What to put in an emergency kit

What you need

Your emergency kit is for staying at home. It should cover 3 days without shops, power or running water. Use this list, based on the Be Ready checklist.

Water and food

• Water: 3 litres per person, per day, for drinking. You will need more for cooking and washing.
• Non-perishable food your household normally eats, such as tins, dried fruit and nuts.
• A manual tin opener, if your tins need one.

Hygiene

• Hand sanitiser and wet wipes.
• Toilet roll and other bathroom products.

Light and warmth

• A torch and spare batteries. Be Ready says torches are safer than candles.
• Blankets, sleeping bags and warm clothing for everyone.

News and contact

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

Money and documents

• Cash, in a mix of coins and notes, plus your cards.
• Copies of passports, birth certificates, insurance details and instructions for any medical equipment.
• A paper list of important phone numbers, including emergency contacts.
• A list of regular medicines and doses.

Keep papers in a sealed plastic bag or folder so they stay dry.

Medical

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

Babies and pets, if you have them

• Ready-to-feed baby formula, nappies and wipes.
• Pet food and bottled water for pets.

Our guide to babies, children and pets has more detail.

What you probably already own

You do not need to start from nothing. Walk round your home and collect:

• Bottles and jugs with lids. Wash them and fill them from the tap.
• Cupboard food. Tins, pasta, rice, crackers, cereal bars and nuts.
• Torches and batteries. Check drawers, the shed, the car and camping gear.
• Warm things. Spare duvets, hot water bottles, hats, gloves and fleeces.
• A power bank. Many people have one from work or travel.
• Bathroom items. Wipes, hand gel and spare toilet roll.
• First aid items. Plasters and a thermometer from the medicine cabinet.
• Cash. A few notes and coins you can set aside.

Put it all in one box, crate or bag. Label it. Keep anything you use daily, such as medicines, where you normally keep them. Just add a note to the box to remind you to grab them.

Our guide to a starter kit from what you own has a room-by-room list.

Keep it ready

• Check the kit once or twice a year.
• Eat food before its date and replace it.
• Test torches and the radio.
• Recharge power banks every few months.
• Refresh stored tap water every 6 months.

What to buy, if anything

Buying is optional. Fill gaps one at a time, and spend only what you are comfortable with. The items people most often lack are:

• An FM radio that works without mains power. Compare options in our guide to wind-up radios.
• A power bank big enough to charge a phone more than once. See our guide to power banks for power cuts.
• A bright torch or a lantern that can light a room. See our guide to torches and lanterns.
• Spare batteries in the right sizes for your torch and radio.

You may see ready-made emergency kits for sale. They can save time, but they often repeat things you already own. Our page on ready-made versus DIY kits compares the two.

Tick off what you have and see what is missing with our checklist tool.

For more on each group, read the Be Ready checklist explained.