Homeowners across Scotland and northern England are more likely to face power disruptions this winter than anywhere else in the UK according to new analysis of Ofgem data by eXp UK.
The figures reveal a sharp divide in network reliability between rural and urban regions, with households in the north losing power far more often than those in London or the South East.
The study found that the North of Scotland experiences the highest number of power interruptions per year, with 59.69 power cuts for every 100 connected customers.
Yorkshire follows closely behind at 59.32, while South Eastern England, the South West and the North East also rank among the most affected regions.
MOST RELIABLE
By contrast, London emerged as the most reliable part of the UK power network, with just 11.65 interruptions per 100 customers — nearly six times fewer than in the North of Scotland. Merseyside, Cheshire, North Wales and the North West also performed well, reporting fewer than 31 interruptions on average.
The findings highlight how geography and infrastructure play a defining role in network performance.
Rural areas, particularly those exposed to harsh weather and difficult terrain, tend to experience longer restoration times and more frequent outages than denser, better-connected urban centres.
REGIONAL VARIATIONS
Although all regions met Ofgem’s overall performance targets, the regional variation is striking.
When measuring the average time that homes were left without electricity – known as Customer Minutes Lost (CML) – the North of Scotland again fared worst, with households losing an average of 59.24 minutes of power supply per year, exceeding the regulator’s benchmark.
Yorkshire and Central Southern England also recorded above-target durations, at 52.12 and 49.30 minutes respectively.
In contrast, East Midlands households were offline for just 21.9 minutes on average, while Central and Southern Scotland reported 25.43 minutes and London just 12.19 minutes – reflecting stronger network resilience and faster restoration times.
VALUABLE INSIGHT
Adam Day, head of eXp UK and Europe, says: “Electricity is not only vital for our homes, but many now have heating systems that rely entirely on electric power. This means that power cuts can make for a long, dark and cold winter for many households.
“While it’s understandable that more rural and remote areas face greater challenges in maintaining consistent supply, it’s worth being aware of how your region performs.
“For buyers, this kind of insight can be invaluable when weighing up quality of life factors that go beyond just price and postcode.”
