How to make a household emergency plan
A simple, practical household emergency plan — following the government's Be Ready advice: contacts, meeting points, utilities, kit and the people who need extra help.
By Tom Calder · Updated 2 November 2026 · Sourced to GOV.UK Be Ready & the British Red Cross
In the US? Our sister site has the US version, built on Ready.gov and CDC guidance: PreparedStates.
Earlier changes
6 Oct Corrected who says what about water: the 2.5 to 3 litres a person a day is the World Health Organisation’s survival minimum, which GOV.UK Prepare quotes, and the 3 days are the British Red Cross’s figure.
Why a plan beats panic
The single most useful thing you can do for emergencies isn't buying kit — it's spending twenty minutes agreeing a plan while everyone's calm. Be Ready, the UK Government's emergency-preparedness campaign (launched on 22 October 2026, replacing the GOV.UK Prepare site that ran from May 2024), asks for exactly this: a meeting point, phone numbers written on paper and a list of regular medication. A household that has talked through what to do copes far better than one improvising in the moment.
A plan doesn't need to be elaborate. It's a short, shared understanding of how you'd contact each other, where you'd meet, how to make the house safe, and who needs extra help — written down so it works even when phones don't.
The core of the plan: contacts and a meeting point
The British Red Cross boils good planning down to five steps: know the risks, make a plan, look out for others, prepare your home, and get supplies ready. Two elements do most of the work. First, agree a meeting place away from the home and clear of hazards, in case you can't get back inside or can't reach each other. Second, choose someone outside your immediate area as a contact everyone can check in with — local phone networks often jam in an emergency, but an out-of-area relative can relay messages.
Write the key numbers on paper, not just in a phone that might be dead: your out-of-area contact, family mobiles, and the emergency numbers below. A plan that lives only on a charged smartphone isn't a plan.
The numbers to write down
Four free numbers cover most household emergencies. 999 for any immediate danger to life or fire. 105 for a power cut — free from any phone in England, Scotland and Wales, it connects you to your local electricity network operator (in Northern Ireland it's 03457 643643). 0800 111 999 for the National Gas Emergency Service if you smell gas — free, 24 hours. And Floodline on 0345 988 1188 for flooding advice and to sign up for free flood warnings.
Put these on the fridge and in your grab bag. In a real incident you don't want to be searching for them.
NewSee this for your own homeHome Alerts: your postcode's power cuts, warnings and floods, on one screen. Free for your own home. Sign up in a minute.Start free →Make the house safe: know your shut-offs
Part of the plan is knowing, in advance, how to turn off your gas, electricity and water — because being able to isolate a supply quickly can turn a burst pipe or a gas scare into a manageable event. Find your stopcock, your consumer unit (fuse box) and your gas meter control now, and show everyone in the household, so nobody's hunting for them in the dark.
Be Ready also suggests keeping your plan with other important documents, such as passports and birth certificates, and its checklist adds printed copies of insurance details, so they're quick to grab if you're ever asked to leave.
The people and pets who need extra thought
A good plan accounts for who needs support. Keep a written list of everyone's regular medication. Plan for vulnerable or disabled household members — and sign anyone who relies on powered medical equipment, or is otherwise vulnerable, onto the free Priority Services Register with your energy and water companies for extra help during a supply cut. Teach children what to do and how to call for help. And don't forget pets: food, a carrier, and up-to-date ID.
It's the quiet, boring detail — a spare inhaler, a torch by the bed, a neighbour who'll check on an elderly relative — that makes the difference on the night.
Get the supplies ready
The Be Ready checklist is modest and sensible, and asks you to be ready for three days: a torch (safer than candles) with spare batteries; a battery or wind-up FM radio for updates; a charged power bank; blankets and warm clothing; a first aid kit and essential medication; hand sanitiser, wet wipes and bathroom products; non-perishable food that needs no fridge or cooking; cash and cards; copies of important documents; baby and pet supplies if needed; and bottled water, 3 litres of drinking water per person per day.
You almost certainly own most of it already — the point of the plan is gathering it in one known place, not spending a fortune.
Common questions
What is a household emergency plan?
A short, shared plan for how your household would cope in an emergency — who to contact, where to meet, how to turn off gas, water and electricity, what's in your kit, and who needs extra help. The government's Be Ready campaign provides a free printable household emergency plan.
What should be in the plan?
Emergency contact numbers (including an out-of-area contact), a meeting point away from the home, how to shut off your utilities, a list of medications, arrangements for vulnerable members and pets, and where your kit and key documents are kept.
What phone numbers should every household know?
999 for danger to life or fire; 105 for a power cut; 0800 111 999 for the National Gas Emergency Service if you smell gas; and Floodline on 0345 988 1188. Write them on paper in case your phone is dead.
How much water should I store per person?
The government's Be Ready checklist says bottled water for 3 days, at 3 litres of drinking water per person per day, with more for cooking and washing: 9 litres per person. The British Red Cross also suggests 3 days' supply.
Do I need to spend money to be prepared?
Barely. Most of a good plan is free — a conversation, a written contact list, knowing your shut-off valves, and gathering torches, a radio and water you already own into one place.
How do I include vulnerable family members in the plan?
Keep a list of their medications, plan for their specific needs, and sign anyone reliant on powered medical equipment or otherwise vulnerable onto the free Priority Services Register with your energy and water companies.
Sources (5)
- GOV.UK Be Ready — Be ready for emergencies (make a plan: meeting point, phone numbers on paper, medication list, documents; the checklist; 3 litres of water per person per day), read 2 November 2026
- British Red Cross — Five tips to plan for emergencies
- GOV.UK — Get flood warnings by text, phone or email
- British Red Cross — Prepare an emergency kit3 days’ supply of bottled water and long-life, ready-to-eat food
- GOV.UK Be Ready — Household emergency plan (printable PDF, October 2026)
PreparedBritain is independent and not affiliated with HM Government.
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