The UK government’s advice is simple: every household should be ready to look after itself for a few days if something goes wrong, whether that’s a storm, a flood, a long power cut or a problem with the water supply. In 2024 it launched its Prepare website (prepare.campaign.gov.uk) asking households to keep an emergency kit at home.
This checklist turns that advice into a practical list for UK homes, with what to buy, how much you need, and the cheap ways to cover it. Most homes already have half of it in a cupboard somewhere.
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The 72-hour emergency kit checklist
Tick these off and keep them together in a box or bag that everyone in the house knows about.
Water and food
- Bottled water: at least 3 litres per person per day, for 3 days. That’s 9 litres per person, or 36 litres for a family of four. Keep extra for cooking and washing if you can.
- Food that doesn’t need cooking: tinned meat, fish, beans, vegetables and fruit, plus crackers, cereal bars, nuts and long-life milk.
- A tin opener (a manual one, not electric).
- Pet food and water if you have pets.
Light and power
- Torches: a battery or wind-up torch, ideally a head torch so your hands are free.
- Spare batteries for everything that takes them.
- A battery or wind-up radio, so you can hear local news if the phone networks are down.
- A charged power bank for each phone.
- Candles and matches, used carefully and never left unattended. Battery lanterns are safer.
First aid and health
- A first aid kit.
- Regular prescription medicines, with a few days spare where your GP or pharmacist allows.
- Spare glasses or contact lenses.
- Toiletries, wet wipes, hand gel and sanitary products.
Documents, money and keys
- A printed list of important numbers: family, GP, your local council, your insurer, and 105 for power cuts.
- Copies of important documents, such as insurance policies and ID, in a waterproof bag.
- Some cash, as card machines and cash machines may not work in a power cut.
- Spare house and car keys.
Warmth and comfort
- Blankets or sleeping bags and warm layers.
- Spare clothes and sturdy shoes.
- Anything specific to your household, such as baby supplies or equipment for someone with additional needs.
Useful extras
- A whistle to attract attention.
- A penknife or multi-tool.
- Pen and paper.
- Bin bags and duct tape.
Do you need a power station?
Not for a basic kit. Torches, a radio and power banks will get most homes through a short emergency. But if you want to keep the fridge-freezer, Wi-Fi and lights going through a longer power cut, a portable power station is the next step up. It’s a big rechargeable battery with normal UK plug sockets, and it’s safe to use indoors, unlike a petrol generator.
Our guide to the best power station for power cuts explains how long each size lasts and which models we’d pick. If you’re not sure what size you need, try our power station size calculator.
How to cook without power
If your hob is electric, a power cut means no hot food. A camping stove is the simplest backup. Only ever use it outdoors or in a well-ventilated space, never in a closed room, because gas stoves can give off carbon monoxide. Keep a carbon monoxide alarm in your home if you don’t have one.
The other option is a power station big enough to run a small microwave or low-wattage hob. Most 1,800W+ units can, but it drains the battery quickly.
Make a simple household plan
A kit is only half the job. The government also suggests you:
- Know your local risks. Check your flood risk and sign up for flood and weather warnings.
- Know how to turn off your gas, electricity and water.
- Test your smoke alarms at least once a month.
- Agree a plan with your household: where you’d meet, and who checks on elderly relatives or neighbours.
- Join the Priority Services Register with your energy and water suppliers if anyone in your home needs extra support. It’s free.
Keep your kit ready
- Check it every six months. A handy reminder is when the clocks change.
- Rotate food and water before the use-by dates, and replace them.
- Charge power banks and power stations every few months.
- Swap batteries out if they’ve been sitting in a torch for a year.
Frequently asked questions
What does the UK government say to keep in an emergency kit?
The government’s Prepare campaign recommends bottled water (at least 3 litres per person per day), food that doesn’t need cooking, a battery or wind-up torch and radio, spare batteries, a first aid kit, medicines, important documents and phone numbers, and spare keys and glasses.
How much water should I store for an emergency?
At least 3 litres per person per day for drinking, for 3 days. That’s 9 litres per person. Store more if you can for cooking and washing.
What’s the most useful thing in an emergency kit?
Light and information. A good torch and a wind-up or battery radio cover most short emergencies, especially power cuts at night.
How do I keep my phone charged in a power cut?
A charged power bank will give most phones several full charges. For longer cuts, a portable power station can charge phones dozens of times and run your Wi-Fi router too. See our power cuts guide.
Is it worth buying a ready-made emergency kit?
They can be a handy starting point, but many are padded out with low-quality items. Building your own from the checklist above usually costs less, and you’ll know everything in it works.