Emergency contacts

How to get help and who to contact in an emergency

Lifesaving and risk to life - Emergency Services

  • 999 or 112 Emergency Services: Bedfordshire Police, Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, East of England Ambulance Service
  • 101 Non-emergency number for the Bedfordshire Police
  • 111 NHS non-emergency medical advice

Emergency broadcast radio stations

During a national emergency or during a national power outage, where other methods of communication may not be available, arrangements are in place to maintain emergency broadcasts on BBC Radio 2 88-91 FM and Radio 4 92-95 FM & 103-105 FM.

Safeguarding during and after an emergency

Central Bedfordshire Council emergency contacts

  • Customer Services: 0300 300 8000 general enquiries or to access any council services
  • access the latest updates on our social media: Facebook, X, Instagram

24/7 Emergency Contacts

Highways 24/7 Helpline: 0300 300 8000 For emergencies on the highway like road closures and diversions, emergency gully and drain cleaning, fallen trees on a road, road damage, major spillages, urgent traffic light failures, etc. For non-emergency issues affecting the highway, use the online tool Fix My Street. Some roads like Motorways and some major A Roads are managed by National Highways and not Central Bedfordshire Council. For issues on the A1, A1M, A5, A421, or M1, please contact them on 0300 123 5000.

Homelessness support: 0300 300 4370 A 24/7 point of contact for anyone that has been made homeless due to an emergency. Call if you have been made homeless or need housing advice.

Council tenant housing repairs: 0800 074 0263 A 24/7 point of contact for Council House Tenants only to report urgent housing issues. Call if you are a council house tenant and have damage to your property.

Council-owned buildings and land: 0300 300 5960. This is a 24/7 point of contact for non-housing buildings that are directly owned or leased by us. Our buildings are wide-ranging, including commercial tenanted properties, leisure and library facilities, care homes, schools, youth/daycare facilities, recycling centres, depots, farm buildings and corporate facilities. If you are aware of any situation which could present a risk to life, please always call the emergency services on 999 in the first instance. For issues with our owned assets during office hours, you can also contact us on assetshelp@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk.

Emergency Social Care Services

Adult Social Care services during office hours – First Response Team: 0300 300 8000 (Monday to Friday 8:45am to 5:20pm Monday to Thursday and 8:45am to 4:20pm on a Friday).

Children’s Social Care serivces during office hours: 0300 300 8585 (Monday to Friday 8.45am to 5:20pm Monday to Thursday and 8:45am to 4:20pm on a Friday).

Adult and Children’s Social Care services out of hours – Emergency Duty Team (EDT): 0300 300 8123.

Independent Living Customers: we run service for independent living customers, some tenants and some private customers for emergency alarm equipment. These alarms are for 24/7 assistance from our telecare provider. The number to call during office hours is 0300 300 5904 or our 0300 333 6511 (lines are open 24 hours a day 7 days a week).

Rough sleepers in severe weather: 0300 300 4370 (Monday to Friday 8:45am to 5:20pm Monday to Thursday and 8:45am to 4:20pm on a Friday) and 0300 300 8098 (out of hours).

More information can be found via our website search or our A-Z of services.

Find out if your area has a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)

Check here to find a list of all CERTs that have been set up in Central Bedfordshire.

Find your Town or Parish Council Contact Details

Find the contact details here for your Town or Parish Council.

Find your Elected Member (Councillor) contact details

Find the contact details for your local Elected Member (Councillor)

Public transport - find a bus operators contact details

Find the contact details for bus operators in Central Bedfordshire

Financial help in a crisis

Central Bedfordshire residents who experience a crisis or sudden financial shock may be able to get support through the Crisis and Resilience Fund. 

Flooding and severe weather emergency contacts

If there is a danger to life due to flooding, call 999 immediately.

Flooding on the highway

To report flooding of the highway in an emergency, contact Central Bedfordshire Council’s 24-hour emergency team at 0300 300 8000.

For non-emergency issues like blocked drains and gullies, use the FixMyStreet online tool. You can also download the app to report and track issues. More information is available on the webpage on reporting highway problems.

Flooding on major trunk roads

Contact National Highways at 0300 123 5000 (24-hour service) or visit National Highways.

Flooding from surface water or foul sewers

General flooding enquiries (non-main rivers)

For general queries and advice about flooding from a non-main river, email floodrisk@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk. Please note this is not monitored 24/7 and should not be used in an emergency.

Flood preparedness

We do not provide sandbags to individual residents. For advice on preparing for flooding, making your property more resilient, and recovering after a flood event, visit our flooding advice page.

River level and flood warning monitoring

Flooding from main rivers

Environment Agency

To report an issue such as flooding or pollution incidents, contact the Environment Agency’s incident hotline at 0800 80 70 60 (24-hour service).

For advice and enquiries about flood warnings, contact the Environment Agency’s Floodline at 0345 988 1188 (24-hour service) or visit GOV.UK - check for flooding.

Report a flood or possible cause of flooding on main rivers

Report a river blockage

Alongside the Environment Agency's incident hotline (0800 80 70 60), members of the public can now report a blockage online: Report a blockage in a river in England - GOV.UK

Contact Floodline for advice

  • Telephone: 0345 988 1188 (24/7)
  • Textphone: 0345 602 6340 (24/7)
  • Webchat

Sign up for the flood warning service

Check your flood risk

Bedford Group of Drainage Boards – Internal Drainage Board (IDB)

Canal and River Trust

Met Office and severe weather warnings

National Flood Forum

Flood insurance

Flood Re

If you are worried about building and home contents insurance post-flood, please look on Flood Re - A flood re-insurance scheme. This initiative works with insurers to provide affordable insurance to properties at risk of flooding.

Association of British Insurers

British Damage Management Association

Utility disruption emergency contacts

Utility companies priority service registers

Register for the priority service register to receive extra help in a utility outage (if eligible).

Water and sewerage providers

  • Find out who your water supplier is
  • Anglian Water (report an issue online) – check if your local issue has already been reported (call Anglian Water on 0345 714 5145)
  • Affinity Water (report an issue online) – WhatsApp message: 07745 659300 (8am to 6pm Monday to Friday), emergency line: 0345 357 2407, customer enquiries: 0345 357 2402 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm; Saturday 8am to 2pm)
  • Thames Water (report an issue online) – 0800 316 9800 24/7
  • Cambridge Water (report an issue online) – 01223 706050 (Option 3)

Gas

  • find your gas supplier
  • call the gas emergency line: If you have no gas, call the National Gas Emergency number on 0800 111 999 as soon as possible. You can also call the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Gas Safety Advice Line on 0800 300 363
  • Cadent Gas
  • Southern Gas Networks (SGN)

Electricity

Mental health and emotional wellbeing emergency contacts

We know emergencies can be stressful and affect people mental wellbeing and health. We cannot provide this type of support directly. However, there are many organisations that can help and here are some you can contact:

Advice for survivors and the bereaved, after emergencies 

To learn more about how emergencies and disasters can affect people and to read lots of help and guidance material we recommend visiting the Disaster Action website.

Support for animals and pets in an emergency

  • RSPCA - Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals - If you are enquiring regarding a sick, injured or animal in distress please call the RSPCA National Call Centre on 0300 1234 999
  • Animal and Plant Health Agency – National Contact Number 03000 200 301

Other support services emergency contacts

  • British Red Cross - The British Red Cross can provide a whole range of services during or after an emergency
  • AMYA - Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association volunteers can provide practical help after an emergency, for example, help with cleaning up, for example after flooding
  • BRCC – Bedfordshire Rural Communities Charity supports all residents across Central Bedfordshire. They deliver a number of frontline services which may be able to connect you to further support. If you have been affected by an emergency and need some support to identify trusted services, community grants, connect with a Good Neighbour Scheme for befriending or other support, please self-refer. Community Referral Social Prescribing can support you to connect with services to improve your Health and Wellbeing. A Community Wellbeing Champion located in your area can complete an assessment and connect you to services. Visit Ask about help – Your Wellbeing Bedfordshire
  • Citizen Advice can provide advice and guidance on almost any subject. Contact them after an emergency for help with things like insurance, access to grants or benefits and anything else
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