What to stock up on for winter: a calm UK list

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Stock the official 3-day basics first, then add a small winter layer. GOV.UK Be Ready asks for 3 litres of bottled water per person per day, food that needs no fridge or cooking, your medicines, a torch, a radio, a power bank, blankets and warm clothes. For cold spells, it says check you have enough food and medication.

This post is about winter: snow, storms and power cuts. If you came here worried about war, read what to stock up on in case of war. The list is almost the same. For jobs around the house, such as pipes, boilers and draughts, see how to prepare your home for winter.

Do this now

1. Check what you already have. Most homes have half the list in the cupboards.
2. Count your water. 3 litres per person per day, for 3 days. Our emergency supplies calculator works it out for your household.
3. Check your medicines. Be Ready says leave enough time for repeat prescriptions, and request them up to 5 working days before you need them.
4. Find the torch and test it. Put spare batteries next to it.
5. Charge a power bank and keep it topped up.
6. Add missing items in your normal shop. Be Ready suggests buying them during regular shopping trips.

Step 1: the official 3-day basics

GOV.UK Be Ready asks every household to be ready for 3 days. This list comes from its main page, which we read on 3 November 2026.

• Bottled water: 3 litres per person per day for drinking. More is needed for cooking and washing.
• Food that keeps without a fridge and needs no cooking, such as tinned meat, fish or vegetables, dried fruit and nuts. Buy food you'd usually eat.
• Essential medicines and medical supplies
• First aid kit
• Torch with spare batteries
• FM radio (battery or wind-up)
• Charged power bank
• Cash in coins and notes
• Blankets, sleeping bags and warm clothing
• Hand sanitiser, wet wipes and bathroom products
• Copies of ID and documents, and a list of phone numbers
• Pet food and water, if you have pets

The British Red Cross list is very similar and adds a tin opener, a pen and paper, and spare house and car keys.

Step 2: the winter add-on

Winter adds three things to plan for: cold, staying in, and power cuts.

Cold. Be Ready's cold weather page says heat the rooms you use most, such as the living room or bedroom, to at least 18°C, and wear several thin layers. The Met Office says keep plenty of blankets and warm clothing. Thin layers and sleeping bags are worth more than any gadget.

Staying in. Be Ready says plan ahead and check you have enough medication and food in case it is harder than usual to leave the house. It also suggests asking someone to collect food and medicine for you if you can't go out, and telling them early.

Power cuts. The Met Office lists torches with spare batteries, blankets, warm clothing and a mobile phone power pack. Be Ready says torches are safer than candles. Our winter power cut checklist has the full list.

The car. Be Ready also suggests packing a few essentials in your car in case you get stuck in wintry weather.

Should I stock up on food in 2026?

Be Ready asks for 3 days of food, not months. It suggests picking up missing items during your normal shopping. We found no official UK advice asking households to stockpile more than that.

If you want more than 3 days, add it slowly and only buy food you already eat. Then use it in date order, oldest first. Our guide to stock rotation (first in, first out) shows how.

The Food Standards Agency explains the two dates on food:

• Use-by dates are about safety. Don't eat food after its use-by date unless it was cooked or frozen on or before that date.
• Best before dates are about quality. After the date, food is usually safe to eat but may not be as good.

Tinned food usually carries a best before date, so it is a good choice for a winter cupboard.

Should I stock up on toilet paper?

None of the official lists we read name toilet roll. Be Ready lists "bathroom products", hand sanitiser and wet wipes. The British Red Cross lists toiletries and hygiene products as useful extras. A few spare rolls, bought in your normal shop, cover this. There is no need to buy in bulk.

Fridge and freezer in a winter power cut

The Food Standards Agency says:

• A fridge should stay cold for up to 4 hours.
• A full freezer should stay frozen for up to 48 hours, and a half-full one about 24 hours.
• Tinned and dried food kept at room temperature stays safe to eat.

Be Ready says keep the fridge and freezer doors closed so they stay cold for longer. This is one more reason to keep some food that doesn't need a fridge.

Before a winter storm

Be Ready's storm page says:

• Check forecasts and pay attention to National Severe Weather Warnings for your area.
• Know who your power network is and how to contact them.
• Charge phones, power banks and backup batteries for medical equipment.
• Secure loose things in the garden, such as ladders, trampolines and furniture.
• Stay indoors where possible during the storm.

Keep it working

Be Ready suggests a reminder every six months to check expiry dates and replace items. The British Red Cross adds: test your torch and radio, and recharge power banks. A good time is when the clocks change.

For how much water to keep, see the water guide.

Related guides

• Winter power cut checklist for UK homes
• UK stockpile shopping list: the Be Ready list, aisle by aisle
• Stock rotation at home: first in, first out
• UK emergency kit checklist (printable)

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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