The short answer
A household emergency kit keeps you going for about 3 days if power, water or shops are cut off: water, food, a torch, a radio, a power bank and medicines. A first aid kit treats injuries: plasters, bandages, dressings, gloves, a thermometer and tweezers. GOV.UK Be Ready lists a first aid kit inside the emergency kit, so you need both.
Prints the checklist without the menus.
A household emergency kit keeps you going for about 3 days if power, water or shops are cut off. A first aid kit treats injuries. GOV.UK Be Ready lists a first aid kit as one item inside the emergency kit, so you need both. Medicines are a third, separate job.
The short version
| Household emergency kit | First aid kit | |
|---|---|---|
| What it's for | Getting through a power cut, water cut or storm at home | Treating cuts, burns, sprains and bleeding |
| How long it covers | About 3 days (GOV.UK Be Ready) | One injury at a time |
| Typical contents | Water, food, torch, radio, power bank, cash, medicines, documents, bedding | Plasters, bandages, dressings, gloves, thermometer, tweezers |
| Where to keep it | Somewhere everyone in the home knows | Somewhere you can reach fast, such as the kitchen |
| Check it | Every six months (Be Ready) | Every six months, and after you use it |
What goes in a household emergency kit
This list comes from the GOV.UK Be Ready main page, which we read on 3 November 2026. Our UK emergency kit checklist has a printable version.
- Bottled water: 3 litres per person per day, for 3 days
- Food that keeps without a fridge and needs no cooking
- Essential medicines and medical supplies
- A first aid kit
- Torch with spare batteries
- FM radio
- Charged power bank
- Cash in coins and notes
- Copies of ID and documents, and a list of important numbers
- Blankets, sleeping bags and warm clothing
- Hand sanitiser, wet wipes and bathroom products
The British Red Cross list is similar. It adds a tin opener, pen and paper, spare keys, and copies of prescriptions if needed.
What goes in a first aid kit
GOV.UK Be Ready lists these for a home first aid kit:
- Waterproof plasters
- Bandages
- A thermometer
- Antiseptic
- Eyewash solution
- Sterile dressings
- Gloves
- Medical tape for dressings
- Tweezers
HSE publishes a minimum list for low-risk workplaces. It is a useful cross-check for a home kit:
- A first aid guidance leaflet
- Individually wrapped sterile plasters in assorted sizes
- Sterile eye pads
- Triangular bandages
- Safety pins
- Large and medium sterile dressings with no medication
- Disposable gloves
HSE recommends kits that meet British Standard BS 8599. It says this is not a legal requirement. Should you buy a kit or build one? See first aid kit: buy or build? and our home first aid kit guide.
Where emergency medical supplies fit
People searching for an "emergency medical kit" usually mean one of three things. They are worth keeping apart.
- First aid supplies for injuries. That is the first aid kit above.
- Your own medicines and medical supplies. Be Ready lists these as a separate item in the emergency kit. It says leave enough time for repeat prescriptions and request them up to 5 working days before you need them. See extra repeat prescriptions and emergency prescriptions.
- Everyday remedies, such as pain relief and allergy tablets. These live in the home medicine cabinet, not the first aid kit.
HSE's first aid kit list contains no medicines. Keeping them out of the first aid kit makes it easier to check dates.
Heavy bleeding: what the kit can and can't do
A basic kit of small plasters won't help much with a serious wound. St John Ambulance says for severe bleeding:
- Wear gloves if you have them.
- Press firmly on the wound with a sterile dressing or a clean, non-fluffy cloth.
- Secure the dressing with a bandage to keep the pressure on. Don't tie it so tight it cuts off circulation.
- If blood soaks through, put another pad on top. Don't remove the first one.
- Ask someone to call 999 or 112. If you're alone, use the phone on speaker.
For life-threatening bleeding, St John Ambulance describes haemostatic dressings and tourniquets. These need training to use well. A first aid course is worth more than any single item in the box.
When the kit isn't enough
The NHS says 999 is for life-threatening emergencies, such as serious road accidents, strokes and heart attacks. If you're not sure whether you need 999, or need help for a child under 5, call 111.
Keep both working
- Set a reminder every six months to check dates, as Be Ready suggests.
- Replace anything you use from the first aid kit straight away.
- The British Red Cross says test your torch and radio and recharge power banks.
- Tell everyone at home where both kits are.
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
First aid kit
Look for: Waterproof plasters, bandages, a thermometer, antiseptic, eyewash, sterile dressings, gloves, medical tape and tweezers.
- St John Ambulance Home First Aid Kit · St John Ambulance shop · £10.50 (price on 3 November 2026) Shop
- Lifesystems Adventurer First Aid Kit · Lifesystems (UK brand store) · £26.99 (price on 1 November 2026) Shop
- Lifesystems Mountain First Aid Kit · Lifesystems (UK brand store) · £42.99 (price on 1 November 2026) Shop
Large wound and burns dressings
Look for: A large pressure dressing for heavy bleeding, and a gel burns dressing. Learn how to use them.
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
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.
Waterproof document wallet or resealable bags
Look for: Big enough for copies of passports, insurance details and medicine lists.
- Waterproof Document Pouch - Translucent PVC · EVAQ8 · £5.11 (price on 1 November 2026) Shop
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between an emergency kit and a first aid kit?
An emergency kit is for getting through a disruption at home, such as a power cut or no water. GOV.UK Be Ready's version covers 3 days: water, food, torch, radio, power bank, cash, medicines, documents and warm bedding. A first aid kit is for treating injuries. Be Ready lists the first aid kit as one item inside the emergency kit.
What should be in an emergency medical kit at home?
GOV.UK Be Ready lists two medical parts. A first aid kit with waterproof plasters, bandages, a thermometer, antiseptic, eyewash solution, sterile dressings, gloves, medical tape and tweezers. And your essential medication and medical supplies, with repeat prescriptions requested in good time. The British Red Cross adds copies of prescriptions if needed.
What emergency medical supplies does HSE say a first aid kit needs?
HSE's minimum list for a low-risk workplace is a first aid leaflet, individually wrapped sterile plasters in assorted sizes, sterile eye pads, triangular bandages, safety pins, large and medium sterile dressings with no medication, and disposable gloves. It recommends kits that meet British Standard BS 8599, though that is not a legal requirement.
Should I put medicines in my first aid kit?
HSE's first aid kit list doesn't include medicines. GOV.UK Be Ready lists 'essential medication and medical supplies' as a separate item in the emergency kit. Keeping them apart makes each easier to check.
Does a first aid kit help with heavy bleeding?
Only with the right dressings and some know-how. St John Ambulance says for severe bleeding, press firmly on the wound with a sterile dressing or clean non-fluffy cloth, secure it with a bandage, and get someone to call 999 or 112. If blood soaks through, add another pad on top rather than removing the first.
When should I call 999 instead of using the first aid kit?
The NHS says 999 is for life-threatening emergencies, such as serious road accidents, strokes and heart attacks. If you're not sure whether you need 999, or need help for a child under 5, call 111.
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 for emergencies (3-day kit and first aid kit list) (read 3 November 2026)
- British Red Cross: Prepare an emergency kit (read 3 November 2026)
- HSE: What to put in your first aid kit (read 3 November 2026)
- St John Ambulance: Severe bleeding (read 3 November 2026)
- St John Ambulance: Life-threatening bleed (read 3 November 2026)
- NHS: When to call 999 (read 3 November 2026)
Related guides
- Home first aid kit and medicine cabinet: a UK checklist
- UK emergency kit checklist (printable)
- Run out of your medicine? How to get an emergency supply
- The 72-hour emergency kit for UK households
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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