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Stay Prepared

what you can do now

Most of being ready costs nothing. Start with the first few; each takes a minute or two. Buying comes last, and only for what you do not already have.

in the next ten minutes

Each of these takes a minute or two, costs nothing and needs nothing from a shop.

  1. communication

    Check your phone can get Emergency Alerts

    Search your phone's settings for "emergency alerts" and make sure they are switched on. An alert only comes when there is danger to life nearby.

    Emergency Alerts on gov.uk

  2. communication

    Save the emergency numbers in your phone

    105 is the free number for a power cut anywhere in Great Britain. 0800 111 999 is the gas emergency line. Save your water company's number too; it is on your bill. Northern Ireland has its own numbers.

  3. communication

    Write key numbers on paper

    A phone with a flat battery holds nobody's number. Write down family, a neighbour, your GP and one friend outside your area. Keep the card by the door or in a wallet.

  4. power and light

    Find a torch and check it works

    Put it where you could find it in the dark, the same place every time. If it needs batteries, note what size.

  5. water

    Fill a few bottles from the tap

    Clean, clearly labelled bottles of tap water cost nothing. Write the date on them and swap them every few months.

this week

A little longer, still free. Most of this is knowing where things are and who to call.

  1. Find your stopcock and gas meter

    The stopcock turns off your water; it is often under the kitchen sink. Check it turns. Find the gas meter and its lever, and your fuse box.

  2. communication

    Sign up for flood and weather warnings

    Flood warnings for your postcode come free by text, call or email. Scotland and Wales run their own services, linked from the same page.

    Sign up for flood warnings

  3. Join the Priority Services Register if it applies

    It is free. If anyone at home is older, disabled, has young children or relies on medical equipment, your energy and water companies give you extra help in a cut.

    Priority Services Register

  4. Agree a plan with your household

    Who checks on whom, where you would meet if you could not get home, and one contact outside your area everyone can reach.

    The government's household plan template

  5. neighbours

    Swap numbers with two neighbours

    Knock, say hello, and swap numbers. The people next door are the ones who can reach you when nothing else is running.

  6. power and light

    Keep a power bank charged

    If you already have one, charge it and put it with the torch. Top it up once a month.

  7. cash and documents

    Photograph your important documents

    Passports, insurance, prescriptions and bank details. Keep the photos somewhere you can reach from another phone, and paper copies in a folder.

over the next month

This is where buying starts, and only for what you do not already have.

  1. Go through the checklist

    Most homes already hold a few days of what is needed. Take off your list what you already have, so you only buy the gaps.

    Open the checklist

  2. food

    Add a few extra tins to each shop

    Two or three extra tins a week builds three days of food without a big spend. Buy what you already eat, and use the oldest first.

  3. first aid and medication

    Reorder prescriptions earlier

    Order repeats when you have a week left, not a day. Ask your GP or pharmacist whether a small buffer is possible.

  4. cash and documents

    Keep a little cash at home

    Cards and cash machines stop in a power cut. A couple of days' essentials in small notes is enough.

when you are ready to buy

Take off your list what you already have, then buy only what is missing, in one basket if you like.

check your cupboard see the ready-made kits