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Read first
Official advice comes first. These guides are free.
Start with a plan
Our own printable plans. Write down what you will do first; then buy only what the plan says you're missing.
Our plan · instant PDFPower Cut & Blackout Plan£4.99
Our plan · instant PDFHousehold Emergency Plan Pack£6.99Instant PDF, 30-day refund. All plans and bundles
Checklist: what to buy
Tick what you already have (saved on this device only). Buy the rest a little at a time. The products are examples that were in stock when we checked; we haven't tested them.
First: things you can't do without
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
- Alpkit Ionic 350 Lumen Head Torch · Alpkit · £15.99 (price on 1 Nov 2026) Shop
- Lifesystems Intensity 155 LED Head Torch · Lifesystems (UK brand store) · £19.99 (price on 1 Nov 2026) Shop
- Alpkit Kula 550 Lumen Head Torch · Alpkit · £19.99 (price on 1 Nov 2026) Shop
- Lifesystems Intensity 480 LED Hand Torch · Lifesystems (UK brand store) · £29.99 (price on 1 Nov 2026) Shop
- Dynamo Powered Wind-Up Pocket LED Torch · EVAQ8 · £3.60 (price on 1 Nov 2026) Shop
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
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
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
- FireAngel FA6813 Portable Carbon Monoxide Alarm 10 Year · Amazon UK · £13.98 (price on 1 Nov 2026) Shop
- FireAngel FA3820 Portable Carbon Monoxide Alarm 10 Year Battery · Amazon UK · £22.00 (price on 1 Nov 2026) Shop
- Carbon Monoxide Detector & Alarm Portable Battery Powered (EN50291-1:2010) · EVAQ8 · £22.74 (price on 1 Nov 2026) Shop
Next: comfort for a long cut
Look for: Natural rubber, marked BS 1970. Replace it every 2 years or so. You can fill it from a flask if there's no kettle. Source
Safety: Not for babies: the NHS and The Lullaby Trust advise never using a hot water bottle with a baby.
- StaySnug Fluffy Hot Water Bottle · Lakeland · £19.99 (price on 1 Nov 2026) Shop
Look for: Works without power. Keep it with the tins. Source
- No single product picked yet. Search Amazon UK
Bigger budget (optional)
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
- Jackery Explorer 300D Portable Power Station · Jackery UK (brand store) · £219.00 (price on 1 Nov 2026) Shop
- EcoFlow RIVER 2 Max Portable Power Station (512Wh) · EcoFlow UK (brand store) · £449.00 (price on 3 Nov 2026) Shop
- Jackery Explorer 1000 Plus v2 Portable Power Station · Jackery UK (brand store) · £599.00 (price on 1 Nov 2026) Shop
- Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 Portable Power Station (1070Wh) · Jackery UK (brand store) · £899.00 (price on 3 Nov 2026) Shop
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
What not to buy
- A generator, barbecue or camping stove indoors. They give off carbon monoxide (NHS).
- Candles as your main light: Be Ready says torches are safer.
Next steps
No product can promise to keep you safe. A plan, and knowing where official news comes from, matter more than kit.
Sources
- GOV.UK Be Ready: power cuts (page, read 1 Nov 2026)
- NHS: carbon monoxide poisoning (page, read 1 Nov 2026)