (also on a e-reader) that includes instructions about your fuse box and how to switch it off and on and how deal with tripped circuits. We will virtually hold your hand through it.
Confirming that it’s a network issue and not within your property can be easily achieved, as stated above, by just looking outside your windows, If your neighbours are in darkness and/or the streets are in darkness then it looks very much like a network problem. To confirm get on your smartphone and access the app or website of your electricity supplier and the National Grid. This should tell you if there is an outage and give you an idea of how long it will last. There is also the national freephone number to report and find information about any power cuts and that is 105. We should state that this is in addition to checking your fuse box. This should always be your first port of call.
Lanterns for every room
The next task is to make your property liveable by introducing lanterns. These are basically big omnidirectional torches that are powered either by rechargeable batteries or gas cannisters and are there to light up a room (bit like yourself). Examples are:
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EverBrite LED Camping Lantern Rechargeable, 1000 Lumen at c.£25-£35 – a basic rechargeable battery powered lantern. Its 4,400 mAh rechargeable battery provides up to 20 hours of runtime on eco mode and up to 8 hours on low mode.
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Campingaz Lumostar Plus Pz, Gas Powered Lamp at c.£40-£50 – a basic lantern powered by a gas cylinder (not included). The pros are that it’s not using valuable electricity, the cons are that its using gas that you could be cooking with and with a flame, although well protected, there is increased risk. It has an operating life of 12 hours when used with a CV470 Plus gas cartridge (c.£10-£14), or approximately 6 hours 20 minutes with a CV300 Plus cartridge (c.£7-£9). We need to stress that while gas is available and relatively cheap as a light source, it comes with its own problems for indoor use, namely the quite serious risks of carbon monoxide poisoning, respiratory hazards and explosion and fire. Fortunately, with the right kit and procedures these risks can be mitigated and successfully managed. One necessary addition is ensuring that you have a battery-powered carbon monoxide detector, which you need anyway if you have gas boiler, such as the FireAngel Carbon Monoxide Alarm and Detector at c.£15-£25. This reinforces the fact that for the safe use of gas lanterns you need to ensure there is good ventilation in the room. Never place in a bedroom, a bathroom or a shower room. You also need to ensure that they are at least 1m away from curtains, furniture or anything combustible to prevent the chance of fire. Another necessary addition is a fire extinguisher, have a look at the Firexo Mini - Multipurpose All-in-One Fire Extinguisher at c.£25-£30 which is similar in size and use as a hair spray can so easily stored and easily used.
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Clemas Telescopic Camping Lights Rechargeable 14000 mAh Led Multifunction Magnetic Lantern at c.£60-£80 – this has a telescopic stand so that it can be extended to 110cm and act like a mini-standard lamp or using it strong magnets, the retracted lamp can be attached to anything metal to make a wall/ceiling lamp. Its 14,000mAh battery capacity gives it up to 80 hours/3.1/3 days of runtime.
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Sofirn LT1 Lampara Camping at c.£70-£90 – this has a number of settings for the type of light it produces, such as candle, beacon, beach, sunset and strobe. It comes with a hook and a screw mount so it can be fixed on a tripod (not included and cost c. £30-£40) or hung up. On its lowest setting the light will supposedly last for a month but it doesn’t say how viable that is, on a medium setting it lasts 12 hours and on high, 6.5-10 hours.
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Olight Olantern Classic 2 Pro Rechargeable LED Camping Lantern at c.£110-£140– it is the most expensive but it is the best looking as its styles as an old fashioned lantern and is made out of metal, bronze coloured, waterproof and comes with a handle so it can be hung up. Most importantly it has a battery life of a whopping 7.5 days.
Lanterns compared
Lantern
Power
Guide Price
EverBrite LED Camping Lantern (1000 lumen)
Rechargeable, up to 20 hours on eco
c.£25-£35
Campingaz Lumostar Plus
Gas cartridge
c.£40-£50
Clemas Telescopic Camping Light
Rechargeable, stands up to 110cm
c.£60-£80
Sofirn LT1
Rechargeable, several light modes
c.£60-£80
Olight Olantern Classic 2 Pro
Rechargeable, metal, best looking
c.£110-£140
We recommend that you buy one for every room that you will be spending the most time in. Now, admittedly this might come across as trivial, but we do think it worthy of consideration and that is hanging lights. These are lights that you hang from string, a rope, streamers or whatever and have them crisscross your dining table or wherever you are making the focus of your habitation during your crisis situation. Some are string lights so you don’t even need a support wire. They not only bring light but do it in a more gentle manner, as its coming from above rather than below as with table based lanterns. Due to their multi-colours they also bring a much needed fun element as they remind people of parties and quite frankly, as explained in our article ‘Keeping entertained with Slightly Anxious’, morale is one of the most important things in an emergency situation. Examples are:
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Lepro Rechargeable Camping Lights, 7 White & RGB Colour Modes, Hanging Tent Lights (pack of 2) at c.£15-£21 - up to 10 hours of use on white light modes and 20 hours on RGB light modes.
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Gccate Camping String Lights, 10M Waterproof Portable Outdoor Camping Fairy Lights at c.£15-£21 – these are basically 32.8ft long fairy lights which can be in a variety of colours. Operates for 3 to 8h when fully charged, depending on the selected mode
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Phylosal LED Camping Lantern 1000LM Portable Tent Light with 12 RGB Lighting Modes (pack of 1) at c.£25-£30 – has the best range of changing colours, can last up to 110 hours after a full charge at minimum brightness but is the most expensive
We recommend a minimum of 4 lights at least (not the fairy lights) to give it the party feeling and help people think of their crisis time as an adventure, like an indoor camping trip just with the benefits of warmth and toilets.
Not a very regular issue in the UK, but in the summer we can get insects and they may be attracted to our lights if we have the windows open or are taking advantage of warm weather and have moved into the garden or balcony. The light emitted by the lanterns above are particularly appealing to all sorts of insects which can be at least quite irritating and at most a way to get bitten. A solution is to use a red light which insects are not interested in, so if this is something you consider an option then try the iodoo Red Light Insect-Proof Camping Lamp at c.£30-£40. This is waterproof and rechargeable and has a handle that you can hang it from.
Now you have some light, go round all your appliances that are plugged into wall sockets (TV, computer etc.) and un-plug them. When power networks are restarted there can be a surge in electricity and you don’t want anything getting fried!
Head torches
Our final recommendations are for head torches. You may think that such items are unnecessary due to the amount of lights you’ve obviously just ordered due to reading this article this far, but you are wrong. While a good head torch is guaranteed to mess up a decent hairstyle, it is also guaranteed to provide you with lots of light while you are doing things, as they keep your hands free. Anyone who has tried wrangling a fuse box door in a tiny understairs cupboard will know how useful having both hands free is. Holding a torch and doing something with the other hand is just not always feasible, just think when you need both hands to carry a bin full of waste toilet water outside to dispose of!
Examples are:
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Black Diamond Spot 400-R Headlamp at c.£45-£65 – this has a rechargeable battery using a AAA battery as a backup. It supposedly has a run time of 225 hours which is just over 9 days.
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Petzl Tikka Core at c.£50-£65 – this one is interesting as it has a hybrid power source, so it can either use its rechargeable battery or you can swap it out and use 3xAAA batteries. The runtime for the rechargeable battery is 100+ hours on low setting, 5-7 hours on standard setting and 2-3 hours on maximum 450 lumens. The run time on the AAA batteries are 120+ hours on low setting, 6-8 hours on standard setting and 3-4 hours on maximum brightness.
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BioLite Range 500 Waterproof, Fast-Charging Rechargeable Headlamp at c.£60-£80 – this one’s rechargeable battery is fast charging, 0-80% in 30 minutes or add an hour of light in only 8 minutes for a quick boost, and lasts for 200 hours on the low setting and 6 hours on the high.
Batteries and candles
You will have noticed that two of these head lamps use AAA batteries either as a backup or an alternative to a rechargeable battery. We have tried to keep all out lighting products to be rechargeable as we think cylindrical cell batteries are not the best way to provide power simply because they can get lost and very often used ones get stored with charged ones. If you can be disciplined and store them together and be dedicated in throwing away the used ones then by all means use AA and AAA batteries as they are a very cheap form of power. We would always recommend that you keep a store of them (type D batteries as well) as you never know when you might need them.
We are much the same about candles. We believe that they are a fire risk, but if you have candle holders and don’t leave them unattended, again they provide a cheap source of light and you never know when you might be forced to use them. So what we are saying is that when you are putting together your emergency store, putting boxes of batteries and candles won't be criticised by us, as long as its accepted they not what we consider critical and are there just as an extra option.
Before we finish, we should state that we have purposefully left out any references to what lighting you would need if you were forced to evacuate your home due to an emergency. You can expect torches and headlamps to make an appearance, but we ask that you read our article ‘Slightly Anxious says get a grab bag’ first so you get a fuller picture. We hope that this article has provided you with some clarity of your emergency needs when it comes to lighting, As every good Guide or Scout knows, you should always be prepared.
Your to do list is:
1. Plug a power failure torch in by every bed
2. Buy a lantern for each room you will use most
3. Get a head torch for each person
4. Add some hanging or string lights to make it feel like camping
5. Keep AA, AAA and D batteries, stored separately from used ones
6. Keep candles only as a backup, never left unattended
Remember, keep calm and visit us here.
