https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/ Calm, sourced prepper posts for UK homes. Official guidance first.en-gb Sun, 01 Nov 2026 08:00:00 +0000 https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/nuclear-attack-warning-uk-what-to-do/https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/nuclear-attack-warning-uk-what-to-do/ Sun, 01 Nov 2026 08:00:00 +0000War & nuclearGet inside the nearest solid building straight away and stay there. Go to the middle of the building, or a basement, away from outside walls, doors and windows. Shut windows, doors and vents and turn off fans. Listen to the radio or check GOV.UK for instructions. UKHSA says you may need to stay in for one to two days, possibly longer; US guidance for a nuclear explosion says at least 24 hours. Leave only if there's a fire or officials tell you to. https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/where-is-safer-from-nuclear-attack-uk/https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/where-is-safer-from-nuclear-attack-uk/ Sun, 01 Nov 2026 08:00:00 +0000War & nuclearNo official UK source publishes a list of safer or riskier places for a nuclear attack, and we won't guess one. The National Risk Register says the government's nuclear attack scenario is held at a higher classification. What official guidance does say applies everywhere: the building you shelter in, and where you are inside it, make a real difference. Get inside, go to the middle or a basement, stay in, and follow instructions. https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/home-safer-after-missile-or-drone-strike/https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/home-safer-after-missile-or-drone-strike/ Sun, 01 Nov 2026 08:00:00 +0000Home safetyCheck people first and call 999 for anyone hurt. If you smell gas, see fire or the building looks badly damaged, get out using the stairs, not a lift, and don't go back for belongings. If you stay, turn off gas at the meter if you smell it, keep away from damaged wiring and fallen power lines, close the stop tap if pipes have burst, and keep away from damaged walls and glass. Then follow instructions from the emergency services. https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/how-to-make-a-go-bag-uk/https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/how-to-make-a-go-bag-uk/ Sun, 01 Nov 2026 08:00:00 +0000Go bagsA go bag (Be Ready calls it a grab bag) holds what you'd need if you had to leave home in minutes: your medicines, a first aid kit, copies of important documents in a waterproof bag, a torch, bottled water, warm waterproof clothes, a phone charger and power bank, some cash, and baby or pet items if you need them. Keep it somewhere easy to reach, and check it every six months. https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/make-water-safe-to-drink-when-taps-stop/https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/make-water-safe-to-drink-when-taps-stop/ Sun, 01 Nov 2026 08:00:00 +0000WaterDrink bottled water and other safe drinks first: Be Ready suggests keeping 3 litres per person per day for 3 days. If that runs out, collect the cleanest water you can, filter it through a cloth until it runs clear, then boil it (bring it to a rolling boil and let it cool) or use purification tablets as the label says. The UK Chief Medical Officers' last-resort method, if you can't boil and have no tablets, is about a quarter of a teaspoon of unscented household bleach per 10 litres, left for 15 minutes. Never drink floodwater or water with an oily film. https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/charge-phone-in-power-cut/https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/charge-phone-in-power-cut/ Sun, 01 Nov 2026 08:00:00 +0000Power cutsThe most reliable way is a power bank you charged before the power went: Be Ready lists one in its emergency kit. Save battery from the start: dim the screen, close apps and don't use the phone as a torch. A car charger works too, but only run the engine outdoors, never in a garage. Solar and wind-up chargers are useful back-ups, not your main supply. Buy power banks from sellers you know, use the right charger, and unplug when charging finishes. https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/keep-warm-without-power-safely/https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/keep-warm-without-power-safely/ Sun, 01 Nov 2026 08:00:00 +0000Power cutsGather everyone in one room, close the curtains and the doors to unused rooms, block draughts, and wear several thin layers, a hat and blankets or sleeping bags. Keep your feet up off the cold floor and move about at least once an hour. Never bring a barbecue, camping stove or generator indoors: they make carbon monoxide, which can kill. Watch older people and babies for signs of hypothermia, and call 999 if you think someone has it. https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/extreme-weather-checklists-storm-flood-heatwave/https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/extreme-weather-checklists-storm-flood-heatwave/ Sun, 01 Nov 2026 08:00:00 +0000Extreme weatherBefore a storm: secure loose things outside, fasten doors and windows, and charge phones and power banks. Before a flood: sign up for flood warnings, pack a grab bag, and know how to turn off gas, electricity and water. In a heatwave: keep out of the sun from 11am to 3pm, shade windows in the day and open them when it's cooler, drink plenty, and check on older neighbours. In every case, read Met Office warnings and follow official advice. https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/be-ready-3-day-emergency-kit-uk/https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/be-ready-3-day-emergency-kit-uk/ Sun, 01 Nov 2026 08:00:00 +0000Getting startedBe Ready asks every UK household to be able to manage at home for 3 days: 3 litres of drinking water per person per day, food that needs no fridge or cooking, a torch, a battery or wind-up FM radio, a charged power bank, cash, a first-aid kit and your medicines, copies of documents, and warm bedding. It's a sensible floor, not a ceiling. It says little about toilets, safe cooking or a cold house, and Sweden and Norway ask for a week, Germany for 10 days. https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/portable-power-station-size-uk-power-cut/https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/portable-power-station-size-uk-power-cut/ Sun, 01 Nov 2026 08:00:00 +0000Power cutsOnly if a power bank isn't enough. For phones and lights, a couple of good power banks will do. A power station earns its place if you need to run a router, a CPAP or other medical device, or want a few days' cover in a flat where a generator isn't an option. Size it in watt-hours: add up what you'll run each day, add about a third for losses and margin, then multiply by the days you want. Roughly, 300 Wh covers phones, lights and the router for a day or two; about 1,000 Wh adds a CPAP for several nights. Running a fridge-freezer takes most of a 1,000 Wh station in a day. https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/how-much-water-to-store-small-flat/https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/how-much-water-to-store-small-flat/ Sun, 01 Nov 2026 08:00:00 +0000WaterStore 3 litres of drinking water per person per day for at least 3 days, which is Be Ready's advice: 9 litres each, 36 litres for a family of four. Sealed bottled water is the safest choice. In a flat, use 2-litre bottle multipacks and a few opaque 5 to 10 litre containers, spread under beds, in wardrobe bottoms and kitchen cupboards, somewhere cool and dark and away from cleaning products. Change self-filled tap water every 6 months and use bottled water by its date. https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/7-day-no-cook-emergency-food-box/https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/7-day-no-cook-emergency-food-box/ Sun, 01 Nov 2026 08:00:00 +0000FoodPick food your household already eats that keeps without a fridge and can be eaten cold: tinned fish, meat and beans, tinned vegetables and fruit, ready-to-eat soups, cereal with UHT milk, crackers and oatcakes, peanut butter, dried fruit, nuts and cereal bars. Add a manual tin opener. The Food Standards Agency says tinned food is safe to eat without heating. Start with 3 days (Be Ready's advice), build to a week, and rotate it through your normal meals so nothing goes out of date. https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/is-prepping-scaremongering-where-to-start/https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/is-prepping-scaremongering-where-to-start/ Sun, 01 Nov 2026 08:00:00 +0000Getting startedNo. Keeping a few days of water, food, light and a radio is official UK advice, not a prediction that something terrible is coming. GOV.UK's Be Ready campaign asks every household to be able to manage at home for 3 days, because power cuts, floods, storms and other disruption do happen, and help goes first to the people who need it most. Treat it like a smoke alarm or home insurance: a small, boring step you take once and check twice a year. Start with free steps, then 3 days, then a week. https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/iodine-tablets-uk-should-i-buy-them/https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/iodine-tablets-uk-should-i-buy-them/ Sun, 01 Nov 2026 08:00:00 +0000War & nuclearFor most UK households, no. Stable iodine (potassium iodide) protects only the thyroid gland, and only from radioactive iodine, which is mainly a risk after an accident at a nuclear reactor. UKHSA says take it only when the authorities tell you to, because timing matters. The US CDC says it will not help in a nuclear bomb emergency, where the danger is fallout outside your body: getting indoors and staying in protects you far more. People who live near UK reactor sites have local plans for tablets. Never take iodised salt or iodine supplements instead. https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/which-room-safest-uk-house-or-flat/https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/which-room-safest-uk-house-or-flat/ Sun, 01 Nov 2026 08:00:00 +0000War & nuclearGo to the middle of the building, as far as you can get from outside walls, doors and windows (UKHSA). A basement or cellar is best if you have one; otherwise a ground-floor hallway or the space under the stairs in a house, or a central corridor or windowless bathroom on a middle floor of a block of flats. Avoid the top floor and rooms under a flat roof. Brick, stone and concrete buildings protect best. No UK body publishes room-by-room advice for British house types, so treat our house-by-house notes as a reading of official principles, not a rating. https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/cooking-without-electricity-camping-stove-indoors/https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/cooking-without-electricity-camping-stove-indoors/ Sun, 01 Nov 2026 08:00:00 +0000Power cutsNo, don't use a camping stove, butane burner or barbecue indoors, in a garage, porch or tent. The NHS says they can cause a build-up of carbon monoxide, which you can't see or smell and which can kill. Indoors, plan on no-cook food first: tinned food is safe to eat cold (Food Standards Agency). A gas hob may still work in a power cut; don't use it or the oven to heat the room. If you want hot food or drinks, cook outside in the open air, boil water once and keep it hot in a flask, and fit a battery carbon monoxide alarm. https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/best-wind-up-solar-radio-dab-fm-uk/https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/best-wind-up-solar-radio-dab-fm-uk/ Sun, 01 Nov 2026 08:00:00 +0000Buying guidesBuy a radio with FM, which is what Be Ready's checklist asks for, and DAB+ as well if you can (check the label says DAB+, not just DAB). Get one you can power two ways: ordinary AA batteries plus a hand crank or small solar panel. A built-in torch helps. Don't pay extra for long wave: BBC Radio 4's long wave service closed on 27 June 2026. Write your local stations' frequencies on the radio, and treat any USB phone charging from a crank as a small top-up, not a full charge. https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/mobile-network-down-how-to-reach-family/https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/mobile-network-down-how-to-reach-family/ Sun, 01 Nov 2026 08:00:00 +0000Phones & radioAgree a plan before you need it. Choose one relative outside your area as the contact everyone messages, set check-in times (for example on the hour), and pick two meeting places, one near home and one further away, with a rule for what to do if you hear nothing. When the network is struggling, send short texts rather than calls, keep calls brief, and save battery between check-ins. Keep a battery radio for news, ask your landline provider about a free battery back-up if you rely on the landline, and always call 999 in an emergency. https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/digital-landline-power-cut-battery-backup/https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/digital-landline-power-cut-battery-backup/ Sun, 01 Nov 2026 08:00:00 +0000Phones & radioUsually not. Ofcom says digital landlines need mains electricity and won't work in a power cut unless there is a battery back-up. If you rely on your landline because you have no working mobile or no reliable mobile signal, your provider must offer you a free back-up that lasts at least one hour. Everyone else should treat a charged mobile and a power bank as their power-cut phone. If anyone at home uses a telecare alarm, tell both your phone provider and the alarm supplier before your line is switched. https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/uk-blackout-spain-style-hour-by-hour/https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/uk-blackout-spain-style-hour-by-hour/ Sun, 01 Nov 2026 08:00:00 +0000Power cutsGreat Britain has never had a nationwide loss of power, and the government's National Risk Register calls the likelihood low. But it plans for one. In its worst case, power goes off everywhere without warning, mobile networks, internet, water and sewage are hit, small pockets come back within hours, most demand within a few days and full restoration could take up to 7 days. In Spain and Portugal in April 2025, the whole grid went down at 12:33 and Spain had 99.95% of demand back by 7am the next day. Prepare for a few days without power: water, no-cook food, a torch, a battery FM radio, cash and a charged power bank. https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/is-there-any-point-preparing-for-nuclear-attack/https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/is-there-any-point-preparing-for-nuclear-attack/ Sun, 01 Nov 2026 08:00:00 +0000War & nuclearYes, for most people in most situations, though not for everyone. Nothing helps people very close to a nuclear explosion. But fallout spreads much further than the blast, and that is where official advice says simple steps save lives: get inside a solid building, go to the middle or a basement, stay in, and listen for instructions. US guidance says there are usually 10 minutes or more before fallout arrives and that radiation drops quickly in the first 24 hours. The same few days of water, food, medicines and a radio also cover power cuts, floods and storms, which are far more likely. https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/how-to-prepare-for-winter-uk-home/https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/how-to-prepare-for-winter-uk-home/ Sun, 01 Nov 2026 08:00:00 +0000Extreme weatherBefore the cold arrives: have gas appliances checked by a Gas Safe registered engineer, fit a carbon monoxide alarm, lag pipes in the loft and garage, fix dripping taps and find your stopcock. Check you have enough medicines and food in case it's hard to get out, ask your energy and water companies about the Priority Services Register if it applies to you, and keep a torch, radio and blankets ready for a power cut. During cold weather, heat the rooms you use most to at least 18°C if you can, wear thin layers, and check on older neighbours and relatives. https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/how-much-cash-to-keep-at-home-emergency/https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/how-much-cash-to-keep-at-home-emergency/ Sun, 01 Nov 2026 08:00:00 +0000Getting startedGOV.UK Be Ready says to keep some cash at home, a mix of coins and notes, plus cards, in case card payments or cash machines stop working. It doesn't set an amount: it says that depends on what your household needs for essentials. A simple way to decide is to add up food, medicine and travel for 3 days. Keep mostly small notes and coins, split it between two places, check it's current money (old paper £20 and £50 notes stopped being legal tender in 2022), and don't tell people it's there. https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/emergency-toilet-when-water-is-off/https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/emergency-toilet-when-water-is-off/ Sun, 01 Nov 2026 08:00:00 +0000WaterIf only your water is off and the sewers are working, you can flush by tipping a bucket of stored water or rainwater into the bowl. If you're told the sewage system isn't working, as in a national power cut, don't flush at all. Instead, line the toilet bowl or a bucket with a strong bin bag, use it, cover the waste with sawdust, cat litter or shredded paper, then tie it, double-bag it and put it in your outside bin. Wee can go separately to cut the smell. Wash hands every time with soap and water from a shared bowl. https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/first-aid-kit-buy-or-build-uk/https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/first-aid-kit-buy-or-build-uk/ Sun, 01 Nov 2026 08:00:00 +0000Buying guidesEither works. The easy route is to buy a small ready-made kit and top it up against the Be Ready list: waterproof plasters, bandages, a thermometer, antiseptic, eyewash, sterile dressings, gloves, medical tape and tweezers. Many cheap kits miss the thermometer, eyewash, tweezers and enough large dressings. Add one or two large dressings for heavy bleeding, keep the kit somewhere everyone knows, check dates every six months, and do a first aid course: knowing how to press on a wound matters more than any kit. https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/extra-repeat-prescriptions-medicine-buffer-uk/https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/extra-repeat-prescriptions-medicine-buffer-uk/ Sun, 01 Nov 2026 08:00:00 +0000Getting startedThere's no NHS scheme to stockpile prescription medicines, and no official UK figure for how much spare to keep. What you can do legally: order every repeat as soon as you're allowed (Be Ready and the NHS say up to 5 working days before you need it), so you're never down to the last few doses; ask your GP or pharmacist if you're worried about running out; and know that if you do run out, NHS 111 online and pharmacists can arrange a limited emergency supply. For insulin, the NHS says keep a 1 to 2 month supply at home, with at least one spare. Never buy prescription medicines from unregistered websites. https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/solar-panels-not-working-in-power-cut/https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/solar-panels-not-working-in-power-cut/ Sun, 01 Nov 2026 08:00:00 +0000Power cutsMost rooftop solar systems switch themselves off in a power cut, even on a sunny day. That's deliberate: their protection stops them feeding power back into the street cables while engineers work on them. To keep some power during a cut you need a system built for it, usually a battery with a back-up or 'island mode' that powers chosen circuits on their own. Not every battery does this. Ask your installer in writing whether yours will work in a power cut, what it will run and for how long. Until then, plan as if your panels won't help. https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/portable-solar-panel-uk-winter/https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/portable-solar-panel-uk-winter/ Sun, 01 Nov 2026 08:00:00 +0000Power cutsYes, but not much. The UK gets about 43 hours of bright sunshine in an average December, against about 172 in June (Met Office, 1991–2020). Using the EU's PVGIS solar model, a 100 W panel fixed facing south at a steep angle averages roughly 90 to 140 watt-hours a day in December, depending on where you live, and about 310 to 340 in June. Laid flat, the December figure in London drops to about 50. On a dull winter day it can be far less. Treat a winter solar panel as a top-up for phones and power banks, not a way to run a fridge. https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/keep-house-cool-heatwave-without-air-con/https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/keep-house-cool-heatwave-without-air-con/ Sun, 01 Nov 2026 08:00:00 +0000Extreme weatherClose curtains, blinds and any outside shutters on windows that get the sun during the day. Open windows when the air outside is cooler than inside, usually at night, if it's safe. Use electric fans only when the air is below 35°C, and don't point them straight at your body. Turn off heating, lights and gadgets you aren't using, cook at cooler times, and sleep in the coolest room. Drink plenty, keep out of the sun from 11am to 3pm, and check on older neighbours. If your home stays too hot, go to a cooler public place such as a library or supermarket. https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/flood-ready-before-during-after-uk/https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/flood-ready-before-during-after-uk/ Sun, 01 Nov 2026 08:00:00 +0000Extreme weatherCheck your flood risk and sign up for free flood warnings: through GOV.UK or Floodline (0345 988 1188) in England, Natural Resources Wales in Wales, and SEPA Floodline in Scotland. Make a flood plan, pack a grab bag, put documents in waterproof bags and learn how to turn off gas, electricity and water. When a flood warning is issued, move people, pets and valuables upstairs and turn off the supplies if it's safe. Never walk or drive through flood water. Afterwards, photograph the damage, mark the water level on the wall, and speak to your insurer before you repair or throw anything away. https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/generator-power-cut-safety-uk/https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/generator-power-cut-safety-uk/ Sun, 01 Nov 2026 08:00:00 +0000Power cutsA generator can help in a long power cut, but it makes carbon monoxide, which can kill. Run it outdoors only, at least 6 metres (20 feet) from the house with the exhaust pointing away from doors and windows, and never in a garage, shed, porch or tent. Plug appliances straight into it with heavy-duty leads; don't connect it to your house wiring, because that can send power back down the lines. Store fuel outside your living space, refuel only when it's off and cool, and fit battery carbon monoxide alarms indoors. For phones, lights and a router, a battery power station is often simpler and makes no fumes. https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/prepping-small-flat-small-budget-uk/https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/prepping-small-flat-small-budget-uk/ Sun, 01 Nov 2026 08:00:00 +0000Getting startedStart with the free steps: write down key numbers on paper (105 for a power cut), set up ICE or Medical ID on your phone, swap numbers with neighbours, and order repeat prescriptions at least 5 working days before you run out. Check what you already own, then add an item or two to each normal shop, as GOV.UK Be Ready suggests. Put water first (3 litres per person per day), then food you already eat that needs no cooking, a torch, a radio and a charged power bank. If you qualify, join the free Priority Services Register. In a flat, store small amounts in lots of places rather than one big stockpile. https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/winter-car-emergency-kit-uk/https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/winter-car-emergency-kit-uk/ Sun, 01 Nov 2026 08:00:00 +0000Go bagsGOV.UK Be Ready says keep a torch, an in-car phone charger or power bank, warm clothes and blankets, high-visibility clothing, jump leads, food and drink, a first aid kit and a shovel in the car. National Highways adds de-icer, an ice scraper, boots and sunglasses for low winter sun. Check your tyres, oil, screen wash and fuel before you set off. If you're stranded, Be Ready says it's usually safer to stay where you are and wait for help. Never drive through flood water. https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/prepping-for-pets-emergency-uk/https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/prepping-for-pets-emergency-uk/ Sun, 01 Nov 2026 08:00:00 +0000Go bagsGOV.UK Be Ready says add pet food and bottled water to your emergency kit. PDSA suggests a grab bag with a week of sealed food, water and folding bowls, medicines, a lead, poo bags, bedding, vaccination records, a carrier, and microchip and vet details in a waterproof bag with a photo of your pet. Keep the microchip details up to date. In a flood, bring pets inside and upstairs. In a radiation emergency, UKHSA says bring pets in if they're with you, don't go out to look for them, keep them indoors, and wash them with soap or shampoo and water if they've been outside. https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/babies-young-children-power-cut-emergency-uk/https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/babies-young-children-power-cut-emergency-uk/ Sun, 01 Nov 2026 08:00:00 +0000Getting startedKeep 3 days of nappies and wipes, as GOV.UK Be Ready suggests. If your baby has formula, the NHS says formula comes as a powder you make up with water or as ready-to-feed liquid, which costs more and must be used more quickly once opened. Powdered formula isn't sterile, so the NHS says make it up with water boiled no more than 30 minutes earlier, so it's at least 70°C. NHS trust guidance says keep an opened ready-to-feed carton in the fridge for no more than 24 hours. Know the NHS signs of a baby who is too cold, join the Priority Services Register (it includes families with young children), and talk to children calmly and honestly about what's happening. https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/help-elderly-parents-prepare-priority-services-register/https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/help-elderly-parents-prepare-priority-services-register/ Sun, 01 Nov 2026 08:00:00 +0000Getting startedStart with three free steps. First, sign them up to the Priority Services Register (PSR) for their electricity, gas and water: it gives priority support in an emergency, advance notice of planned power cuts where possible, and a password scheme so they can check callers are genuine. Second, if they rely on anything that needs power (oxygen, a stairlift, a powered bed, telecare), make a plan now with their care provider or clinical team, and ask the phone provider about a battery back-up. Third, agree a check-in plan: who will call or visit if there's a power cut or the phones go down, and who has a spare key. https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/stay-put-or-leave-emergency-evacuation-uk/https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/stay-put-or-leave-emergency-evacuation-uk/ Sun, 01 Nov 2026 08:00:00 +0000Go bagsIn most emergencies the official advice is to stay where you are: go in, stay in, tune in for a radiation or chemical release, and stay indoors in a storm. Leave straight away if your home is on fire or flooding is a danger to life. For anything else, don't evacuate unless the police, fire service or council tell you to. When they do, go promptly: UKHSA and Be Ready both say to follow the emergency services' advice, and local responders will tell you where to go. Keep a grab bag ready so leaving takes minutes, not an hour. https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/terrified-of-war-how-to-cope-with-worry/https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/terrified-of-war-how-to-cope-with-worry/ Sun, 01 Nov 2026 08:00:00 +0000Getting startedWorry about war is common, and you're not alone with it. The NHS suggests talking to someone you trust, setting aside a short daily 'worry time', breathing or relaxation exercises, regular exercise and meals, and not trying to do everything at once. Sweden's crisis brochure adds two ideas that fit here: limit how much news you take in, and do something practical, such as helping others get ready. Taking a few calm steps from the official 3-day list can help you feel more in control. If worry is affecting your daily life, contact NHS 111 or your GP; in England you can refer yourself to NHS Talking Therapies. Samaritans are on 116 123, day or night. https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/cyber-attack-banks-power-what-happens-at-home-uk/https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/cyber-attack-banks-power-what-happens-at-home-uk/ Sun, 01 Nov 2026 08:00:00 +0000Power cutsFor a household, a cyber attack would look like two familiar problems: a power cut, or a bank you can't use. The UK National Risk Register's worst case for an attack on a major bank is systems offline for at least 2 days, then partly down for 2 more. Its worst case for the national grid is a total loss of power, with most demand back within a few days and full restoration taking up to 7 days; it says this has never happened in Great Britain and is unlikely. So: keep a small amount of cash, have more than one way to pay, keep your 3-day kit for power cuts, and expect scam calls pretending to be your bank. https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/fallout-food-water-safe-to-eat-drink-uk/https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/fallout-food-water-safe-to-eat-drink-uk/ Sun, 01 Nov 2026 08:00:00 +0000War & nuclearFood and drink that were already indoors are safe, according to UKHSA, and that includes tap water and food in shops. Mains tap water is unlikely to be affected straight away and is safe to drink unless you're told otherwise. Don't use rainwater from roofs or water left outside. Sealed tins and bottles that were outside are fine once wiped with a damp cloth (Ready.gov). Don't eat anything from the garden or allotment, or anything left uncovered outside, until officials say it's safe. After a release, the authorities check food and water and can ban food that's over legal limits. https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/what-sweden-finland-ukraine-tell-citizens-vs-uk/https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/what-sweden-finland-ukraine-tell-citizens-vs-uk/ Sun, 01 Nov 2026 08:00:00 +0000War & nuclearYes, on war they say more. The UK's Be Ready campaign asks households to manage at home for 3 days and covers storms, floods, power cuts, cyber, radiation and terrorism, but has no page on armed conflict. Sweden asks for at least a week and its brochure covers air raids, sirens, public shelters, nuclear weapons, evacuation and fake news. Finland asks for at least 72 hours and has official pages on military conflict and civil defence shelters. Ukraine's emergency service tells people to find their nearest shelter and not to rely on the 'two walls' rule. The EU has set a 72-hour target for its members. The basics overlap: water, food, medicines, a radio, cash and a plan. https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/prepping-with-neighbours-street-plan-uk/https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/prepping-with-neighbours-street-plan-uk/ Sun, 01 Nov 2026 08:00:00 +0000Getting startedKeep it small and practical. GOV.UK's Be Ready campaign asks us to swap contact details with neighbours, consider a group chat for the street or building, find out who might need extra help, and agree to check on them in an emergency, especially in a power cut. Start with a group chat and a paper list (because phones fail), note who has which skills and kit, and name a person to check on each household that needs help. If you want to go further, your council and local resilience forum can help a community group plan properly. https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/home-medicine-cabinet-uk/https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/home-medicine-cabinet-uk/ Sun, 01 Nov 2026 08:00:00 +0000Getting startedAn NHS list based on the Royal Pharmaceutical Society suggests pain relief (paracetamol and ibuprofen), antihistamines, oral rehydration salts, anti-diarrhoea tablets, antacids, a decongestant and sunscreen, plus first aid basics: plasters, bandages, sterile dressings, antiseptic, eyewash, tweezers and a thermometer. For an emergency, add your regular medicines ordered in good time (Be Ready says up to 5 working days before you need them) and a written list of what you take and the doses. Keep everything in a high, lockable, cool, dry cupboard and take out-of-date medicines back to a pharmacy. https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/emergency-lighting-power-cut-torches-candles/https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/emergency-lighting-power-cut-torches-candles/ Sun, 01 Nov 2026 08:00:00 +0000Power cutsUse battery or wind-up lights, not candles. GOV.UK Be Ready says torches are safer than candles, and your phone's torch drains the battery you need for calls. A sensible set-up is a head torch for each adult, a battery LED lantern for the room you're sitting in, and spare batteries stored with them where you can find them in the dark. If you do use candles, London Fire Brigade says use heat-resistant holders on a stable surface, keep them away from anything that can burn, and never leave them unattended. Don't use gas or paraffin lamps indoors: burning fuel can make carbon monoxide. https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/smart-meter-switch-off-remotely-power-cut/https://civiliansurvivalhandbook.com/blog/smart-meter-switch-off-remotely-power-cut/ Sun, 01 Nov 2026 08:00:00 +0000Power cutsThe meter can't decide to switch you off, but your supplier can act through it. Smart Energy GB says suppliers can cut supply only in rare cases under strict conditions, and the protections are the same as for a traditional meter; the difference is they don't need a warrant to reach it. The more common action is switching a smart meter to prepayment mode remotely, which Ofgem's rules allow only after set steps and never for some households. In a national electricity emergency, the government's plan uses rota power cuts by network operators in blocks of about three hours. We found no official source saying smart meters would be used for that.