Guides

Plain answers to one question at a time, with sources.

• 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.
• What to stock up on if you're worried about warThe same basics as any emergency: water, food, a radio, a torch, cash and medicines. What UK advice says, and what you don't need to buy.
• Why "free government survival kits" don't existWe found no UK scheme giving out free emergency kits. Be Ready asks you to build your own. What's really free, and how to spot a fake offer.
• What to do in a power cut, hour by hourWhat to do in a UK power cut, from the first minute to 48 hours. Who to call, when the fridge and freezer stop being safe, and how to stay warm.
• How long does a freezer stay cold?A full freezer stays frozen for up to 48 hours in a power cut, a half-full one for 24. What the FSA says, and why thawed food shouldn't be refrozen.
• Best before and use byBest before is about quality. Use by is about safety. What that means for the tins, packets and freezer food in your stockpile.
• First in, first outRotate a home stockpile by eating the oldest food first and putting new food behind it. A six-monthly check, and how to stop tins getting lost.
• Prepping in a flatYou can keep 3 days of food and water in a small flat. How much space it takes, where to put it, what to buy, and what to leave out.
• Stocking up without panic buyingYou don't need to buy it all at once. How to build up 3 days of supplies a shop at a time, spread the cost, and leave enough on the shelves for others.
• What two foods never expire?The usual answer is honey and salt. What USDA data and UK labelling law actually say, and which foods in your cupboard come closest to lasting for ever.
• Preparing for winter power cutsMost gas boilers stop in a power cut. How to prepare a UK home for winter: warmth, light, food, phones, and the free register that offers extra help.
• Foods to stockpileThe best foods to stockpile for a UK household, with calories per pack and how long each lasts unopened. Start with food you can eat without cooking.