United Kingdom
Being prepared in the UK
What official guidance in the UK recommends, how much water to store, emergency numbers, and calculators, checklists and food guides.
The UK government asks households to be ready to cope on their own for 3 days while help goes to those who need it most.1 UK advice: store 3 litres of drinking water per person per day, with more needed for other uses such as washing.2
What official guidance recommends
- The UK government asks households to be ready to cope on their own for 3 days while help goes to those who need it most.1
- UK advice: store 3 litres of drinking water per person per day, with more needed for other uses such as washing.2
- UK checklist: keep 3 days of non-perishable food that keeps without a fridge, ideally food you normally eat.2
- Suggested UK kit foods include tinned meat, fish or vegetables, dried fruit and nuts.2
What to have in your kit
- UK kit includes a battery or wind-up FM radio and a charged power bank.2
- UK kit includes a torch with spare batteries, and blankets, sleeping bags and warm clothes.2
- UK kit includes cash in a mix of coins and notes, plus cards.2
- UK kit includes copies of ID and documents, key phone numbers, a first aid kit and essential medication.2
- UK kit includes pet food and bottled water for pets.2
- UK advice prefers ready-to-feed baby formula, because you may not be able to boil water safely for powder.2
- The UK checklist suggests checking expiry dates and swapping items every six months.2
How much water to store
Drinking water at the official figure:
| People | 3 days | 7 days | 14 days |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9 L | 21 L | 42 L |
| 2 | 18 L | 42 L | 84 L |
| 4 | 36 L | 84 L | 168 L |
| 6 | 54 L | 126 L | 252 L |
Emergency numbers
| Number | What it's for |
|---|---|
| 999 | Emergency: police, fire, ambulance, coastguard1 |
| 105 | Power cut (England, Scotland and Wales). 03457 643643 in Northern Ireland3 |
Staying informed
- UK Emergency Alerts reach phones and tablets by current location; you don't need location services turned on.4
- When a UK Emergency Alert arrives, stop and follow its instructions; drivers should first stop somewhere safe and legal.4
- UK households can also sign up for flood warnings, Met Office email warnings and UKHSA weather-health alerts.4
Calculators
Work out how much water and food your household needs, and how long what you have would last.
CalculatorsCalculator
3 Lper person per day (SupKit)
Emergency water calculator
Work out how much drinking water your household needs for 3, 7 or 14 days, including pets.
CalculatorsCalculator
2,250calories a day for an adult
Emergency food calculator
Work out how much emergency food your household needs in calories, with a sample shopping list from everyday long-life food.
CalculatorsCalculator
1.2 La day for a medium dog
Pet water calculator
How much water to store for your dogs, cats, rabbits and birds in an emergency, from SupKit's estimates by species and size.
Food storage
How much long-life food to store, what's on the label and when to start using it.
Food storage2 min read
315calories per tin (SupKit estimate)
Baked beans in your emergency supplies
How many tins of baked beans your household needs, what the date on the label means, and allergens to check.
Food storage2 min read
280calories per tin (SupKit estimate)
Tinned chickpeas in your emergency supplies
How many tins of tinned chickpeas your household needs, what the date on the label means, and allergens to check.
Food storage2 min read
400calories per tin (SupKit estimate)
Tinned chilli in your emergency supplies
How many tins of tinned chilli your household needs, what the date on the label means, and allergens to check.
Emergencies
What matters most in a power cut, a flood, a heatwave and more.
Emergencies2 min read
7things that matter most
Preparing for a winter storm or cold snap
What matters most in a winter storm or cold snap, what official guidance in the UK says, and long-life food that suits it.
Emergencies2 min read
6things that matter most
Preparing for a heatwave
What matters most in a heatwave, what official guidance in the UK says, and long-life food that suits it.
Emergencies2 min read
8things that matter most
Preparing for a flood
What matters most in a flood, what official guidance in the UK says, and long-life food that suits it.
Checklists
Emergency kit checklists shaped around the people and pets you live with.
Checklists3 min read
10 Lof water for 3 days
Emergency kit checklist for cat owners
25 things to have ready for a cat owner, with how much water and food to store for 1 adult and a cat.
Checklists4 min read
18 Lof water for 3 days
Household emergency kit checklist
21 things to have ready for a household, with how much water and food to store for 2 adults.
Checklists3 min read
22 Lof water for 3 days
Emergency kit checklist for dog owners
25 things to have ready for a household with a dog, with how much water and food to store for 2 adults and a dog.
Guides
Calm, practical help for getting your home ready.
Guides2 min read
3 daysthe place to start
How to get your household prepared, one calm step at a time
Getting your home ready for a power cut or a few days indoors is easier than it sounds. Here's where to start, and how to keep it going without thinking about it.
Guides2 min read
£0wasted when you rotate
How to rotate your emergency food so nothing goes to waste
Stored food only saves you money if you eat it in time. Here's a simple way to rotate your reserve through everyday meals, so it stays fresh and nothing ends up in the bin.
Questions
How much water should I store in the United Kingdom?
UK advice: store 3 litres of drinking water per person per day, with more needed for other uses such as washing.
How many days of supplies should I have in the United Kingdom?
The UK government asks households to be ready to cope on their own for 3 days while help goes to those who need it most.
What is the emergency number in the United Kingdom?
999: Emergency: police, fire, ambulance, coastguard.
Sources
- Be ready for emergencies, UK Government (Cabinet Office) Be Ready campaign. Checked 28 October 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
- Be Ready Checklist (PDF, created 2026-10-15), UK Government (Cabinet Office) Be Ready campaign. Checked 28 October 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
- Power cuts, UK Government Be Ready campaign. Checked 28 October 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
- Alerts and warnings, UK Government Be Ready campaign. Checked 28 October 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
We summarise official guidance in our own words. Always follow advice from your local authorities.
