The Be Ready checklist explained

What you need

Be Ready asks every household to have enough supplies for 3 days. The list is split into nine groups. Here is each one in plain terms.

1. Water

• Bottled water for 3 days.
• Allow 3 litres per person, per day, for drinking.
• You will need more for cooking and washing.

Our guide on how much water to store explains how to store tap water safely.

2. Food

• Non-perishable food for 3 days.
• Good examples are tinned meat, fish or vegetables, dried fruit and nuts.
• Choose foods your household normally eats. Then you will use them up and replace them.

3. Hygiene

• Hand sanitiser.
• Wet wipes.
• Bathroom products, such as toilet roll and period products.

4. Light and warmth

• A torch and spare batteries. Be Ready says torches are safer than candles.
• Blankets, sleeping bags and warm clothing. Homes can get cold quickly when the heating goes off.

5. Communication and information

• An FM radio that runs on batteries or a wind-up handle.
• Write down the frequencies of the stations you rely on.
• A charged power bank for phones or compatible medical devices.

Be Ready says its website will not be updated with live information during an emergency. A radio helps you hear local news if the internet or phone network is down.

6. Money and documents

• Some cash, with a mix of coins and notes, plus your cards.
• Copies of IDs and key papers, such as passports, birth certificates, insurance details and instructions for medical equipment.
• Important phone numbers on paper, including emergency contacts.
• A list of regular medicines and their doses.

7. Medical and health

• A first aid kit with plasters, bandages, a thermometer, antiseptic and tweezers.
• Essential medicines. Request repeat prescriptions up to 5 working days before you need them.

8. Baby products

• Baby formula. Ready-made or ready-to-feed formula is best, as you may not be able to boil water.
• Nappies and wipes.

9. Pet products

• Pet food.
• Bottled water for your pets.

What you probably already own

Most of the checklist is already somewhere in your home. It is just spread out. Look for:

• Water: clean bottles or jugs with lids that you can fill from the tap.
• Food: tins, dried pasta, cereal bars, nuts and dried fruit in the cupboard.
• Hygiene: spare toilet roll, wipes and hand gel from bags or the car.
• Light: a torch in a drawer, head torches from camping, and loose batteries.
• Warmth: spare duvets, sleeping bags, hats, gloves and thick jumpers.
• Communication: an old radio, a power bank from a work bag or holiday.
• Money and documents: a few notes and coins, and paper copies you can make at home or at a library.
• Medical: plasters, painkillers and a thermometer in the bathroom cabinet.
• Baby and pets: spare nappies, formula, pet food and a pet water bowl.

Put the items in one box or bag. Keep it somewhere easy to reach, not at the back of a loft. Our guide to a starter kit from what you own walks you through it room by room.

What to buy, if anything

You may not need to buy anything. If you do, the most common gaps are small:

• A battery or wind-up FM radio. Many homes no longer have one. See our guide to wind-up radios.
• A power bank. Keep it charged. See our guide to power banks for power cuts.
• A good torch or lantern. See our guide to torches and lanterns.
• Spare batteries that fit your torch and radio.
• A first aid kit, if yours is missing basic items.

Buy one thing at a time, when it suits you. Ready-made kits exist, but they often include things you already have. Our page comparing ready-made and DIY kits can help you decide.

The easiest way to see your own gaps is to tick off what you have.

For a full list of what to pack, read what to put in an emergency kit.