UK emergency kit: what the government’s Be Ready campaign asks you to keep
The UK government asks households to be ready to manage for 3 days if power, water, phones or the internet are disrupted. Its Be Ready checklist starts with bottled water (3 litres, about 0.8 US gal, per person per day for drinking), non-perishable food, a torch, a battery or wind-up FM radio, a charged power bank, cash, copies of documents, a first aid kit and medicines. Signing up to the Priority Services Register is free.
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What is Be Ready?
On 22 October 2026 the Cabinet Office launched Be Ready, the first stage of a three-year campaign to help UK households prepare for everyday emergencies such as storms, floods and heat that can disrupt power, water, phones and the internet. It replaces the branding of the earlier “Prepare” website, which had published resilience advice since May 2024, but much of the advice is unchanged. The government says the three-day message brings the UK into line with countries such as France, Ireland and the Netherlands.
The Be Ready checklist
| Category | What the government suggests |
|---|---|
| Water | Bottled water for 3 days: 3 L (0.8 US gal) per person per day for drinking; more for cooking and washing |
| Food | Non-perishable food for 3 days that doesn’t need cooking or a fridge: tinned meat, fish or vegetables, dried fruit, nuts |
| Hygiene | Hand sanitiser, wet wipes, bathroom products |
| Light and warmth | Torch and spare batteries (safer than candles); blankets, sleeping bags, warm clothing |
| Communication | FM radio (battery or wind-up) with your stations’ frequencies written down; charged power bank |
| Money and documents | Cash (coins and notes) and cards; printed copies of IDs and important documents; important phone numbers and a medication list |
| Medical | First aid kit; essential medication and supplies |
| Babies | Ready-to-feed formula; nappies and wipes |
| Pets | Pet food and bottled water |
The government’s advice is to start with what you have, note what is missing, build up gradually during normal shopping, check the kit every six months and talk to neighbours about how you could help each other.
Water: how much in litres and gallons
| Household | Drinking only (3 L/day) | With cooking and washing (≈ 10 L/day) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 person | 9 L (2.4 US gal / 2.0 UK gal) | 30 L (7.9 US gal / 6.6 UK gal) |
| 2 people | 18 L (4.8 US gal / 4.0 UK gal) | 60 L (15.9 US gal / 13.2 UK gal) |
| 4 people | 36 L (9.5 US gal / 7.9 UK gal) | 120 L (31.7 US gal / 26.4 UK gal) |
The British Red Cross uses 2.5–3 litres per person per day for drinking, and about 10 litres with basic cooking and hygiene. See how much water to store for containers and storage.
Free steps that make a big difference
- Join the Priority Services Register with your energy and water suppliers if you, or someone you live with, is older, disabled, has a long-term condition, uses medical equipment or has young children. Suppliers use it to prioritise help in an outage.
- Request repeat prescriptions early. The government suggests ordering up to 5 working days before you need the medicine.
- Write down radio frequencies for your national and local stations and stick them to the radio.
- Swap numbers with neighbours, especially anyone who might need checking on.
- Know your alerts. The UK’s Emergency Alerts system sends warnings to mobile phones in an affected area; don’t switch them off.
Babies: why ready-to-feed formula
The checklist recommends ready-made, ready-to-feed formula because during an emergency you may not be able to boil water to make up powdered formula safely. Keep three days’ worth plus disposable bottles; see our baby kit.
A UK Be Ready kit, item by item
| Product | Best for | Key spec | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wind-up and solar FM radio | Information in a power cut | FM/AM, USB | Check price on Amazon |
| 20,000 mAh power bank | Phones and small medical devices | USB-C | Check price on Amazon |
| LED torch | Light without fire risk | Rechargeable or AA | Check price on Amazon |
| First aid kit | Every home | Add your own medicines | Check price on Amazon |
| Food-grade water container | Storing tap water | 10 L (2.6 US gal) | Check price on Amazon |
| Ready-to-feed baby formula | Babies | No water or boiling needed | Check price on Amazon |
We don’t list prices because they change often. Use the button to see the current price on Amazon.
For the full printable list, use our 72-hour checklist; for power cuts specifically, see what to do in a power blackout.
Questions people ask
What does the UK government recommend for an emergency kit?
Three days of bottled water (3 litres per person per day for drinking) and non-perishable food, hygiene items, a torch and spare batteries, blankets and warm clothes, a battery or wind-up FM radio, a charged power bank, cash, copies of documents, important phone numbers, a first aid kit and essential medication, plus baby and pet supplies.
What is the Be Ready campaign?
A three-year UK government campaign launched on 22 October 2026 to help households prepare for disruption such as severe weather. It updates the advice previously published on the “Prepare” website since May 2024.
What is the Priority Services Register?
A free register run by energy and water companies that identifies customers who need extra help during an outage, for example because of age, disability, medical equipment or young children. Ask your supplier to add you.
How much water should I store in the UK?
At least 3 litres per person per day for drinking, so 9 litres per person for three days. The British Red Cross suggests around 10 litres per person per day if you include basic cooking and washing.
How will I be warned in an emergency in the UK?
Through Emergency Alerts sent to mobile phones in the affected area, plus radio, TV, local authorities and emergency services. Call 999 or 112 in an emergency.
Keep reading
- How much water to store for 72 hours
- Best emergency radio: crank, solar and battery
- How much cash to keep at home, and which documents to copy
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