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Read first
Official advice comes first. These guides are free.
- Worried about war? How UK households can prepare — calmly
- Radiation emergency in the UK: what official advice says (go in, stay in, tune in)
- What to do if there's a nuclear or radiation warning in the UK
- Which room is safest in a UK house or flat?
- Is there any point preparing for a nuclear attack? An honest answer
- Coping with worry about war and the news
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 PDFCrisis & Conflict Readiness Plan£4.99
Our plan · instant PDFExtended Disruption Plan£3.99
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.
Stay in and tune in
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: 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: 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
Water and food for the room
Look for: Food-grade, with a lid, never one that held chemicals, fuel or paint. Date the water you store. Source
Look for: Tinned meat, fish or vegetables, dried fruit and nuts: food you already eat. Check dates every six months. Source
- No single product picked yet. Search Amazon UK
Look for: Works without power. Keep it with the tins. Source
- No single product picked yet. Search Amazon UK
Look for: No cooking needed, long shelf life. For the home store, ordinary tins you already eat are cheaper. Source
- Seven Oceans Emergency Food Ration 0.5kg 2500 kcal · EVAQ8 · £9.79 (price on 1 Nov 2026) Shop
- Pains Wessex Emergency Food Ration 500g · MilitaryKit.com · £8.95 (price on 1 Nov 2026) Shop
- Wayfayrer Ready to Eat Meal Beef & Barley Stew · MilitaryKit.com · £7.45 (price on 1 Nov 2026) Shop
- Radix Nutrition Freeze-Dried Meal Mexican Chilli · MilitaryKit.com · £8.45 (price on 1 Nov 2026) Shop
Health and hygiene
Look for: Waterproof plasters, bandages, a thermometer, antiseptic, eyewash, sterile dressings, gloves, medical tape and tweezers. Source
- St John Ambulance Home First Aid Kit · St John Ambulance shop · £10.50 (price on 3 Nov 2026) Shop
- Lifesystems Adventurer First Aid Kit · Lifesystems (UK brand store) · £26.99 (price on 1 Nov 2026) Shop
- Lifesystems Mountain First Aid Kit · Lifesystems (UK brand store) · £42.99 (price on 1 Nov 2026) Shop
Look for: Bags with gel or absorbent powder that fit a bucket or the toilet bowl. Double-bag, seal and store outside the living area. Source
- No single product picked yet. Search Amazon UK
Warmth
Look for: Individually sealed; one per person. A bivvy bag is warmer than a flat blanket. Source
What not to buy
- Iodine tablets 'just in case'. They are a pharmacy medicine; UKHSA says to take only tablets provided for this purpose, and only when officials tell you. We never sell or link them.
- Ex-military gas masks such as the S10 or FM12. Avon Protection says these are UK restricted products. We don't link them.
- Anything that promises it will keep you safe or is 'nuclear-proof' without a test standard.
Next steps
No product can promise to keep you safe. A plan, and knowing where official news comes from, matter more than kit.
Sources
- UKHSA: what to do in a radiation emergency (page, read 1 Nov 2026)
- NHS England: potassium iodide protocol (UKHSA) (search summary, read 1 Nov 2026)
- Avon Protection: second-hand equipment (search summary, read 1 Nov 2026)