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FREE / PRINTABLE / INDEPENDENT

3-DAY HOME EMERGENCY CHECKLIST.

A free, printable, tick-as-you-go checklist built from the UK Government's Be Ready advice, for keeping your household going for three days without power, water or the shops. No sign-up needed.

Independent / READY/ is an independent publisher. This checklist is not produced, approved or endorsed by the UK Government or the Be Ready campaign. Sections 01 to 08 follow the Government's published Be Ready advice as checked on 04/11/2026; read the original at UK Government, Be Ready for emergencies. During an emergency, follow current instructions from emergency services and public authorities. In immediate danger call 999.
TAKE THE FREE HOUSEHOLD CHECK

How much water do you need?

The 3-day checklist

Tick what you already have, then build up the rest a little at a time. You do not need to buy it all at once.

01 / WATER

  • 3 litres of drinking water per person, per day, for 3 days (9 litres each)
  • Extra water for cooking and washing
  • Extra bottled water for pets

Source: Be Ready

02 / FOOD

  • 3 days of food that needs no fridge and no cooking: tins, dried fruit, nuts
  • Food your household normally eats
  • Pet food

Source: Be Ready

03 / LIGHT AND WARMTH

  • Torch with spare batteries (safer than candles)
  • Blankets or sleeping bags
  • Warm clothing for everyone

Source: Be Ready

04 / POWER AND INFORMATION

  • Battery or wind-up FM radio
  • Local and national radio frequencies written down
  • Charged power bank for phones or compatible medical devices

Source: Be Ready

05 / HEALTH AND HYGIENE

  • First aid kit: plasters, bandages, thermometer, antiseptic, dressings, gloves, tweezers
  • Essential medicines and supplies
  • Repeat prescriptions ordered at least 5 working days before they run out
  • Hand sanitiser, wet wipes and hygiene products

Source: Be Ready

06 / BABIES

  • Baby formula (ready-to-feed is recommended)
  • Nappies and wipes

Source: Be Ready

07 / CASH AND DOCUMENTS

  • A mix of notes and coins, in case card payments and cash machines stop
  • Copies of ID and important papers: passports, birth certificates, insurance
  • Instructions for any medical equipment you rely on

Source: Be Ready

08 / CONTACTS AND PLAN

  • Emergency contacts written down, on paper
  • Who you would check on, such as an older neighbour or relative
  • List of regular medication and doses
  • A conversation with neighbours about what you could share

Source: Be Ready

Keep it current

09 / CHECK AND REFRESH

  • Check what you already have before you buy anything
  • Build stock up gradually to spread the cost
  • Check use-by dates and batteries regularly

Source: Be Ready

WRITE IT DOWN

RADIO STATION / FREQUENCY
RADIO STATION / FREQUENCY
EMERGENCY CONTACT
EMERGENCY CONTACT
PERSON TO CHECK ON
WHERE THE KIT IS KEPT

Five things the list does not mention

These come from other official sources, not from Be Ready. They are the gaps READY/ sees most often when people make a plan.

POWER CUT NUMBERS

  • England, Scotland and Wales: call 105 (free) to report or check a power cut
  • Northern Ireland: NIE Networks 03457 643 643

Source: Power Cut 105; Belfast City Council

FLOODS

  • Sign up for free flood warnings: Floodline 0345 988 1188 (England, Scotland, Wales)
  • Northern Ireland: Flooding Incident Line 0300 2000 100
  • Met Office weather warnings and flood warnings are separate. Check both

Source: GOV.UK Floodline; Met Office

EXTRA HELP IN AN OUTAGE

  • Join your energy and water companies' free Priority Services Register if someone at home may need extra help
  • Eligibility examples include State Pension age, disability or a long-term medical condition, pregnancy, and children under 5

Source: Ofgem; Scope

CARBON MONOXIDE

  • Never cook or heat indoors with a barbecue, camping stove or other outdoor appliance
  • Fit a CO alarm in every room with an appliance that burns gas, oil, coal or wood

Source: NHS; HSE

FOOD IN A POWER CUT

  • Keep fridge and freezer doors closed as much as possible
  • Know where your internal stop tap is before the water goes off

Source: Food Standards Agency; READY/ stop tap guide

Printed from readyplans.uk/be-ready-checklist.html. Independent checklist, not an official government publication. Be Ready advice checked 04/11/2026.

Questions

How much water should I store for 3 days?

The Government's Be Ready advice is 3 litres of drinking water per person per day, so 9 litres each for 3 days, plus extra for cooking, washing and pets.

How much cash should I keep at home?

Be Ready does not give a set figure. It suggests a mix of notes and coins, and says the right amount depends on what your household needs to cover essentials if card payments or cash machines stop working.

Is this the official Be Ready checklist?

No. READY/ is independent and this page is not connected to the Government. It puts the published Be Ready advice into a printable, tick-box format and adds a few points from other official sources. For the original advice, go to UK Government, Be Ready for emergencies.

Why 3 days?

Three days is the baseline the Be Ready campaign uses for keeping a household going during disruption such as a power cut, water outage or severe weather, while help and repairs arrive.

Turn the list into a plan / A checklist tells you what to keep. A plan tells you what to do: who calls who, what stops when the power goes and what you do in the first hour. READY/ plans are written to be filled in, printed and kept offline. See the 10 topics and 2 libraries →

Sources

Page reviewed: 4 November 2026.

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