Keeping warm and preventing carbon monoxide poisoning

Put on several layers, keep clothing dry and use blankets. Spend time in a suitable room, close doors to unused rooms and use curtains to retain warmth. Avoid blocking flues, ventilation needed by fuel-burning appliances or escape routes. A plan for warmth should include an alternative safe place to stay if the home becomes too cold.

Babies, young children, older people and people with some long-term conditions are more vulnerable to cold. Check them regularly rather than relying only on how warm you feel. Keep babies' sleep arrangements safe; do not cover their face or place heaters beside bedding. Seek health advice when you cannot keep a dependant safely warm.

Do not bring outdoor heat indoors: Barbecues, disposable grills, camping stoves and fuel generators can produce carbon monoxide. Never use an oven or hob as a room heater. Only use indoor heating equipment suitable for that purpose and follow its installation and operating instructions. Do not run a vehicle in an enclosed space to warm up or charge devices.

Carbon monoxide is invisible and cannot be identified by smell. Symptoms can include headache, dizziness, weakness, sickness, confusion, chest pain and breathing problems. Several people feeling ill in the same space, or symptoms improving outside, are reasons for concern, not a home diagnosis.

If carbon monoxide may be present: Get everyone into fresh air. Obtain urgent medical advice and do not return until advised it is safe. Call 999 for breathing difficulty, sudden confusion, loss of consciousness, weakness, chest or muscle pain, or an immediate danger. For a gas emergency call 0800 111 999 in Great Britain or 0800 002 001 in Northern Ireland from a safe place. Avoid flames and electrical switching where gas may be present.

Possible hypothermia: Confusion, slurred speech, slow breathing or marked drowsiness with cold exposure require emergency help. Call 999 for suspected hypothermia. Move the person to shelter if safe, remove wet clothing and wrap them in dry material. Follow dispatcher instructions. Do not use a hot bath, direct intense heat or alcohol to treat it.

Fit and maintain smoke and carbon monoxide alarms before emergencies, following their instructions. A working alarm is a backup warning, not a substitute for safe heating.

Update 24 October 2026: cooking safely

Never use a barbecue or camping stove indoors or inside a tent. Engines and generators produce carbon monoxide; don't run them in enclosed spaces. Opening a window is not a substitute for safe equipment use.

If you suspect exposure, go outside, seek medical help and do not re-enter until advised. Call 999 for a life-threatening emergency.