The short answer
Start with what GOV.UK Be Ready lists: a torch and spare batteries, a battery or wind-up FM radio, a charged power bank, 3 litres of bottled water per person per day for 3 days, food that needs no cooking, blankets, a first aid kit, cash and copies of documents. Add a carbon monoxide alarm if you have anything that burns fuel. You don't need to buy it all at once.
About these links: they go to ordinary retailer pages or searches. We may earn from some links in future; we don't now. We haven't tested these products and we don't rank them: they are examples that were in stock when we checked, so you can see what the specs look like. Prices are shown with the date we read them and will change. Check what you already own first.
Light, power and radio
For the first hours of a power cut, and for news when phones and broadband are down.
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. Source
Be Ready lists a torch and spare batteries, and says torches are safer than candles.
- 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 LED lantern
Look for: Stands on a table and lights a whole room; battery powered, no flame. Source
Useful for the room where everyone gathers to keep warm.
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. Source
Be Ready says to try FM and digital stations in a power cut, and to write down the frequencies you use.
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. Source
Be Ready lists a charged power bank. Product-safety advice is to buy from known sellers and use the maker's charger.
- Anker Zolo Power Bank 20000mAh 30W Built-in USB-C · Anker UK (brand store) · £34.99 (price on 1 November 2026) Shop
- Anker Zolo Power Bank 20000mAh 30W Built-in USB-C · Amazon UK · £28.99 (price on 1 November 2026) Shop
- Anker Power Bank 20K 87W Built-In USB-C Cable · Anker UK (brand store) · £49.99 (price on 1 November 2026) Shop
Portable power station (optional, bigger budget)
Look for: Check the capacity in watt-hours (Wh) and the continuous AC output in watts against what you want to run. Our runtime calculator does the sums. Source
Not on the Be Ready list. Worth it mainly if someone relies on powered medical equipment or you get long power cuts.
- Jackery Explorer 300D Portable Power Station · Jackery UK (brand store) · £219.00 (price on 1 November 2026) Shop
- EcoFlow RIVER 2 MAX 512Wh LiFePO4 · Amazon UK · £449.00 (price on 1 November 2026) Shop
- Jackery Explorer 1000 Plus v2 Portable Power Station · Jackery UK (brand store) · £599.00 (price on 1 November 2026) Shop
- Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 1070Wh LiFePO4 · Amazon UK · £469.00 (price on 1 November 2026) Shop
Folding solar panel (optional)
Look for: Check the plug fits your power station or power bank. Expect much less than the rated output on short, cloudy UK winter days. Source
A back-up for long outages, not a main supply.
Spare batteries
Look for: The sizes your torch, radio and alarms take. Check the date on the pack. Source
One battery size for all your kit is easier to keep track of.
Water
Bottled water is the safest store. Tablets and boiling are the back-up.
Food-grade water containers with lids
Look for: Food-grade, with a lid, never one that held chemicals, fuel or paint. Date the water you store. Source
Ready.gov says to replace water you've stored yourself every six months.
Collapsible water container
Look for: Folds flat, so it suits a small flat. Food-grade. Less tough than a rigid container. Source
Useful to fill when a water outage is announced.
Water purification tablets
Look for: In date. Follow the label: tablets come in different strengths. Filter cloudy water through a cloth first. Source
Be Ready says tablets can make other water safer if you can't store enough bottled water.
- Lifesystems Chlorine Dioxide Water Purification Tablets · Lifesystems (UK brand store) · £10.99 (price on 1 November 2026) Shop
- Lifesystems Chlorine Water Purification Tablets · Lifesystems (UK brand store) · £3.99 (price on 1 November 2026) Shop
- Aquatabs 397mg Water Purification Tablets (100 Pack) · Amazon UK · £53.55 (price on 1 November 2026) Shop
Water filter (optional)
Look for: Read what the maker says it removes. Keep tablets or a way to boil water as well. Source
Filters vary, so we treat them as an extra, not a replacement for boiling or tablets.
- LifeStraw Personal Water Filter · Amazon UK · £25.80 (price on 1 November 2026) Shop
- LifeStraw Peak Series Solo Personal Water Filter · Amazon UK · £31.99 (price on 1 November 2026) Shop
- Lifesystems Water Filter Purifier Bottle · Lifesystems (UK brand store) · £49.99 (price on 1 November 2026) Shop
- Lifesystems Water Filter Purifier Soft Flask · Lifesystems (UK brand store) · £29.99 (price on 1 November 2026) Shop
Food and cooking
Food that needs no cooking comes first. Any stove that burns fuel goes outdoors.
Manual tin opener
Look for: Works without power. Keep it with the tins. Source
Be Ready mentions a tin opener alongside tinned food.
Food that needs no cooking, for 3 days
Look for: Tinned meat, fish or vegetables, dried fruit and nuts: food you already eat. Check dates every six months. Source
This is the Be Ready list.
Go bag food and ready meals
Look for: No cooking needed, long shelf life. For the home store, ordinary tins you already eat are cheaper. Source
Be Ready says food that doesn't need cooking, and food you'd usually eat.
- Seven Oceans Emergency Food Ration 0.5kg 2500 kcal · EVAQ8 · £9.79 (price on 1 November 2026) Shop
- Pains Wessex Emergency Food Ration 500g · MilitaryKit.com · £8.95 (price on 1 November 2026) Shop
- Wayfayrer Ready to Eat Meal Beef & Barley Stew · MilitaryKit.com · £7.45 (price on 1 November 2026) Shop
- Radix Nutrition Freeze-Dried Meal Mexican Chilli · MilitaryKit.com · £8.45 (price on 1 November 2026) Shop
Camping stove (outdoor use only)
Look for: Use it outside only, never indoors, in a garage or in a tent. Keep gas cylinders outside the living area. Source
The NHS says not to use a camping stove or barbecue indoors or in a tent because of carbon monoxide.
Safety: Outdoors only. Camping stoves and solid-fuel cookers give off carbon monoxide, which can kill. Never use them indoors, in a garage, porch or tent (NHS). Fit a carbon monoxide alarm indoors.
Warmth
Homes get cold quickly when the heating stops.
Thin warm layers
Look for: Several thinner layers rather than one thick one; hats and thick socks. Source
UKHSA says several thinner layers can keep you warmer than one thick layer.
Safety and first aid
Alarms and first aid matter most when things go wrong.
Carbon monoxide alarm
Look for: A loud alarm in each room with something that burns gas, oil, coal or wood. Battery powered, so it keeps working in a power cut. A portable one can go with you into the room you use. Source
The NHS says one in each room with a fuel-burning appliance. HSENI advises battery-powered alarms.
- FireAngel FA6813 Portable Carbon Monoxide Alarm 10 Year · Amazon UK · £13.98 (price on 1 November 2026) Shop
- FireAngel FA3820 Portable Carbon Monoxide Alarm 10 Year Battery · Amazon UK · £22.00 (price on 1 November 2026) Shop
- Carbon Monoxide Detector & Alarm Portable Battery Powered (EN50291-1:2010) · EVAQ8 · £22.74 (price on 1 November 2026) Shop
First aid kit
Look for: Waterproof plasters, bandages, a thermometer, antiseptic, eyewash, sterile dressings, gloves, medical tape and tweezers. Source
This is the Be Ready list. Check a ready-made kit against it.
- St John Ambulance Home First Aid Kit · Amazon UK · £14.49 (price on 1 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. Source
Sweden's brochure says firm, direct pressure stops severe bleeding while you wait for an ambulance.
Go bag
For leaving home in minutes, for example in a flood.
A bag you can carry
Look for: Comfortable for a long walk, with room for medicines, documents, water, a torch and warm waterproof clothes. Source
Be Ready suggests keeping a grab bag where you can easily reach it.
Foil blankets and emergency bivvy bags
Look for: Individually sealed; one per person. A bivvy bag is warmer than a flat blanket. Source
Light extra warmth for a go bag or car.
- Emergency Foil Blanket Individually Sealed · EVAQ8 · £0.72 (price on 1 November 2026) Shop
- Lifesystems Heatshield Thermal Blanket · Lifesystems (UK brand store) · £5.99 (price on 1 November 2026) Shop
- SOL Emergency Bivvy Bag with Rescue Whistle · MilitaryKit.com · £17.45 (price on 1 November 2026) Shop
Waterproof poncho
Look for: A pocket poncho for each person, or one reusable poncho with a hood. Source
Be Ready's grab bag includes warm, waterproof clothing.
Whistle
Look for: Loud and small; clip it to the bag. Source
Ready.gov says to use a whistle, a torch or tapping on pipes to signal if you're trapped.
PMR446 walkie-talkies (optional)
Look for: Licence-free PMR446 radios, a pair. Real range in towns is short, so test it with your neighbour. Source
Lets two homes on a street keep in touch if phones are down.
Ready-to-feed infant formula
Look for: If your baby has formula, keep enough of the ready-to-feed version of the formula your baby already uses for 3 days, and check the dates. Source
Be Ready says ready-made or ready-to-feed formula is best, as you may not be able to boil water. We don't link to or promote first infant formula: UK law restricts advertising it.
Multi-tool or small pocket knife
Look for: Check UK knife law before you carry it: a folding knife is only exempt if the blade is no longer than 3 inches (7.62 cm) and it doesn't lock. Locking knives need a good reason. Knives can't be sold to under-18s. Source
Handy for opening packs and cutting cord. If you don't need a blade, choose a tool without one.
Safety: UK law: it's illegal to carry most knives in public without a good reason. The folding-knife exemption covers only non-locking blades up to 3 inches. See GOV.UK.
- Victorinox Spartan Swiss Army Knife (12 functions) · Amazon UK · £21.49 (price on 1 November 2026) Shop
What not to buy
- Iodine tablets 'just in case'. UKHSA says to take only tablets provided for this purpose, and only when officials tell you to. Iodised salt is not a substitute.
- A generator, barbecue or patio heater to use indoors. They give off carbon monoxide; the NHS says never use a barbecue or camping stove indoors.
- Candles as your main light. Be Ready says torches are safer.
- Power banks and chargers from sellers you don't know. Check GOV.UK product recalls if you're unsure.
- Anything sold with a countdown, a 'last chance' or a promise that it will keep you safe.
Frequently asked questions
Do you earn money from these links?
Not now. The links go to ordinary retailer pages or searches. We may join an affiliate scheme in future; if we do, the page will say so and mark each paid link.
Do I need to buy everything on this list?
No. Be Ready suggests checking your cupboards first, writing down what you still need and adding an item or two when you shop. Many homes already have a torch, blankets and a first aid kit.
Should I buy iodine tablets?
No. UKHSA says to take only tablets provided for this purpose, and only when officials tell you to.
Sources
- GOV.UK Be Ready: be ready for emergencies (checklist) (read 1 November 2026)
- GOV.UK Be Ready: power cuts (read 1 November 2026)
- GOV.UK Be Ready: water supply interruptions (read 1 November 2026)
- GOV.UK Be Ready: flooding (read 1 November 2026)
- GOV.UK Be Ready: fires in the home (read 1 November 2026)
- NHS: carbon monoxide poisoning (read 1 November 2026)
- HSENI: safety tips for using a portable generator in an emergency (read 1 November 2026)
- UKHSA: keeping warm and well (read 1 November 2026)
- Office for Product Safety and Standards: battery safety information (GOV.UK) (read 1 November 2026)
- UKHSA: what to do in a radiation emergency (read 1 November 2026)
- Ready.gov (FEMA): water (read 1 November 2026)
- Ready.gov (FEMA): explosions (read 1 November 2026)
- GOV.UK: Buying and carrying knives (read 1 November 2026)
- UK Chief Medical Officers: water and sanitation scripts (national power outage) (read 1 November 2026)
- Swedish Civil Defence and Resilience Agency (MCF): In case of crisis or war (PDF) (read 1 November 2026)
- GOV.UK Be Ready: phone and broadband outages (read 1 November 2026)
We're an independent UK site, not the government. In an emergency call 999.