Tree touching power lines in England: who is responsible

This page reports what the official source says. It is not legal advice: ask the office named here. It describes three official texts. The Act and the regulations extend to England, Wales and Scotland, as the legislation site marks them, so the first two sections are not England-only. Northern Ireland has its own rules and is not covered.

What the Electricity Act says

Paragraph 9 of Schedule 4 to the Electricity Act 1989 applies where a tree is, or will be, so close to an electric line or electrical plant kept installed by a licence holder that it obstructs or interferes with installing, maintaining or working the line or plant, or is an unacceptable source of danger to children or other persons. The Act says "tree" includes any shrub.

The licence holder may give notice to the occupier of the land requiring the tree to be felled or lopped, or its roots cut back. The Act makes this subject to the licence holder paying the occupier the expenses reasonably incurred in complying.
Where the occupier is not also the owner, a copy of the notice is also served on the owner.
If within 21 days of the notice its requirements are not met and neither the owner nor the occupier gives a counter notice, the licence holder may cause the tree to be felled or lopped, or the roots cut back.
If within 21 days the owner or occupier gives a counter notice objecting to the requirements, the matter is referred to the Secretary of State unless the counter notice is withdrawn. After giving the parties a chance to be heard by a person the Secretary of State appoints, the Secretary of State may make the order that seems just, which may give the licence holder the right to do the work and may settle what expenses are paid.

The Act also says that when a licence holder uses these powers it has the trees felled or lopped, or roots cut back, in accordance with good arboricultural practice and so as to do as little damage as possible to trees, fences, hedges and growing crops. The felled trees, lopped boughs or root cuttings are removed in accordance with the directions of the owner or occupier, and the licence holder makes good any damage done to the land.

What the safety regulations say

The Electricity Safety, Quality and Continuity Regulations 2002, regulation 20A, in force from October 1, 2006, says a generator or distributor shall, so far as is reasonably practicable, ensure there is no interference with or interruption of supply caused by insufficient clearance between any of its overhead lines and a tree or other vegetation. Regulation 18(5) says no overhead line shall, so far as is reasonably practicable, come so close to any building, tree or structure as to cause danger. Regulation 20A puts its duty on a generator or distributor.

What the Health and Safety Executive says

The Health and Safety Executive page working near power lines and cables, dated September 22, 2026, is written for people who do tree work. It says to get competent advice from the owner of the lines, usually the network operator, for work within 10 m of overhead power lines. It says the 10 m is measured at ground level horizontally from below the nearest wire, and that work further away that could breach the distance, for example through a falling tree, is also covered. It says the network operator should help set up a safe system of work, which can include switching the electricity off, refining safety distances, or arranging for a specialised utility arboricultural contractor to do the work. It names working with the power off as the first choice.

What the sources leave out

None of the three texts sets a fee for the owner, and none names a single phone number for owners. The HSE page tells readers to telephone the local network operator, and the Act's notice route runs between the licence holder and the occupier. Rules for trees on council land, on railway land and for lines that are not owned by a licence holder are not in these texts.

Credit: the Electricity Act 1989 and the 2002 Regulations are reported from legislation.gov.uk, and the HSE page from hse.gov.uk. Both contain public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Who to call

The network operator: the owner of the lines, usually the network operator, for advice before tree work near overhead lines, per the Health and Safety Executive
Health and Safety Executive: publishes the guidance for tree work within 10 m of overhead power lines
The Secretary of State: receives a referral when an owner or occupier gives a counter notice, under the Electricity Act 1989