The short answer
Stock the same things the government asks every household to keep for any emergency: bottled water (3 litres per person per day for 3 days), food that needs no fridge or cooking, a torch with spare batteries, a battery or wind-up FM radio, a charged power bank, some cash, a first-aid kit and your medicines, copies of documents, and warm bedding. The government's risk register says an attack on the UK would disrupt essential services such as energy, water, food and communications, which is exactly what this kit covers. Build it gradually with your normal shopping. Panic buying doesn't help.
Why the war list is the normal list
There is no separate UK government list for war. GOV.UK's Be Ready campaign, launched on 22 October 2026, asks every household to be able to manage at home for 3 days, whatever the emergency.
That list fits war worries well. The government's National Risk Register 2026 includes a scenario of an attack on the UK mainland using missiles and cyber attacks. It lists the likely effects as disruption to essential services: energy, water, food, health, transport and communications. A 3-day kit is built for exactly that. The register also says its scenarios are not predictions.
Step 1: the official 3-day list
From the Be Ready checklist, in plain words:
| Area | What to keep |
|---|---|
| Water | Bottled water for 3 days: 3 litres per person per day for drinking. More for cooking and washing |
| Food | 3 days of food that keeps, needs no fridge and no cooking: for example tinned meat, fish or vegetables, dried fruit and nuts. Buy what you'd usually eat |
| Hygiene | Hand sanitiser, wet wipes, bathroom products |
| Light and warmth | A torch and spare batteries. Blankets, sleeping bags, warm clothes |
| News and power | A battery or wind-up FM radio. A charged power bank |
| Money and papers | Cash in coins and notes, plus cards. Copies of ID and documents. Important numbers and everyone's medicines and doses, on paper |
| Health | A first-aid kit. Essential medicines and medical supplies |
| Babies and pets | Baby formula, nappies and wipes. Pet food and bottled water |
Our emergency supplies calculator works out the water and food for your household.
Step 2: an optional add-on for a longer disruption
If the 3 days are done and you want more cover, these are sensible next steps. They aren't on the official list.
- A week of water and food. Same rules: food you eat anyway, rotated so nothing goes out of date (see stock rotation).
- A manual tin opener if your food is in tins.
- A toilet plan for when water stops: see emergency toilet.
- A few weeks' buffer of repeat prescriptions, ordered in good time: see medicine buffer.
- A water container to fill if your water company warns of a supply problem.
- Spare batteries for the torch and radio.
What not to buy
- Camping stoves or barbecues for indoor use. The Food Standards Agency says most are made for outdoor use only. Never use them inside.
- Large amounts of food you never eat. It goes out of date and wastes money.
- Anything sold with pressure. Be wary of anything sold with a countdown, a 'last chance' or a promise that it will keep you safe. Those are sales tactics, not advice.
- Iodine tablets "just in case". They are not a general war item. See should I buy iodine tablets?
How to buy without panic buying
Be Ready's own advice is the calm way:
- See what you already have. Check your cupboards first.
- Note what's missing, including medicines, baby formula or pet food.
- Build it gradually. Add one or two items to your normal shop.
- Check it every six months. Swap anything near its date.
If you have extra, Be Ready suggests donating to people who can't afford to prepare.
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
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.
Spare batteries
Look for: The sizes your torch, radio and alarms take. Check the date on the pack.
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
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.
Frequently asked questions
What should I stock up on in case of war in the UK?
Start with the GOV.UK Be Ready checklist: water for 3 days (3 litres per person per day), food that keeps without a fridge and needs no cooking, a torch and spare batteries, an FM radio, a charged power bank, cash, a first-aid kit, essential medicines, copies of documents and warm bedding. Then, if you want, extend food and water to a week.
What food should I stock up on in case of war?
Be Ready suggests food with a long shelf life that needs no fridge or cooking, such as tinned meat, fish or vegetables, dried fruit and nuts. It says to buy food you'd usually eat. Add a manual tin opener if you rely on tins.
Does the UK government have war-specific stockpiling advice?
Not as a separate list. Be Ready's 3-day advice covers all emergencies, from severe weather to cyber attacks. The National Risk Register 2026 includes a scenario of a conventional attack on the UK, and says it would disrupt services like energy, water, food and communications: the same things the 3-day kit is for.
Should I panic buy?
No. Be Ready says you don't need to do it all at once, and to pick up an extra item or two during normal shopping to spread the cost. Buying a little at a time also means you rotate stock and don't waste food.
What shouldn't I buy?
Anything you can't store safely or won't use. Don't use camping stoves or barbecues indoors: the Food Standards Agency says most are for outdoor use only. Don't buy huge amounts of food you don't normally eat. And be wary of anything sold with pressure or a promise that it will keep you safe.
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 (checklist) (read 1 November 2026)
- GOV.UK Be Ready: checklist (PDF, October 2026) (read 1 November 2026)
- GOV.UK Be Ready: be informed about hazards (read 1 November 2026)
- Cabinet Office: National Risk Register 2026 (PDF, published 14 July 2026), 'Conventional attack on the UK mainland or Overseas Territories' (read 1 November 2026)
- Food Standards Agency (GOV.UK): Food safety in a power cut (read 1 November 2026)
- Cabinet Office (GOV.UK): Households encouraged to take small, simple steps to stay prepared in an emergency (22 October 2026) (read 1 November 2026)
Related guides
- Worried about war? How UK households can prepare — calmly
- Two weeks of emergency supplies: a sensible extended plan
- UK stockpile shopping list: the Be Ready list, aisle by aisle
- Stock rotation at home: first in, first out
- The Be Ready checklist, explained for your home
Free tools
- Be Ready kit: every item on the official list as a tick list
- Emergency supplies calculator (water and food for your household)
- Emergency cash calculator
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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