The UK 72-Hour Emergency Kit

Start with what fails first

An emergency kit is not a box of unusual gadgets. It is a small buffer against ordinary services being unavailable for a while. The Government Prepare campaign suggests thinking about supplies for an emergency lasting a few days. That is a useful design brief for a household kit.

Power, water, communications and normal shopping routines can fail together. A torch is useful because the lights are off. A radio is useful because broadband may be down. Bottled water matters because pumps and treatment systems are not guaranteed to keep working through every fault. The kit should cover those dependencies first.

What belongs in the core kit

A sensible first layer is simple: a battery or wind-up torch, spare batteries, a power bank, a battery or wind-up radio, first-aid supplies, hand sanitiser or wipes, bottled water and food that does not need cooking. Add a manual tin opener if tins are part of the food plan.

Keep paper copies of important phone numbers, medication details and any instructions for medical equipment. If somebody in the household relies on powered medical equipment, the equipment plan matters more than a larger general-purpose battery. Speak to the care team or equipment provider about outage arrangements.

Water sets the size of the kit

Government guidance gives 2.5 to 3 litres of drinking water per person per day as a minimum survival reference. Around 10 litres per person per day provides more room for basic cooking and hygiene. A household of four therefore needs at least 30 to 36 litres just for three days of drinking water, before pets or special requirements are counted.

Do not make filtration your only water plan. Stored, sealed drinking water is immediately usable. A filter or treatment product is a backup layer for a situation where the normal supply is unavailable and you have an appropriate alternative source.

Where to keep it

The best kit is one you can reach without hunting through cupboards in the dark. Keep the core items together, but do not create one heavy container that nobody can move. Water is usually better split into manageable containers.

Check the kit every few months. Recharge power banks, test torches and radios, rotate food you already eat, check battery dates and update paper contact details. This turns preparedness into maintenance rather than a one-off purchase.

Do not overbuy

Build the essential layer first. A large power station or solar panel can be useful later, but neither replaces water, light, food, warmth, information or a plan. Spend first on the things that solve common short outages and still have a normal household use.

Useful kit for this plan

Gear should support the plan, not replace it. These are relevant items from the main catalogue. Check the current listing and specification before buying.

Sources checked for this guide

We use public sources for the factual backbone and write the guide in our own words. Source pages can change, so the links below are the place to check current official advice.

Editorial review date: 17 September 2026. If an official source conflicts with this page, follow the official source.