Snow and cold: staying put, getting about, keeping warm

Heat the rooms you use to at least 18°C if you can (NHS, checked 29 August 2026), know where your stop tap is before a pipe freezes, and keep a few days of food and medicines in. Travel only if you need to, and check on older neighbours.

First, the calm bit

British snow is usually a few disrupted days, not a disaster. Schools shut, trains thin out, the shop runs out of bread, and by Thursday it is raining again.

The households that find it easy are not the ones with the most equipment. They are the ones who did four small things in advance: they know where the stop tap is, they have food that needs no shopping trip, they have a torch, and they have the number for a power cut written down.

That is the whole page. The rest is detail.

What the warnings mean before it lands

Two systems again, and they answer different questions.

The Met Office issues weather warnings for snow and for ice, among the eight weather types it covers. The colours describe impact and likelihood together:

Alongside that, UKHSA and the Met Office run Cold-Health Alerts, coloured yellow, amber or red “based on the combination of the impact the weather conditions could have, and the likelihood of those impacts occurring” (GOV.UK, checked 29 August 2026). The core season runs from 1 November to 31 March each year. Those alerts are “aimed at professionals within the health and social care sector and those who have a role in responding to cold weather to protect health”, and they are freely available to the public.

One scope point worth knowing before you go looking for yours. The GOV.UK guidance on the Cold-Health Alerting system states that it “Applies to England” (checked 30 August 2026). If you are in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, the equivalent signal is the Met Office warning: as “the UK’s official weather service, the Met Office is responsible for issuing weather warnings”, and it covers the whole UK (Met Office, checked 30 August 2026). That is the one to sign up for wherever you live.

So the Met Office warning tells you about your journey. The cold-health alert tells you the health service in England is bracing. Both are free to receive, and the alerts guide lists the sign-ups.

How warm does the house actually need to be?

The NHS puts it like this: “Heat your home to a temperature that’s comfortable for you. If you can, this should be at least 18°C in the rooms that you regularly use, such as your living room and bedroom” (checked 29 August 2026).

Note the “if you can”. That is the NHS acknowledging that heating costs money, and that a comfortable 18°C in two rooms beats a cold 16°C everywhere.

The NHS names the people most at risk in cold weather as people aged 65 and older, babies and children under the age of 5, people on a low income who cannot afford heating, and people with long-term health conditions, disabilities, mental health conditions, or who are pregnant.

If the heating fails or the power goes, the separate page on keeping warm without heating covers what actually works: layers, one warm room, and what never to bring indoors.

Never use a camping stove, barbecue, generator or patio heater indoors to keep warm, not even briefly and not with a window open. They produce carbon monoxide, which you cannot see or smell.

Burst pipes and the one tap everybody should find today

This is the single most useful ten minutes in this guide, and it costs nothing.

“Find your stop tap. Knowing where it is can help you turn your water off if you need to. The stop tap is usually located under the kitchen sink, but could be somewhere else in the house (even outside)” (Consumer Council for Water, checked 29 August 2026). Find it before December, turn it to check it moves, and tell everyone in the house.

To stop pipes freezing in the first place, CCW says to lag any exposed pipes and cover outside taps with a tap cover, protect water tanks, cisterns and boilers with insulating jackets, and fix any dripping taps.

If a pipe freezes: “Turn off your water supply at the stop tap and switch off your immersion heater (if you have one) and central heating.” Then, in CCW’s words, “Leave the cold tap on so thawed water can escape (don’t forget to close the tap after it’s been thawed).” Thaw it slowly with a hairdryer on warm, a hot water bottle or a heated cloth wrapped around the pipe. “Never use a naked flame or blow torch.” CCW then asks you to “Contact a registered plumber before your pipes burst.”

If a pipe bursts: turn the water off at the stop tap if you have not already, make sure the boiler or immersion heater is off, turn on all the taps inside the home to reduce the risk of flooding, and use towels to soak up water. CCW closes with the step everyone forgets in the mess: “Remember to turn the taps back off before you turn on the stop tap.” Then call a plumber and your insurer, and photograph the damage.

Food and medicines, bought before it lands

The trick is not buying more. It is buying a few days earlier.

The government’s preparedness guidance suggests non-perishable food that needs no cooking, bottled water at a minimum of 2.5 to 3 litres of drinking water per person per day, and several days of any medicines you take (GOV.UK Prepare, checked 29 August 2026). It also makes the point that matters most for a snowy week: “Rather than buying all the items at once, you could just add to your emergency kit when you are able and build it up over time.”

Repeat prescriptions are the thing people forget. If snow is forecast for the week your prescription is due, order it at the start of the week rather than the end.

The home emergency kit is the full list, and none of it needs to be bought in one trip.

Should you drive in snow?

Mostly, no. The Met Office advice is to avoid travel if possible when snow or ice is forecast, and: “If you have to make a journey when snow is forecast, make sure you have warm clothes, food, water, boots, a torch and spade, and let someone know when you expect to arrive and your route” (checked 29 August 2026).

If you do drive, the Met Office’s driving advice is short and specific:

• “It can take 10 times longer to stop in snowy or icy conditions, so allow extra room.”
• “Use the highest gear possible to avoid wheel spin.”
• “Manoeuvre gently and avoid harsh braking and acceleration.”
• If you skid: “Gently ease off the accelerator and avoid braking. If braking is necessary, pump the brakes don’t slam them on.”
• Black ice “isn’t always visible and so can be an even greater hazard for both motorists and pedestrians.”

The Met Office’s winter car kit is worth reading once and assembling once: an ice scraper and de-icer (legally you must keep your front and rear windscreen clear of snow and ice before driving), a large torch with spare batteries or a wind-up torch, a paper road atlas, an in-car phone charger, warm clothes and blankets including a coat, gloves, spare jumper and hat, high-visibility clothing, jump leads, an empty fuel can, food and drink with hot drinks in a flask, a shovel, warning triangles, and sunglasses for winter glare (Met Office, checked 29 August 2026).

Walking without falling over

More people are hurt by pavements than by roads in a cold snap, and the fixes are almost comically simple.

“Plan to leave the house five minutes earlier than normal. Not needing to rush reduces your risk of accidents, slips and falls” (Met Office, checked 29 August 2026). Main roads are likely to be less slippery than side streets, so route yourself along them.

“Take extra care when walking on untreated pavements and prepare for journeys by wearing footwear with a good grip.”

On clearing paths, the Met Office suggests helping neighbours: clear their paths when you clear yours and spread salt. “You can use ordinary table or dishwasher salt, a tablespoon for each square metre you clear.”

Checking on neighbours

The government’s preparedness guidance asks households to make a plan to check in on neighbours if an emergency happens, particularly if the power goes out (GOV.UK Prepare, checked 29 August 2026).

In a cold snap, the useful version is a knock and two questions: is the heating working, and do you need anything from the shop. Ten minutes on your own street does more good than anything else on this page.

If anyone in your house, or on your street, needs extra support when the power or water goes off, the priority services register is free to join.

Power cuts in snow

Snow and ice bring lines down, so a cold spell and a power cut often arrive together. That is when a cold house gets cold fast.

Call 105, which is free and connects you to your local electricity network operator in England, Scotland and Wales; in Northern Ireland call 03457 643643 (GOV.UK Prepare, checked 29 August 2026). Write the number on paper and put it on the fridge. The government’s own guidance is to keep important phone numbers on paper and store them somewhere easy to find in a power cut (GOV.UK Prepare, checked 29 August 2026).

The rest of it, fridge and freezer timings, safe light and heat, and compensation, is on the power cut page.

What this asks of your body

Cold weather asks for grip, balance and a bit of warmth-generating muscle. Walking on treated pavements, carrying shopping home because the car stayed put, and clearing a path all lean on legs and core rather than lungs. The Met Office also notes that shovelling snow strains the body in cold conditions and can trigger heart attacks in vulnerable people, which is a good reason to know your own baseline. The five ready body tests take ten minutes and tell you where you actually stand.

The twenty-minute winter setup

Do this on a mild weekend and forget about it.

• Find the stop tap and check it turns. Tell the household where it is.
• Lag exposed pipes and put a cover on the outside tap.
• Fix dripping taps, which freeze first.
• Write 105 on the fridge (03457 643643 in Northern Ireland).
• A torch per floor with spare batteries, and a charged power bank.
• A few days of no-cook food and a manual tin opener.
• Order repeat prescriptions early in any week with snow forecast.
• Winter kit in the car boot, assembled once.
• Sign up for Met Office warnings so you know before the school does.

Frequently asked questions

What temperature should I heat my home to in winter?

The NHS says to heat your home to a temperature that is comfortable for you, and if you can, at least 18°C in the rooms you regularly use such as the living room and bedroom (checked 29 August 2026). Heating two rooms well beats heating the whole house badly.

What do I do if a pipe bursts?

Turn the water off at the stop tap, switch off the boiler or immersion heater, turn on all the taps inside the home to reduce the risk of flooding, and mop up with towels. “Remember to turn the taps back off before you turn on the stop tap” (Consumer Council for Water, checked 30 August 2026). Then call a plumber and your insurer.

How do I thaw a frozen pipe safely?

Turn off the supply at the stop tap and the heating, leave the cold tap open so thawed water can escape, and warm the pipe slowly with a hairdryer on warm, a hot water bottle or a heated cloth. “Never use a naked flame or blow torch”, and “don’t forget to close the tap after it’s been thawed” (Consumer Council for Water, checked 30 August 2026).

What does an amber snow warning mean?

An amber Met Office warning means “there is an increased likelihood of impacts from severe weather”, including the possibility of travel delays, road and rail closures, power cuts and potential risk to life and property (checked 29 August 2026). Treat it as a reason to change plans, not a reason to worry.

What should I keep in the car in winter?

The Met Office lists an ice scraper and de-icer, a torch, a paper road atlas, an in-car charger, warm clothes and blankets, high-visibility clothing, jump leads, an empty fuel can, food and a flask, a shovel, warning triangles and sunglasses (checked 29 August 2026). Tell someone your route and arrival time.

How do I stop slipping on icy pavements?

Leave five minutes earlier so you are not rushing, wear footwear with a good grip, take extra care on untreated pavements, and use main roads where the surface is likely to be less slippery (Met Office, checked 29 August 2026). Clearing a neighbour’s path with a tablespoon of salt per square metre helps too.

Who do I call if the power goes off in the snow?

Call 105. It is free and connects you to your local electricity network operator in England, Scotland and Wales; in Northern Ireland call 03457 643643 (GOV.UK Prepare, checked 29 August 2026). Write it on paper, because you will be looking for it in the dark.

Sources & review

• Weather warnings guide, Met Office: the yellow, amber and red warning wording, the eight weather types warned on including snow and ice, and that “As the UK’s official weather service, the Met Office is responsible for issuing weather warnings”. Checked 30 August 2026.
• Cold-Health Alerting system: overview, UKHSA on GOV.UK: the yellow, amber and red colours, how they are assigned, the 1 November to 31 March season, the intended audience, and the scope note “Applies to England”. Checked 30 August 2026.
• Keep warm, keep well, NHS: the “at least 18°C in the rooms that you regularly use” guidance and the list of people most at risk in cold weather. Checked 29 August 2026.
• Winter advice, Consumer Council for Water: finding the stop tap, lagging pipes and outside taps, fixing dripping taps, what to do if a pipe freezes (“don’t forget to close the tap after it’s been thawed”, “Never use a naked flame or blow torch”, “Contact a registered plumber before your pipes burst”) and if a pipe bursts (“Remember to turn the taps back off before you turn on the stop tap”). Checked 30 August 2026.
• Travelling in heavy snow and ice, Met Office: avoiding travel, what to take, the 10 times stopping distance, highest gear, gentle manoeuvres, skid recovery, black ice, and the note on shovelling snow. Checked 29 August 2026.
• Prepare a winter kit for your car, Met Office: every item in the car kit list and the legal requirement to clear windscreens. Checked 29 August 2026.
• Staying safe in ice, Met Office: leaving five minutes earlier, footwear with good grip, main roads, and clearing neighbours’ paths with a tablespoon of salt per square metre. Checked 29 August 2026.
• Get prepared for emergencies, UK Government: 2.5 to 3 litres of drinking water per person per day, no-cook food, several days of medicines, building the kit over time, checking on neighbours, and the 105 and Northern Ireland power cut numbers. Checked 29 August 2026.

Reviewed by: TBC. Review date: 29 August 2026.