Last updated: 20 September 2026
The UK government already publishes a list of what a household should keep at home for an emergency lasting a few days. It has been on the GOV.UK Prepare website since 2024. Most people have never seen it.
That is about to change. A national public awareness campaign is on its way, and the list below is what it will point people towards. Here it is in plain English: what is on it, what each thing is for, and the parts that cost nothing.
Readywell is not affiliated with, approved by or endorsed by the UK government. We sell household kits. We also read the guidance properly, and this page is our summary of it. The official source is GOV.UK Prepare, and where our wording and theirs differ, theirs wins.
Where the campaign stands
On 14 July 2026 the government told Parliament it would launch a national resilience public awareness campaign later this year, built around the GOV.UK Prepare website. The aim is to explain the small steps households can take to cope with disruption to power, water, phone signal or local shops, whether the cause is severe weather or a cyber attack.
As of 20 September 2026 the campaign has not launched and no date has been announced. The guidance it will be built on is already live, and it is what this page covers. We will update this page when the campaign begins.
The list
GOV.UK frames this around an emergency lasting a few days, such as a power cut or a water outage. It suggests keeping the items together, somewhere you can find them with the lights off.
| Item | What GOV.UK says about it |
|---|---|
| Torch | Battery or wind-up. The guidance is blunt on one point: "torches are safer than candles". |
| Power bank | A portable one, for keeping your mobile phone charged. |
| Radio | Battery or wind-up, for updates during a power cut. A car radio works too, though in severe weather you may be safer staying indoors. |
| Spare batteries | For the torch and radio, plus a backup battery for any medical equipment you rely on. |
| First aid kit | A kit, or simply some first aid items: waterproof plasters, bandages, sterile dressings, medical tape, gloves, tweezers, a thermometer, antiseptic and eyewash. |
| Hand sanitiser and wet wipes | For hygiene when the water is off. |
| Bottled water | No fixed amount. See the numbers below. |
| Food that needs no cooking | Non-perishable and ready to eat, such as tinned meat, fruit or vegetables. And a tin opener. Include food for pets. |
| Baby supplies | Nappies and formula. Ready-to-feed formula is suggested, because you may not be able to boil water or sterilise bottles. |
| Medication | Enough of what you need for several days, and a paper copy of the instructions for any medical device you depend on. |
One line in the guidance deserves more attention than it gets. You do not have to buy all of this at once. GOV.UK suggests adding to your kit when you are able and building it up over time. A torch this month and a power bank next month is a perfectly good plan.
How much water?
GOV.UK says there is no standard figure, because emergencies vary in length and households use different amounts. It gives two reference points per person, per day:
- 2.5 to 3 litres of drinking water as a minimum, a World Health Organisation figure.
- Around 10 litres to be more comfortable, which also covers basic cooking and hygiene.
As a worked example, two adults over three days comes to 15 to 18 litres at the minimum, or about 60 litres at the comfortable level. Allow more for baby formula, medical devices and pets.
The parts that cost nothing
The shopping list gets the headlines, but most of the Prepare guidance is free and takes minutes. If you do nothing else, do these.
- Write important numbers on paper and keep them somewhere you can find in the dark. Include 105, the number to report a power cut in England, Scotland and Wales (03457 643643 in Northern Ireland), the people you would want to reach, your regular medication, and your insurance details.
- Fill in a household plan. GOV.UK offers a free printable household emergency plan. Keep it with your passports and insurance papers.
- Agree a meeting point in case you cannot get home.
- Find your stopcock, fuse box and gas valve and know how to turn each one off.
- Check the Priority Services Register. If someone in your home is older, disabled, has young children or relies on medical equipment, your energy and water suppliers can give extra support during an outage. See thepsr.co.uk.
- Sign up for alerts and warnings through the GOV.UK alerts page.
- Swap numbers with a neighbour and plan to check on each other if the power goes out.
- Add emergency contacts to your phone's Medical ID so the emergency services can see them without unlocking it.
And one for the car
For winter driving, GOV.UK suggests keeping a few things in the boot: a torch, an in-car phone charger, warm clothes and blankets, high-visibility clothing, jump leads, food and drink, and a shovel for snow. A first aid kit is a sensible addition.
How Readywell 72 lines up
Readywell 72 is the household kit we are developing. It is not on sale yet, the contents are still being finalised, and what follows is the plan rather than a specification. "72" is the model name, not a promise about how long anything lasts.
| On the GOV.UK list | Readywell 72 (planned contents, subject to change) |
|---|---|
| Torch | Planned: a head torch and a room lantern |
| Power bank | Planned, with charging cable |
| Radio | Planned: wind-up FM |
| Spare batteries | Planned |
| First aid kit | Planned |
| Hand sanitiser and wet wipes | Planned, in a hygiene pouch |
| Bottled water | Not included. You add this. An empty fold-flat water carrier is planned, for filling from the tap when a warning comes. |
| Food | Not included. You add this. |
| Baby supplies | Not included. You add this. |
| Medication | Not included. You add this. |
The gaps are deliberate. You know what your household eats, drinks and takes far better than we do, and a bag of food chosen by a stranger tends to stay uneaten. The kit is the useful hardware in one place. The rest is a shelf in your cupboard.
You also do not need to buy a kit from anyone. Everything on the list is available on the high street, and the guidance says to build it up over time.
Common questions
Has the government's emergency kit campaign started?
Not as of 20 September 2026. It was announced to Parliament on 14 July 2026 for launch later in the year. The underlying guidance on GOV.UK Prepare is already live.
Does the government sell or approve emergency kits?
No. The government publishes guidance. It does not sell kits, and it does not approve or endorse commercial ones, ours included. Be wary of any product described as "government approved".
How many days should I plan for?
GOV.UK talks about an emergency lasting a few days and does not set a number. It asks you to think about what your own household would need.
Is this the same as a grab bag?
Nearly. GOV.UK uses "grab bag" for a spare bag of things you would take if asked to leave home quickly. The home kit is for staying put. Plenty of households keep one bag that does both. If you are leaving because of a fire, take nothing and get out.
Why a radio, in this day and age?
Because in a long power cut, mobile networks and home broadband can go down too. A battery or wind-up radio still picks up local and national stations. Write the frequencies on your household plan.
Are candles all right?
GOV.UK recommends torches instead, on safety grounds.
This guide is general information, not professional advice. If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 999. Based on guidance published at prepare.campaign.gov.uk, which is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Readywell is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by HM Government.
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