The UK Government emergency kit list: every item, and what to buy for it
The official list, line by line
On 22 October 2026 the Government launched its Be Ready campaign and asked every household to be able to cope on its own for three days. Below is its checklist, item by item: what each line is for, what to add from your own cupboards, and which of our products fits where we sell one. Where we don't sell something, we say so.
Checklist items from prepare.campaign.gov.uk, read 10 November 2026. The 72 Hour Kit is an independent shop. It is not part of, approved by or endorsed by the UK Government. Prices and stock are on each product page.
Before you buy anything
The official advice starts with your cupboards, not a shop: check what you already have, note what is missing, pick up an item or two with the weekly shop, and check expiry dates every six months. Most lines on the list are things you already own. The bought items are the four in the middle: a torch, a radio, a charged power bank and something warm. That is what our kits cover.
1. Water
| On the list | What it is for | What we sell, and what you add |
|---|---|---|
| Bottled water for 3 days | 3 litres per person per day for drinking. More for cooking and washing. | You add: supermarket bottled water, 9 litres per person. Related: folding water containers, 10 L, pack of 2 to fill from the tap before a planned outage, a folding bucket for flushing, and emergency toilet bags for when the water is off. |
2. Food
| On the list | What it is for | What we sell, and what you add |
|---|---|---|
| Non-perishable food for 3 days | Long-life food that needs no fridge or cooking: tins, dried fruit, nuts. Buy what you normally eat. | You add: we do not sell food. Keep a manual tin opener with it. Related: a camping mug or insulated mug for a hot drink from a camping stove or flask. |
3. Hygiene
| On the list | What it is for | What we sell, and what you add |
|---|---|---|
| Hand sanitiser, wet wipes and bathroom products | Washing without running hot water. | You add: from the chemist or supermarket. Related: emergency toilet bags, 12 pack if the pumps or the water stop. |
4. Light and warmth
| On the list | What it is for | What we sell, and what you add |
|---|---|---|
| Torch, and spare batteries | Light without candles. The official line is that torches are safer than candles. | We sell: a head torch (hands free, one per person), a pocket torch, a room light with remote, flameless tea lights and a motion-sensor night light for the stairs. For spare batteries: an AA and AAA battery charger. You add: a pack of AA batteries for anything that is not rechargeable. |
| Blankets, sleeping bags and warm clothing | Homes get cold quickly once the heating is off. | We sell: foil blankets, pack of 4, a hot water bottle, a sleeping bag and bivvy bags for the car and grab bag. You add: duvets, jumpers, hats and socks you already own. |
5. Communication and information
| On the list | What it is for | What we sell, and what you add |
|---|---|---|
| FM radio, battery or wind-up | News and updates when the internet and mobile network are down. Write down the frequencies of the stations you use. | We sell: a wind-up and solar radio with torch, a hand-crank radio with compass and a solar wind-up radio with phone charging. All of them in our emergency radios collection. You add: your local BBC station's FM frequency, written on tape on the radio. |
| Charged power bank | To charge phones, or medical devices that take USB power. | We sell: a slim power bank with display, a solar power bank, an AA-battery phone charger as a backup, and a portable solar panel for a longer outage. You add: the habit of charging it on the first of every month. |
| Not on the list, but useful | Talking to each other across a street or a farm when the mobile network is down. | Walkie talkies, pair. |
6. Money and documents
| On the list | What it is for | What we sell, and what you add |
|---|---|---|
| Cash, a mix of coins and notes, and cards | Card machines and cash points can go down with the power. | You add: an amount that covers a few days of essentials for your household. |
| Copies of IDs and documents | Printed copies of passports, birth certificates, insurance details and instructions for medical equipment. | You add: the copies. Related: a dry bag set or a sealed storage box to keep them dry in a grab bag. |
| Important phone numbers and information | Who to call, who to check on, and a list of regular medication and doses, on paper. | You add: one sheet of paper. Include 105, the national power cut number, and your water company's number. |
7. Medical and health
| On the list | What it is for | What we sell, and what you add |
|---|---|---|
| First aid kit or first aid items | Waterproof plasters, bandages, a thermometer, antiseptic, eyewash, sterile dressings, gloves, tape and tweezers. | You add: a stocked first aid kit from a chemist. We only sell an empty first aid bag to organise one. |
| Essential medication and medical supplies | Request repeat prescriptions early, up to 5 working days before you need them. | You add: we do not sell medicines. |
8. Baby and pet products
| On the list | What it is for | What we sell, and what you add |
|---|---|---|
| Baby formula, nappies and wipes | Ready-to-feed formula, because you may not be able to boil water safely. | You add: from your usual shop. |
| Pet food and bottled water | Three days for every animal in the house. | You add: from your usual shop. |
What to put in a grab bag
The official list does not use the words "grab bag", but the idea is the same list, packed so it goes with you: the torch, radio, power bank and warmth from section 4 and 5, plus a poncho, a whistle, copies of your documents and your medication. Keep it by the door. Ours come packed for one person, two people or a family of four, without food or water so nothing inside goes out of date. Building your own: start with a water-resistant backpack, an emergency whistle and ponchos for the children.
Does the Government give out free emergency kits?
Not as far as the campaign pages say. Be Ready publishes advice, a printable checklist and a household emergency plan; it tells you to build your kit gradually from what you already have. If you want the bought items in one order instead, that is what our home emergency kits, grab bags and car emergency kits are for, and each kit page shows the same covered / you-add split as this list.
Three free things to do today
- Save 105, the free number for any power cut in England, Scotland and Wales. In Northern Ireland it is 03457 643 643.
- Check whether you are eligible for the Priority Services Register: households with children under 5, older people and anyone who relies on powered medical equipment usually are.
- Print the household plan from the official site and keep it with your documents.