BEDSIDE CHARGING, EXPLAINED

Off the pillow,
onto a hard surface.

Most of us plug the phone in at bedtime without a second thought.

Lithium batteries power phones safely for millions of people every day, but UK fire services keep seeing fires that start with chargers, batteries and cables. Their advice for the bedroom is simple: charge on a solid surface, away from bedding, with a genuine charger, and not all night.

24 A WEEK London fires from chargers, batteries and cables

Check your spot

A phone charging on a bare wooden bedside table beside a neatly made bed in soft evening lamplight — AI-generated image, not a photograph of a real person or place.

A hard surface
A genuine charger
Unplug when full
Three habits fire services ask for

THE SHORT ANSWER

Where it charges
matters.

Bed, pillow, all night:
the three things to avoid.

THE BED

Never under the pillow

County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service puts it plainly: never charge your phone under your pillow or in bed. Charge on a solid surface, away from flammable materials.

Check your spot

THE CHARGER

Genuine, from someone you trust

London Fire Brigade says to use the charger that came with your phone, or a genuine replacement from a trusted supplier. Counterfeit chargers often fail UK safety regulations.

Spot a fake

THE CLOCK

Not plugged in all night

Fire services advise not leaving devices on charge after the charge cycle is complete. London Fire Brigade says it is best not to leave your phone plugged in overnight.

A safer routine

A QUICK BEDSIDE CHECK

Where is your phone
charging tonight?

Pick the spot or habit closest to yours. The bar shows how strongly fire service advice warns against it.

Bedside check

Choose a charging habitUnder my pillowOn the duvet next to meWith a cheap unbranded chargerOn the bedside table, plugged in all nightOn a hard surface, unplugged when full

Under my pillowNever

Fire services say never to charge a phone under a pillow or in bed, where it can overheat. Move it to a stable, hard surface.

On the duvet next to meMove it

Shropshire Fire and Rescue says not to charge devices on your bed or anywhere they might overheat, and London Fire Brigade says never to cover chargers.

With a cheap unbranded chargerReplace it

Counterfeit chargers can contain few of the components needed for safety. Use the original charger or a genuine one from a trusted supplier.

On the bedside table, plugged in all nightBetter, not best

A hard surface is right, but fire services advise against leaving phones on charge overnight or after the charge is complete.

On a hard surface, unplugged when fullWhat they advise

Charging on a solid surface, away from bedding, with the right charger and unplugging once full matches fire service advice.

Sources: London Fire Brigade, Batteries and chargers; Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service, Electrical safety; County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service, Electrical Fire Safety Week advice.

Based on advice from London Fire Brigade, Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service and County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service. General safety information only.

TWO NUMBERS WORTH KNOWING

Small chargers,
real fires.

One figure from London,
one from the North East.

24 a week

Average fires each week started by chargers, batteries and cables

London Fire Brigade says it attends on average 24 fires a week started by chargers, batteries and cables, and 26,376 electrical fires in London since 2017.

LONDON · LFB

220

Electrical fires attended from January to December 2025

County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service attended 220 electrical fires in 2025, a slight rise on the 196 its crews attended in 2024.

COUNTY DURHAM · CDDFRS

Sources: London Fire Brigade, Electrical items and Batteries and chargers pages; CDDFRS news release for Electrical Fire Safety Week (2 to 8 February).

A SAFER BEDTIME ROUTINE

Four habits
for a quiet night.

None of these needs new gadgets. They are the steps UK fire services repeat most often for phones and other lithium-battery devices.

Charge in the evening
Top up while you are awake and nearby, then unplug once full rather than leaving the phone on charge all night.
Use a hard surface
A bedside table, shelf or desk, away from bedding, cushions and curtains. Never cover a charger or charging device.
Use the right charger
The one that came with the phone, or a genuine replacement from a trusted supplier. Check cables and chargers for damage.
Fit a smoke alarm where things charge
London Fire Brigade advises alarms in any room where you leave appliances plugged in, not only the hall and landing.

A hand holding a white plug-in phone charger with its cable coiled, seen close up — AI-generated image, not a photograph of a real person or place.

A phone and charging cable left tangled on a crumpled duvet and pillow — AI-generated image, not a photograph of a real person or place.

BATTERIES AND FAKE CHARGERS

Know the warning
signs.

London Fire Brigade says lithium batteries can be a fire risk when over-charged, short-circuited, damaged or submerged in water. If a battery starts swelling, stop charging, turn the device off, do not open the casing, and contact the manufacturer or a certified technician.

Shropshire Fire and Rescue lists signs of a fake charger: it may feel light and hollow because it lacks safety components, the pins may be the wrong size or in the wrong place, and the USB port may be upside down or misplaced.

Questions

Questions people ask

Is it safe to charge my phone overnight?

UK fire services advise against it. London Fire Brigade says not to leave items on charge after the charge cycle is complete, and that it is best not to leave your phone plugged in overnight.

Why not charge it in bed?

Fire services say to charge on a solid surface away from flammable materials. Shropshire Fire and Rescue says not to charge on a bed, under a pillow or anywhere the device might overheat.

How can I tell if a charger is fake?

Shropshire Fire and Rescue says genuine chargers feel solid, while fakes can feel hollow and light, with oddly sized or placed pins and a misplaced USB port.

What should I do if my phone battery swells?

Stop charging, turn the device off, do not remove the casing or tamper with it, and contact the manufacturer or a certified technician.

Do I need a smoke alarm in the bedroom?

London Fire Brigade advises fitting alarms in any room where a fire can start, such as rooms where appliances are left plugged in, and choosing alarms with a 10-year sealed battery.

Off the pillow,
onto a hard surface.