105 – Who Runs It, What It Costs & Is It Safe?

Short code: 105
Type: Short dial code
Operated by: Energy Networks Association
Cost: Free
Category: Emergency and public services
Verified: 13 August 2026

What 105 is for

Launched in 2016 by Britain's electricity network operators, 105 routes your call to the distribution network operator for your area, 24 hours a day. Most people call the supplier they pay their bill to, which cannot help.

Use it to report a power cut or to report damage to power lines and substations. In Northern Ireland call 03457 643643.

If there is an immediate risk to life, call 999 as well.

What it costs

Free. Free to dial from any network in England, Scotland and Wales.

Call 105 — how it works

Dial 105 free from any phone in England, Scotland or Wales.
Or report online - enter your postcode at PowerCut105.com to find your network operator.

Is 105 safe, and is it spoofed?

A short code cannot be spoofed in the way an ordinary phone number can, because you are the one starting the conversation. The risk runs the other way: fraudsters send texts that claim to be from a service like this one and ask you to reply or tap a link.

If a text or call is trying to rush you, threaten you, or get a password, one-time code or payment out of you, it is a scam whatever number it shows. Read our guide to the UK number ranges scammers use and how to spot a smishing text, and forward anything suspicious free to 7726.

Where this came from

We do not guess short codes. Every entry in this directory was checked against the organisation that runs the code, or against gov.uk or the regulator:

Checked against these sources on 13 August 2026. Short codes and their charges do change — if the operator’s page now says something different, believe the operator.

Checking an ordinary number instead

Short codes are not in Ofcom’s numbering data — only full UK numbers are. If it is a normal 01, 02, 03, 07, 08 or 09 number you want to identify, put it into the phone number checker and you will get its type, its area and the provider Ofcom allocated the range to.

Other UK short codes

999 · Emergency services (and emergencySMS by text)101 · Police non-emergency 111 · NHS urgent medical help 116 123 · Samaritans 18000 · Relay UK – emergency calls 18001 · Relay UK – make a relayed call

All verified UK short codes › · UK area codes › · UK network operators ›

105 — frequently asked questions

Is 105 free?

Free. Free to dial from any network in England, Scotland and Wales.

Who runs 105?

Energy Networks Association. 105 connects you to your local electricity network operator during a power cut - not your energy supplier, the people who actually fix the wires. We verified this against the operator's own published information on 13 August 2026; the sources are linked on this page.

Is 105 a scam number?

No. A short code cannot be spoofed in the way an ordinary phone number can, because you are the one starting the conversation. The risk runs the other way: fraudsters send texts that claim to be from a service like this one and ask you to reply or tap a link.

I got a text from a short code I do not recognise – what should I do?

Do not tap any link in it and do not reply unless you are certain who the sender is. If it is marketing from a company you know, replying STOP to the short code shown in the message opts you out free. If it is unsolicited, forward it to 7726 free of charge and delete it - replying to an unknown sender only confirms your number is live.

105 — Power cut helpline