Households planning for emergencies could be making a simple mistake that leaves them without working torches during a power cut, a prepping expert has warned. Marcus Clarke, founder of The Prepared Household, says storing emergency torches with batteries already inside can cause the batteries to degrade, leak and damage the device.
Government Urges Preparedness After Recent Incidents
Over recent years, the UK has faced a number of issues affecting the country. In 2025-26 alone, incidents included wildfires across parts of the UK over the summer, excessive heat, disease outbreaks and terror attacks. This has led the government to urge households to ensure they can keep themselves safe in an emergency with food supplies and energy sources.
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting advised people to have supplies of tinned food, bottled water and cash in case of war or natural disaster, saying: "Do they have what they need indoors, should they lose access to their online banking for a period?"
He added: "Should they have a power cut? If there was a risk of wildfire, if there was a risk of flooding, sometimes it feels like even in communities that experience those sorts of events periodically, we're not as prepared as we should be."
Common Mistake Made by Households
Many people keep torches in kitchen drawers, cupboards or garages with batteries already inside, assuming they are ready to use. However, batteries left inside unused devices for long periods can degrade, leak and damage the torch itself.
Clarke explained: "We see the same problem repeatedly. People store emergency torches with batteries already inside because they think that means they are prepared. Unfortunately, batteries can deteriorate over time, leak and corrode the contacts, leaving you with a torch that does not work when you actually need it."
Research published in the Journal of Power Sources has shown that alkaline batteries can gradually self-discharge during storage, while ageing seals can increase the risk of leakage and corrosion.
Change in Storage Might Be the Answer
It is a simple issue, but one that can become a serious inconvenience during an unexpected outage, says the expert. Data from a survey by the Energy Networks Association found that one in four (27%) of UK households had experienced at least one power cut lasting more than three minutes within a year.
Research published in the International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction has also highlighted the importance of reliable emergency equipment during sudden outages. Clarke says one of the easiest ways to reduce the risk of torch failure is to change how batteries are stored.
He said: "The safest approach is to keep batteries separate from emergency devices until they are needed. Store fresh batteries close to the torch, ideally in their original packaging or a battery organiser, so they are easy to find during a blackout."
Which Battery Should I Use?
The type of battery used can also make a difference to long-term emergency preparedness. Research into battery shelf life has found that alkaline cells gradually lose capacity during storage and can be vulnerable to leakage, while lithium primary batteries generally have a longer shelf life and lower leakage risk.
The expert advised: "Alkaline batteries are cheap and easy to find, but lithium batteries can be worth considering for important emergency equipment." He also recommends dating emergency battery packs when they are purchased and checking them periodically rather than leaving them untouched for years.
He added: "Being prepared is not just about owning the right equipment. It is about knowing that it will still work when you need it."
