The short answer
For one person for 3 days, the GOV.UK Be Ready checklist asks for a torch and spare batteries, blankets or warm clothes, a battery or wind-up FM radio, a charged power bank, cash, copies of documents, important numbers, a first aid kit, your medication, food for 3 days that needs no cooking, hygiene items and 3 litres of water a day. On 3 November 2026 the supermarket items we could price at Aldi (water, food, batteries, wipes and a throw) came to £21.81. The items we could price on Amazon UK on 1 to 2 November (torch, foil blankets, radio, first aid kit and a 72-hour food box) came to £68.55. Check what you already have first: you may need to buy very little.
Prints the checklist without the menus.
How this list works
This is the GOV.UK Be Ready checklist, item by item, for one person for 3 days, with a price next to each thing you might need to buy.
- Supermarket prices are from Aldi UK's website, read on 3 November 2026.
- Argos prices: Argos's website didn't let us read its pages on 3 November, so that column is blank. We won't guess.
- Amazon UK prices are from Amazon UK search results seen on 1 to 2 November 2026.
- "—" means we didn't see a price we could check. It doesn't mean the shop doesn't sell it.
Prices change, often weekly. We don't earn anything from any of these shops and we haven't tested the products. Check your cupboards first, as Be Ready suggests: you may already have half of this.
The costed list (one person, 3 days)
| Be Ready item | What we priced | Supermarket (Aldi, 3 Nov 2026) | Argos | Amazon UK (seen 1 to 2 Nov 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Torch | A torch | — | — | £11.99 (Blukar head torch, rechargeable) |
| Spare batteries | AA batteries | £2.49 (Activ Energy Super Alkaline AA, 1 pack; number in pack not shown) | — | — |
| Blankets, sleeping bags and warm clothing | A throw or blanket | £9.99 (Kirkton House Cashmere Touch Throw, while stock lasts) | — | £9.99 (foil blankets, 6-pack) |
| FM radio (battery or wind-up) | A wind-up FM radio | — | — | £12.98 (SOLARBABY wind-up solar radio, AM/FM) |
| Charged power bank | A power bank | — | — | — |
| Cash (coins and notes) and cards | Your own money | No cost | No cost | No cost |
| Copies of IDs and documents | Photocopies or prints | Not priced | Not priced | Not priced |
| Important phone numbers and medication details | Written on paper | No cost | No cost | No cost |
| First aid kit | A small first aid kit | — | — | £10.64 (Safety First Aid HSE Economy kit, 1 to 10 people) |
| Essential medication and medical supplies | Your own prescriptions | Not priced | Not priced | Not priced |
| Non-perishable food for 3 days | See the food note below | £5.80 (example basket) | — | £22.95 (EVAQ8 72-hour emergency food box, 1 person) |
| Hand sanitiser | Hand sanitiser | — | — | — |
| Wet wipes | A pack of wipes | £0.75 (Sensitive Baby Wipes, 80) | — | — |
| Bottled water, 3 litres a day | 9 litres | £2.78 (2 × Still Spring Water 5 l at £1.39) | — | — |
| Baby supplies | If needed | Not priced | Not priced | Not priced |
| Pet food and water | If needed | Not priced | Not priced | Not priced |
| Total of prices we saw | £21.81 (5 items) | — (no prices seen) | £68.55 (5 items) |
The totals only add up the cells with a price. They are not the cost of a full kit, and the two columns cover different items, so don't compare them directly.
The food basket
Be Ready asks for food with a long shelf life that doesn't need a fridge or cooking, for example tinned meat, fish or vegetables, dried fruit and nuts, and says it's best to buy food you'd usually eat. Our example basket at Aldi on 3 November 2026:
| Item | Price each | Number | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuna Chunks in Spring Water, 145 g tin | £0.65 | 3 | £1.95 |
| Baked Beans in Tomato Sauce, 410 g tin | £0.27 | 3 | £0.81 |
| Fruit & Nut Mix, 250 g | £1.35 | 1 | £1.35 |
| Dried Mixed Fruit, 500 g | £1.69 | 1 | £1.69 |
| Basket total | £5.80 |
This is an example to show the cost, not a diet plan. Swap in the tins and snacks you normally eat. If your tins don't have ring-pulls, keep a hand tin opener with them.
Printable checklist
Tick each item when it's in your kit. Write the date you checked it.
| ☐ | Item (one person, 3 days) | Date checked |
|---|---|---|
| ☐ | Torch | |
| ☐ | Spare batteries that fit your torch and radio | |
| ☐ | Blanket, sleeping bag or warm clothes | |
| ☐ | Battery or wind-up FM radio, with local station frequencies written on it | |
| ☐ | Charged power bank and cable | |
| ☐ | Cash in coins and notes, and your cards | |
| ☐ | Copies of ID and important documents | |
| ☐ | Important numbers and your medication and doses, on paper | |
| ☐ | First aid kit | |
| ☐ | Essential medication and medical supplies | |
| ☐ | Food for 3 days that needs no fridge or cooking | |
| ☐ | Hand sanitiser, wet wipes, hygiene and bathroom items | |
| ☐ | 9 litres of bottled water | |
| ☐ | Baby supplies, if needed | |
| ☐ | Pet food and bottled water, if needed |
Be Ready says set a reminder every six months to check expiry dates and swap out anything that needs replacing.
Ways to spend less
- Check what you have. Most homes already have blankets, warm clothes, a few tins and some cash.
- Build it up slowly. Be Ready suggests adding an item or two to your normal shopping, which spreads the cost.
- Talk to neighbours. Be Ready suggests agreeing what you could share in an outage and swapping contact details.
- Priority items first. Water, a torch, a radio and a charged power bank cover the first hours of most power cuts.
Limitations
Prices are the ones we saw on the dates shown, for one person, and they will change. We couldn't read Argos or the big supermarket websites on 3 November 2026, so those cells are blank. This isn't a product test or professional advice. In an emergency, follow official advice and call 999 if life is at risk.
What to buy
About these links: plain links to ordinary retailer pages. We may earn from some links in future; we don't now. We haven’t tested these and we don’t rank them: they are examples that were in stock when we checked. Prices change. Check what you already own first. Full kit list
Torch or head torch, plus spare batteries
Look for: Runs on the same AA or AAA batteries as your other kit, so one spare pack covers everything. A head torch leaves both hands free.
- Alpkit Ionic 350 Lumen Head Torch · Alpkit · £15.99 (price on 1 November 2026) Shop
- Lifesystems Intensity 155 LED Head Torch · Lifesystems (UK brand store) · £19.99 (price on 1 November 2026) Shop
- Alpkit Kula 550 Lumen Head Torch · Alpkit · £19.99 (price on 1 November 2026) Shop
- Lifesystems Intensity 480 LED Hand Torch · Lifesystems (UK brand store) · £29.99 (price on 1 November 2026) Shop
- Dynamo Powered Wind-Up Pocket LED Torch · EVAQ8 · £3.60 (price on 1 November 2026) Shop
Spare batteries
Look for: The sizes your torch, radio and alarms take. Check the date on the pack.
Battery or wind-up FM radio
Look for: FM (Be Ready asks for FM; DAB as well is fine). Both a crank and ordinary batteries, so you have two ways to power it.
Power bank
Look for: From a seller you know. Check the capacity (mAh) against your phone, and that you have the right cable for each phone. Keep it charged.
Bottled water
Look for: 3 litres per person per day for 3 days, for drinking. More for babies, pets and medical devices.
- Seven Oceans Emergency Drinking Water 0.5l (5-year shelf life) · EVAQ8 · £3.94 (price on 1 November 2026) Shop
Frequently asked questions
What is on the Be Ready checklist?
The GOV.UK Be Ready checklist (October 2026) lists a torch and spare batteries; blankets, sleeping bags and warm clothing; a battery or wind-up FM radio; a charged power bank; cash and cards; copies of IDs and documents; important phone numbers and medication details; a first aid kit; essential medication; non-perishable food for 3 days; hand sanitiser, wet wipes and hygiene products; and bottled water, 3 litres per person per day. It also covers baby and pet supplies if you need them.
How much does a Be Ready kit cost for one person?
It depends on what you already own. The items we could price at Aldi on 3 November 2026 came to £21.81, and the items we could price on Amazon UK on 1 to 2 November came to £68.55. Neither total covers every item, because we only add prices we saw ourselves. Many homes already have a torch, blankets and some tins.
How much water does one person need for 3 days?
Be Ready says 3 litres per person per day for drinking, so 9 litres for 3 days. More is needed for cooking and washing. Two 5-litre bottles cover it.
Do I have to buy it all at once?
No. Be Ready says build it up gradually, picking up an extra item or two on your normal shopping trips, and check expiry dates every six months.
Why are some prices missing?
We only show a price we saw on the shop's own page on the date shown. Argos and some supermarket sites didn't let us read their pages, so those cells are blank rather than guessed.
Sources
We opened each page on the date shown. Official advice changes: if a source says something different now, follow the source.
- GOV.UK Be Ready: Be Ready checklist (PDF, October 2026) (read 3 November 2026)
- GOV.UK Be Ready: be ready for emergencies (read 1 November 2026)
- Aldi UK: search results for still water, baked beans, tuna, dried fruit, wet wipes, throw and batteries (prices read 3 November 2026) (read 3 November 2026)
Related guides
- The Be Ready checklist, explained for your home
- UK emergency kit checklist (printable)
- Power cut kit: what to keep in one box, and how long power cuts last
We're an independent UK site, not the government. We check guides against official sources and link to them. In an emergency call 999.
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