Immediate danger to life: call 999 or 112.

UK Ready is an independent information site. Current official instructions for your area take priority over this general guidance.

UK emergency preparedness — start here

Sources checked 1 June 2026

Action summary

  1. Turn on UK Emergency Alerts and keep a battery or wind-up FM radio — in the 2026 Cabinet Office survey only 23% of households had one.
  2. Write key contacts, medicines and reference numbers on paper (only 29% of households did).
  3. Store drinking water — aim for 72 hours (about 3 litres per person per day), then build towards 7 days where practical.
  4. Agree a household plan: two meeting points and an out-of-area contact.
  5. Sort medication, lighting and power (torch, spare batteries, charged power bank) — the things hardest to improvise safely.

What is it?

Preparedness is not the same as expecting catastrophe. Its purpose is to reduce the consequences of events that are hard to predict — severe weather, major power or water failure, cyber disruption, terrorism, hazardous-material or radiological incidents, or in an extreme case hostilities affecting the UK. The UK's 2026 national preparedness survey found only 13% of households felt largely prepared and just 14% had a household plan.

What might happen?

Everyday systems can fail together: electricity (no lighting, heating controls, refrigeration, broadband, card terminals); mobile/internet (no calls, maps, banking); water and sewage; transport; payments; food supply; healthcare pressure; and a flood of rumour competing with official instructions. Preparation targets the consequences of these, whatever the cause.

First 10 minutes

All-hazards default (scenario-specific official instructions always override): get out of immediate danger, read any Emergency Alert, and decide whether the situation needs escape, shelter, or Run–Hide–Tell. Call 999 only for an immediate emergency. Do not travel into an affected area to collect people.

First hour

Account for everyone with you. If sheltering, close doors, windows and ventilation. Bring pets inside if safe. Put phones on low power and switch to radio/official channels. Locate medicines, water and torches. Confirm whether power, water, mobile and heating are working.

First 24 hours

Move into a sustainable routine: ration stored water sensibly, use chilled food first, establish household roles, and check vulnerable neighbours only where safe. Follow school/care-provider instructions rather than self-deploying into cordoned areas. Use official support points if opened; keep roads and emergency lines free.

If it continues

Over several days, adapt to official recovery arrangements — supply points, temporary accommodation, transport restrictions or work/school instructions. Replenish through normal or official channels; avoid hoarding. A resilience ladder helps: Level 1 = 24 hours; Level 2 = 72 hours (minimum practical target); Level 3 = 7 days (an editorial recommendation, more conservative than the UK's current 'few days' language, with German BBK's 10-day and France's 72-hour kits as comparators).

Sources

All text-only guides · Full website