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I would hope you have smoke alarms, watching TV in the front room while a washing machine is doing its whirley thing in the kitchen/utility doesn't make it significantly safer than being in bed provided you have smoke alarms.

I'm far more concerned for anything with a lithium battery in it (whether it is charging or not).

The risk of a washing machine catching fire is negligible but of course the fire brigade can't say it is safe. We leave fridges and freezers on which haven't go a brilliant track record.

The far greater majority of house fires are still caused by cooking and smoking I believe. Portable heaters, candles and faulty wiring follow them up.

Accoring to Which, washing machines are the most dangerous appliances:

https://www.which.co.uk/news/2018/02/revealed-the-brands-linked-to-the-most-appliance-fires/

It does not say that in the article. It bundles washing machines and tumble driers together.

Nearly all tumble driers are hazardous there is always some fluff passing the heating element. There is a way of making them a lot safer but I’ve never seen it used.

smoke alarm goes off, I think I would be that little bit quicker exiting the front door from the lounge { where I had been sitting watching TV } than I would be getting out of bed and running down the stairs to exit the front door. Of course if in bed asleep when smoke alarm goes off then after getting out of bed I could always climb out of one of the windows and probable break a leg as I landing on the drive at the front of my house. Ok fridges and freezers are on all the time but why ad to the risk by having more electrical appliances on during the night.

I think you need your eyes testing if you can't see them separate on that chart, with washing machines at the top:

I agree.

Things won't be any better if the planned overnight (8 pm onward) closures of some fire-stations go ahead.
And if you need some basic medical treatment, don't rely on your local walk-in centre still being open, either.

I thing there is another topic on Wiki about the cuts. Take a look, then decide when it's safest to do your washing.

Heating is the biggest item that uses most energy, so get all house properly insulated with the most efficient insulation and not spend the money on the likes of smart meters.

Sorry, that graphic doesn't load up on my browser until I do a page refresh.

No worries, in fairness the text did lump the two together for some reason.