Family & carer guide
Electrical safety for older & vulnerable people
Older homes tend to carry older wiring, older appliances and years of small workarounds — an extra extension lead here, a heater on a long flex there. This guide is written for family, carers and older adults themselves, covering what to check, what to replace, and when to bring in an electrician.
Warning signs to act on straight away
- • Lights flickering when an appliance turns on.
- • Breakers or RCDs tripping more than once in a while.
- • A persistent smell of hot plastic, or a "fishy" smell from a socket or accessory.
- • Sockets or switches that are warm, buzzing or discoloured.
- • A shock or tingle from a metal appliance body — stop using it immediately.
Three priorities
RCD protection on the whole board
An RCD (or RCBOs on every circuit) disconnects the supply within milliseconds of an earth fault — the single most effective protection against a fatal shock. Homes still running on an old rewireable fuse box with no RCD should be prioritised for a consumer unit upgrade. If in doubt, an EICR will confirm what protection is in place.
Electric blankets checked every 3 years
Electric blankets over 10 years old, or any blanket showing scorch marks, exposed elements, damaged flex or a burning smell, must be replaced. Never fold a blanket tightly or lie a hot water bottle on top. Modern electric blankets have overheat protection — but only if the blanket and its controller are undamaged.
Heaters that cannot be knocked over
Portable electric heaters should be Kitemarked, have a tip-over cut-out, and stand at least 1 metre from curtains, bedding, papers and mobility aids. Do not dry clothes on a heater. For a bedroom, a fixed panel heater or a modern oil-filled radiator with a stat is much safer than a fan heater.
A walk around the home
Sockets, plugs and flexes
Look for brown scorch marks around socket faces, cracked or discoloured plugs, warm plug tops after use and worn flexes on lamps, kettles and heaters. Any of these means "stop using it now" — a new appliance or plug top is cheap; a fire is not.
Reduce dependence on extension leads
A trailing extension lead across a floor is a trip hazard and, if overloaded, a fire risk. If someone is running two or three leads to reach the sofa, the answer is an extra fixed socket — a small job for an electrician that removes both hazards at once.
Mobility, hearing and sight aids
Stairlift, riser-recliner chair, hearing-aid charger, hoist, oxygen concentrator or medical fridge — write down which socket each one is on and label the corresponding breaker in the consumer unit. In a power cut or a trip, it saves precious minutes.
Priority Services Register (PSR)
Anyone of pensionable age, disabled, chronically ill, dependent on electricity for medical equipment, or with young children, can join the PSR free of charge through their electricity supplier and their DNO. It provides advance notice of planned outages, priority reconnection and, in some cases, welfare support during long faults.
Booking a check for a parent, grandparent or client
Paul is happy to arrange a visit at a time that suits the family, explain everything in plain English and provide a written report of what needs doing and what can wait — no pressure tactics, no upsells.