Civilian Survival
Handbook
Free check · 2 minutes · prepared, not panicked

How ready is your household? A 2-minute check

Ten quick questions based on the GOV.UK Be Ready advice. You'll get a score out of 10 and one free next step for anything you haven't done yet. Most households are part of the way there already.

10 questions

Question 1 of 10: Do you have 3 days of bottled drinking water at home: 3 litres per person per day?

That is 9 litres per person. Pets need water too.

Official advice: GOV.UK Be Ready: Be ready for emergencies

Question 2 of 10: Do you have food for 3 days that keeps without a fridge and doesn't need cooking?

For example tins, dried fruit and nuts. Food you'd normally eat is best.

Official advice: GOV.UK Be Ready: Be ready for emergencies

Question 3 of 10: Do you have a torch with spare batteries, a battery or wind-up radio, and a charged power bank?

Torches are safer than candles. Choose Partly if you have some of these.

Official advice: GOV.UK Be Ready: Be ready for emergencies, GOV.UK Be Ready: Power cuts

Question 4 of 10: Do you keep some cash at home, a mix of coins and notes?

In case card payments or cash machines stop working. The amount is up to you.

Official advice: GOV.UK Be Ready: Be ready for emergencies

Question 5 of 10: Do you have printed copies of important documents kept together?

Passports, birth certificates, insurance details, and instructions for any medical equipment.

Official advice: GOV.UK Be Ready: Be ready for emergencies

Question 6 of 10: Do you have a written household plan with emergency contacts on paper and a meeting point?

A paper list matters because phones can run out of battery.

Official advice: GOV.UK Be Ready: Be ready for emergencies

Question 7 of 10: Does everyone at home know how to turn off the water, gas and electricity?

The stopcock (stop tap) for water, the valve by the gas meter, and the main switch on the fuse box.

Official advice: GOV.UK Be Ready: Flooding, GOV.UK Be Ready: Water supply interruptions or outages

Question 8 of 10: If anyone at home needs extra help, have you checked the Priority Services Register?

For example someone using medical equipment that needs power, or a child under 5. If nobody needs it, choose Yes.

Official advice: GOV.UK Be Ready: Be ready for emergencies, Priority Services Register (linked from Be Ready)

Question 9 of 10: Have you checked your flood risk and signed up for free flood warnings, if your area can get them?

If your home isn't in a flood warning area, choose Yes once you've checked.

Official advice: GOV.UK Be Ready: Alerts and warnings, GOV.UK Be Ready: Flooding

Question 10 of 10: Have you swapped contact details with a neighbour, and do you know who nearby might need a check-in?

For example someone older or who lives alone, especially if the power goes off.

Official advice: GOV.UK Be Ready: Be ready for emergencies, GOV.UK Be Ready: Power cuts

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Questions

About this check

Frequently asked questions

What is this check based on?

Each question comes from the GOV.UK Be Ready advice, which asks every household to be ready to manage for at least 3 days. Under each question you'll see a link to the official page it comes from. We read every page on 29 October 2026.

How is the score worked out?

Yes counts as 1 point, Partly as half a point and Not yet as 0, so the score is out of 10. It's a rough guide to help you choose a next step, not an official rating.

Is anything I answer sent to you?

No. The check runs in your browser. Your answers are saved only on this device so you can come back later, and Start again clears them. If you sign up for the checklist, we receive your email address and nothing else.

Is this an official GOV.UK quiz?

No. Civilian Survival Handbook is an independent UK site. We are not affiliated with or endorsed by the UK Government. We recommend reading beready.campaign.gov.uk too.

Sources

We read every page below on 29 October 2026. Official advice changes, so if anything here doesn't match the source, the source is right. Tell us and we'll fix it.

  1. GOV.UK Be Ready: Be ready for emergencies, read 29 October 2026
  2. GOV.UK Be Ready: Power cuts, read 29 October 2026
  3. GOV.UK Be Ready: Water supply interruptions or outages, read 29 October 2026
  4. GOV.UK Be Ready: Flooding, read 29 October 2026
  5. GOV.UK Be Ready: Alerts and warnings, read 29 October 2026
  6. Priority Services Register (linked from Be Ready), read 29 October 2026
  7. GOV.UK: Get flood warnings (linked from Be Ready), read 29 October 2026

Civilian Survival Handbook is an independent UK site. We are not affiliated with or endorsed by the UK Government or any organisation we cite.