No gas, no heating: staying warm and safe
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Most British homes still rely on gas for heating and hot water. So when the boiler goes quiet in January, it's worth knowing what's going on, and what not to do.
Two ways to lose your heating
1. A power cut. Surprisingly, this is the most common one. Almost every modern gas boiler needs electricity for its pump, fan and ignition. No power usually means no heating, even though the gas is fine.
2. A gas supply outage. This is usually local: a damaged main, or water getting into the gas pipes after a burst water main. Fixing it is slow for a very good safety reason. The gas network has to switch off every affected home, clear the pipes, then visit every home again to turn the gas back on and check the appliances.
What's happened before
In Muswell Hill, north London, in January 2025, a burst water main flooded the local gas network. About 2,000 homes and businesses lost gas in mid-winter. Engineers pumped more than 63,000 litres of water out of the pipes, and it took about two weeks to get gas to every meter. Residents were asked to heat one room only, because so many electric heaters at once risked overloading the local electricity. Cadent paid compensation to affected households.
A nationwide gas shortage is far less likely. In the Government's planning scenario, large industrial users would be cut off first, homes would be prioritised, and the knock-on effect could be planned, rolling power cuts of up to three hours at a time.
Before
- Fit an audible carbon monoxide alarm and have your boiler serviced by a Gas Safe registered engineer every year.
- Know where your gas emergency control valve is (next to the meter).
- Gather warmth: blankets, sleeping bags, hot-water bottles, thermal layers, a good flask.
- Join the Priority Services Register if you're eligible. Vulnerable customers get help first.
- Write the gas emergency number somewhere obvious: 0800 111 999 (England, Scotland, Wales) or 0800 002 001 (Northern Ireland).
During
- Smell gas? Call the emergency number straight away, open windows, don't touch switches, and go outside.
- Never turn a network supply back on yourself. Wait for the engineer, and always ask to see ID. Genuine engineers expect it.
- Pick one room, close the curtains and doors, and keep it warm. Use electric heaters sparingly, one at a time.
- Never bring a barbecue, camping stove or patio heater indoors. They produce deadly carbon monoxide.
- Ask your council about warm spaces, and check on older neighbours.
After
If water got into your appliances, get them checked before use. Watch for CO symptoms such as headaches, nausea and drowsiness. Claim any compensation the gas network owes you.
Sources
- Cabinet Office, National Risk Register 2025 (failure of gas supply infrastructure). www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-risk-register-2025
- Cadent, Muswell Hill (N10) water in gas network incident, Jan 2025. cadentgas.com/past-incidents/loss-of-gas-n10
- BBC News, Muswell Hill: Thousands still without gas after water main bursts, Jan 2025. www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8057y1vky8o
- Be Ready: Cold weather, snow and ice. beready.campaign.gov.uk/be-informed-about-hazards/cold-weather-snow-ice
- Be Ready: Power cuts. beready.campaign.gov.uk/be-informed-about-hazards/power-cuts
- Gas Safe Register, gas emergency contacts. www.gassaferegister.co.uk/gas-emergency/industry-contacts
- NI Direct, energy, power supply and utilities. www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/energy-power-supply-and-utilities
- Priority Services Register. www.thepsr.co.uk
Last checked 2026-11-01. Facts and figures are linked to their original sources above.