Charging safely
Lithium-ion batteries are hidden inside many everyday electricals, including e-scooters, mobility scooters, e-bikes, mobile phones, tablets, vapes and earpods and are increasingly linked to serious fires in homes. Their safety depends on how they are manufactured, used, stored and recycled.
Share this article
According to Aviva one in nine UK residents have suffered a fire or explosion in their home due to a lithium-ion battery or device**
Current data suggests that in 2023, 338 fires involving Lithium-ion batteries were caused by e-bikes and e-scooters*.
Help to keep you and your loved ones safe
- Always use the charger that came with your electrical item
- If you need to buy a replacement, always choose a branded, genuine product from a supplier you can trust. There are lots of fakes out there, and it can be difficult to spot the difference
- Avoid storing, using or charging batteries at very high or low temperatures
- Protect batteries against being damaged – crushed, punctured or put in water
- Don’t leave items continuously on charge after the charge cycle is complete – it's best not to leave anything plugged in overnight
- Never cover chargers or charging devices
- Always charge your electrical item when you are around
- Don't overload your sockets – learn more about how much is too much on Electrical First ‘socket calculator’.
If your battery starts swelling or expanding
- Stop charging immediately
- Turn off the device
- Do not remove the casing or tamper with the equipment
- Contact the manufacturer
- If in doubt, please contact your local Fire Service.
Did you know?
Fake electrical chargers can be deadly – many don’t meet UK safety regulations leading to fires and injury. What may seem like a bargain isn't worth the risk when you consider the damage to people and property it could cause.
If one of your devices does catch fire don’t try and put it out yourself, these types of fires can burn much quicker and faster than non-battery fires. Always leave the building alerting household members and neighbours to do the same. Once safely away from the fire call 999 and ask for the Fire Service. For more information on what to do if there is a fire in your home visit Bedfordshire Fire Service information page.
Finally, make sure the smoke detector in your home is working properly, by testing it at least once a month and if it isn’t working, please get in touch with us.
*Department for Transport published Guidance Document: E-Cycle and E-Scooter Batteries: Managing Fire Risk for Premises. February 2024,
**Aviva internal data for fires claims with the word battery, batteries, charging, recharge, rechargeable, charged, and charged. Compares data from Jan 2022-Dec 2022 with Jan 2023 – Dec 2023.