The power's gone. Or there's a smell of burning near the socket. Or a switch just gave you a shock. The question that follows is usually the same: is this an emergency, or can it wait until morning? The line isn't always obvious, and getting it wrong either way has a cost: a safety risk left overnight, or an out-of-hours call-out that wasn't needed. This guide sets out what actually counts as an electrical emergency, so that call is easier to make. This guide is for homes and