PrepFree emergency tools for UK households
The government's Be Ready campaign asks households to keep 3 days of supplies. These tools work out what that means for yours, and what to do when the power goes off.
No sign-up, no affiliate links, nothing sent to us. Independent, not official advice.
Start here
- Be Ready checklist checkerTick off the Be Ready list, see what's missing and print a shopping list scaled to your household.
- How ready are you?Ten yes-or-no questions from the Be Ready list, then the three most useful next steps.
- How long would your supplies last?Count what's in your cupboards and see how many days your household would last.
Food and water
- Water storage calculatorHow many litres to keep for your household, and what that means in bottles.
- How to make water safeBoiling, tablets and bleach: what UK advice says, step by step, and when to leave water alone.
- Food stockpile calculatorA real shopping list of normal supermarket food, for 3 days up to a year.
Power cuts
- Power cut food checkerHow long the fridge and freezer stay safe, on UK rules in °C, with a countdown and a food-by-food list.
- Power station runtimeHow long a power bank or power station would run your router, fridge and laptop, as a clear estimate.
- Priority Services Register checkerAnswer a few questions to see if it's worth joining this free register, then find the link to apply.
Kits and checklists
- Grab bag checklistWhat to pack if you have to leave quickly, scaled to the people and pets in your home.
- Car emergency kitWhat to keep in the boot, with a winter option and the Highway Code on warning triangles.
- First aid kit checklistWhat to keep in a home first aid kit, with quantities. Medicines come with one note: ask your pharmacist.
- Home emergency boxThe torch, radio, blankets and paperwork to keep in one box, so you can find them in the dark.
- Baby emergency kitFeeding, nappies and sleep for a baby or toddler, with Be Ready's advice on formula.
- Pet emergency kitFood, water, carriers and papers for your pets, and who could take them if you had to leave.
- Kit for an older relativeWhat an older parent or neighbour needs for a power cut or storm, and who to tell.
- Severe weather checklistsPrintable lists for floods, winter storms and heatwaves, each from official advice.
Looking after your stock
- Tinned food shelf lifeLook up 50 store-cupboard foods: unopened, opened, how to store them and what to look for.
- Use by or best before?Pick the words on the pack and the food, and see what the date means for your stockpile.
- Stockpile inventory templateA free spreadsheet and printable list that works out your days of food and water.
- Stockpile rotation calendarDownload six-monthly reminders to check your dates, water and kit, for any calendar.
- Stockpile on a budgetSpread your stockpile over the weeks you choose, with a shopping list for each week.
Plans and paperwork
Guides
- What the Be Ready campaign asks you to doBe Ready asks UK households to keep 3 days of water, food and basics at home, built up over time. What it says, and what it leaves out.
- How much water should you store? 3 litres or 10?Store 3 litres per person per day for drinking, for 3 days. Aim for 10 litres if you have room. What each figure covers, and where it comes from.
- Prepping for beginners: the first hourA one-hour plan for getting started. Count your water and food, sort medicines and phone numbers, and make a short list, before you buy anything.
- How long does tinned food really last?Most tins keep their quality for 1 to 5 years, and best before isn't a safety date. How long each type lasts, and when to throw a tin away.
- How much food to stockpileStart with 3 days of food that needs no cooking, then build to 2 weeks if you have the room. Calories, examples and sensible limits for UK families.
- 3 days of food with no cookingA 3 day emergency food list that needs no cooker or fridge. A sample day at about 2,000 kcal, and a shopping list for a family of four.