Check your preparedness
How prepared is your household?
Find out where you're already covered, where the gaps are, and the simple steps you can take to become better prepared.
Six questions. About two minutes.
Build your essentials
Good kit.
Clear purpose.
The things you reach for when the everyday takes a detour. Explore considered kit for light, water and the comforts of home.
Kits for everyday households.
Know what to do
Know a little.
Feel more ready.
Practical guidance to come back to. Make a household plan, find reliable information and take the next useful step.
Useful knowledge. At your own pace.
How much food and water does your household need?
Tell us who is at home and how many days you want to cover. We work out the water and food to set aside, then you can build a kit to match.
For 2 adults for 3 days
- Water, at least
- 18 litres
- To drink and prepare food: 3 litres a person a day.
- Water, comfortable
- 60 litres
- Adds cooking and washing: 10 litres a person a day.
- Food (planning estimate)
- 12,000 kcal
- About 20 meals of around 600 kcal.
- Pet water (planning estimate)
- 0 litres
- 1 litre a pet a day, on top of the above.
Where the figures come from
- GOV.UK Prepare: get prepared for emergencies (opens in a new tab)
- World Health Organization: how much water is needed in emergencies (Technical Note 9) (opens in a new tab)
- British Red Cross: prepare an emergency kit (opens in a new tab)
Food energy, meals and pet water are planning estimates, not official figures. Adjust them to your household.
The Prepared Index
Know where to start.
Six simple questions. A clearer view of your household’s next steps.
Prepared Base
Kits by area.
Water Base
Kits and essentials
Power & Lighting Base
Kits and essentials
First Aid Base
Kits and essentials
Communication & Safety Base
Kits and essentials
Food & Cooking Base
Kits and essentials
Warmth & Shelter Base
Kits and essentials
MAKE PREPAREDNESS SECOND NATURE
More ways to get prepared.
Checklists
Get the essentials sorted, one step at a time.
Free, printable checklists for water, food, power, first aid and more. See what you need and tick things off as you go.
News
Stay informed with UK news. Feel prepared.
UK news that matters to your household, explained simply—with what it means for you and practical steps you can take.
Guides & knowledge
Practical advice for everyday readiness
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Start with what you already have
Readiness does not need a perfect kit or a weekend-long project. Begin with one everyday need and build from there.
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How to Build a 72-Hour Household Emergency Plan
You may know where the torch is. Does everyone else? And if the power goes out while you are away, would someone at home know who to call, where the supplies are and what to…
-
How to Stay Warm at Home When the Heating Stops
You notice it first in your feet. Then someone puts a jumper on, checks the thermostat and asks whether the radiators are working. A heating failure on a mild afternoon is inconvenient. During a winter…
-
What Food Should You Keep for a 3-day Emergency?
The kitchen cupboard can look reassuringly full until you realise how much of it needs boiling water, an oven or a working microwave. A bag of pasta will provide plenty of meals. Getting it onto…
Preparation kits & essentials
Build on what you already have. Browse kits and individual items for the everyday needs of your household.
Whole household
Household starter kit
17 items
- Energizer Fusion compact LED lantern
- Energizer Vision HD+ head torch
- Amazon Basics AA batteries, pack of 12
- and 14 more items
Amazon links coming soon
Power cut
Power cut kit
31 items
- Food-safe water container with screw cap, 5 L
- yfood meal replacement drinks, taster pack of 5
- Wayfayrer ready-to-eat meal pouch, 300 g
- and 28 more items
Amazon links coming soon
Storm / stay at home
Storm and stay at home kit
26 items
- yfood meal replacement drinks, taster pack of 5
- Wayfayrer ready-to-eat meal pouch, 300 g
- Nature Valley Protein bars, 26 x 40 g
- and 23 more items
Amazon links coming soon
Evacuation grab bag
Evacuation grab bag
28 items
- Waterproof rucksack, 80 L
- Nalgene wide-mouth water bottle, 1 L
- SWIFTER collapsible soft flasks, 2 x 500 ml
- and 25 more items
Amazon links coming soon
A more prepared home
starts here.
You don’t need to sort everything at once. Start with a few essentials, think through what your household would need if everyday services were disrupted, and use this checklist to choose your first steps.
Your ticks last for this visit. Use the full guidance to build your plan.
Read the UK Prepare guide