Build your emergency kit
In the US? Our sister site has a kit builder sized to your household, from Ready.gov's list: PreparedStates.
Four quick steps to a household kit sized to the government's Be Ready checklist — and a personalised checklist to print or email.
Who's at home?
We size water, food and supplies to your household.
So far
A household of 2 people.
Next: pick what you're preparing for.
How the kit builder works
It starts from the government's Be Ready checklist, published on 22 October 2026 to replace the GOV.UK Prepare kit list, which asks every home to be ready for 3 days, and sizes it to your household. Tell it who lives with you, including children, pets and anyone who relies on powered medical equipment, and what you are preparing for, such as a power cut, a flood or a stay at home in a storm. It works out how much water and food to keep, adds the items each situation needs, and lists what you might still want to buy.
- Bottled water
- Ready-to-eat food
- Torch (not candles)
- Battery / wind-up radio
- Power bank
- First aid kit
- Hygiene basics
- Baby supplies
- Pet supplies
- Grab bag
- Blankets, sleeping bags and warm clothing
- Cash and cards
- Copies of IDs and documents
- Important numbers and a medicines list
- Essential medication
The full explanation of each item, with how much to keep, is on our UK emergency kit list and checklist.
Common questions
Does it match the government's new Be Ready checklist?
Yes. The home kit covers every item on the Be Ready checklist the government published on 22 October 2026: water, food, hygiene, a torch and spare batteries, blankets and warm clothing, a radio, a power bank, cash and cards, copies of documents, a written list of numbers and medicines, first aid, essential medication, and baby and pet supplies. The builder sizes it to your household.
How much water does it plan for?
The Be Ready checklist says 3 litres per person per day for drinking, for 3 days, with more needed for cooking and washing. The builder shows the drinking figure for your household, and the larger amount at 10 litres a day each, the figure the old GOV.UK Prepare advice gave to cover cooking and hygiene too.
How many days should the kit cover?
Three. The government's Be Ready campaign asks households to be ready for 3 days, as the British Red Cross and Ready Scotland also suggest, so the builder starts at 3 and lets you change it.
Can I print the checklist?
Yes. At the end you can print or email a one-page checklist sized to your household, with a QR code that brings you back to your list.
Do I have to buy anything?
No. Most homes already have much of the list. The builder shows what's left to get, with prices, only so you can see what the gaps would cost; tick off what you already have.
What if someone at home relies on electricity for medical equipment?
Tick the box in the first step and the builder adds power backup planning. The free Priority Services Register also tells your energy supplier and network that you need extra support in a power cut.
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