Survival Kit List
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UK Survival Kit List 2026 — What to Include and Why
This checklist is built around the UK Government’s Prepare campaign guidance and real-world emergencies: power cuts, flooding and fire evacuation. Use it to build your own kit or choose a ready-made option.
Update — 26 August 2026
On 25 August 2026 the Guardian reported that the Cabinet Office is preparing a public information campaign advising UK households to keep basic supplies at home, including tinned food and bottled water. The campaign has not yet launched. It was announced to Parliament on 14 July 2026 as a national resilience public awareness campaign due later in the year, and the Government’s 2026 Resilience Action Plan implementation report describes it as new household advice supported by a multi-year campaign.
Coverage indicates the advice will span extreme heat, flooding and drought through to cyber attacks and hostile state activity, and that it is intended to be practical rather than alarmist — simple steps that let a household manage the first days of an incident while emergency services reach those most at risk. This follows the Emergency Alert sent to mobile phones across England and Wales on the evening of 14 August 2026 during the wildfire response, the most extensive use of the UK Emergency Alert system for an active incident to date.
Nothing on this checklist changes as a result. Bottled water, tinned and long-life food, a manual tin opener and a wind-up radio are already covered below. If you have arrived here from the news coverage, start with sections 1 (Water), 2 (Food & Nutrition) and 5 (Communication).
This page will be updated when the campaign launches and official guidance is published. EVAQ8 is an independent supplier and is not affiliated with the Cabinet Office; no government department endorses or approves commercial emergency kits.
Built around UK Government Prepare guidance
The UK Government’s Prepare campaign advises households to consider what supplies they would need during disruption lasting a few days, such as a power cut or water outage. This page builds to 72 hours as a practical starting point and extends from there, drawing on recent UK flooding, storm and wildfire response.
Water Essential
Water is the single most critical survival resource. Mains water can be cut off by flooding, pipe bursts, or infrastructure failure within hours of a major incident. The WHO recommends a minimum of 2.5–3 litres per person per day for drinking. For a family of four building a 72-hour kit, that is 30 litres at the WHO minimum — significantly more than most people stock.
- Bottled water — 2.5 litres per person per day minimum
- Water purification tablets (backup)
- Portable water filter (LifeStraw or similar)
- Collapsible water containers
- Water storage barrel if sheltering in place
- Baby formula water if applicable
Food & Nutrition Essential
Emergency food needs to be long-life, calorie-dense, and require minimal preparation — ideally no cooking at all. UK Government Prepare guidance advises households to consider the supplies they would need during disruption lasting a few days; this page builds to 72 hours as a starting point. For severe or prolonged events, extending toward a week gives more headroom. Aim for at least 2,000 calories per person per day.
- Tinned and canned food (meat, fish, beans, vegetables, fruit)
- Manual tin opener
- Emergency survival food bars (5-year shelf life)
- Ration packs or MREs (Meals Ready to Eat)
- Self-heating meals (no stove required)
- Freeze-dried meals (lightweight, long shelf life)
- High-calorie snacks: nuts, dried fruit, energy bars
- UHT or powdered milk
- Camping stove + fuel canister
- Camping cookware
- Baby food / formula if applicable
- Pet food if applicable
First Aid Essential
A standard first aid kit covers minor injuries. In a major emergency — particularly one involving evacuation, structural damage, or civil disorder — you may need to manage more serious trauma before professional help arrives. First aid supplies are one of the core categories named in UK Government preparedness guidance.
- Assorted waterproof plasters
- Sterile dressings (various sizes)
- Bandages and triangular bandage
- Antiseptic wipes and cream
- Disposable gloves
- Eyewash solution
- Thermometer
- Prescription medications (7-day supply)
- Tourniquet (CAT or SOFTT-W)
- Haemostatic dressing (e.g. Celox)
- Trauma shears
- CPR face shield
- Burn dressing
- Medical tape
Light & Power Essential
Power cuts are the most common emergency UK households experience. A torch is basic; a wind-up or solar torch removes the battery dependency entirely. A portable power bank keeps mobile phones charged when you need them most.
- Wind-up or hand-crank torch
- Head torch + spare batteries
- Portable power bank (10,000mAh minimum)
- Candles and waterproof matches
- Lightsticks / glowsticks (safe around children)
- Solar charging panel
- Lantern for area lighting
- Multi-USB charging cable
Communication Essential
During major incidents, mobile networks frequently become congested or fail entirely. A battery-powered or wind-up AM/FM radio is the most resilient way to receive official emergency broadcasts from the BBC and local authorities — and it works when everything else does not.
- Wind-up or battery DAB/FM radio
- Fully charged mobile phone (kept topped up)
- Written list of emergency contact numbers
- Waterproof document wallet for contacts
- Two-way radios (for family communication in crowded evacuation)
- Personal alarm / whistle
Warmth & Shelter Essential
Hypothermia is a risk in UK winters even indoors during a prolonged power cut. Emergency foil blankets are compact and highly effective. If you may need to evacuate, a sleeping bag rated to 0°C is essential for overnight stays in a community centre or vehicle.
- Emergency foil blankets (one per person)
- Warm layers: fleece, thermal base layers
- Waterproof jacket and trousers
- Sleeping bag (0°C rated)
- Emergency bivvy bag
- Waterproof poncho
- Compact tent or tarp (if outdoors evacuation likely)
- Hand warmers
Hygiene & Sanitation Recommended
Sanitation quickly becomes critical when water is unavailable. Hand sanitiser and wet wipes are among the items named in UK Government preparedness guidance. Prescription medications are essential — keep a minimum 7-day supply accessible at all times.
- Hand sanitiser (at least 60% alcohol)
- Wet wipes
- Prescription medications (7-day supply)
- Toilet bags / waste bags
- Portable camping toilet
- Toothbrush, toothpaste
- Sanitary products
- Nappies / baby supplies if applicable
- Soap and small towel
- Infection control / disposable masks
Documents & Cash Essential
Card payment infrastructure frequently fails during major emergencies. Keep a small amount of cash in your kit at all times. Documents stored digitally can be inaccessible without power — keep waterproof physical copies.
- Cash in small denominations (£10–£50)
- Copies of passports and ID
- Insurance policy numbers
- Prescription details
- Emergency contact list (written, not just on phone)
- House and car keys (spare set)
- Waterproof document wallet
- USB drive with scanned documents
Tools & Signalling Recommended
A whistle is one of the most underrated survival tools — it carries far further than a shout and requires no battery. A multi-tool covers dozens of practical tasks. Waterproof matches or a quality lighter ensure fire-starting ability in wet British conditions.
- Safety whistle
- Lighter or waterproof matches
- Multi-tool or penknife
- Duct tape (dozens of uses)
- Paracord (10m minimum)
- Work gloves
- N95 dust mask (for smoke / debris)
- Car window breaker / seatbelt cutter
- Compass and paper map
- Waterproof marker pen
Scenario-Specific Additions
The items above form a universal base. Depending on where you live and your most likely emergency scenarios, add these extras.
| Scenario | Additional items to include |
|---|---|
| Flooding | Waders or waterproof trousers, flood barriers, sand bags, waterproof bags for belongings, disinfectant (floodwater is contaminated) |
| Power cut (prolonged) | Camping stove + fuel, battery-powered fans or heaters, extension reel with charged power station, solar panels |
| Fire evacuation | Pre-packed grab bag ready at the door, spare car keys accessible, pet carrier, essential documents always accessible |
| Wildfire risk area | N95 masks for smoke, goggles, hose and outdoor tap access, cleared vegetation around the property, a planned exit route |
| Severe winter storm | Extra warm clothing, snow shovel, rock salt, vehicle winter kit, antifreeze |
| Household with young children | Infant formula, nappies, comfort items, copy of child’s medical records, activity items for extended shelter-in-place |
| Elderly or mobility-limited household members | Evacuation chair, additional medications, spare mobility aids, hearing aid batteries, medical alert information |
| Urban / city flat | Focus on shelter-in-place over evacuation; prioritise water storage, longer food supply, communication tools |
| Rural / remote location | Longer food and water supply (7+ days), satellite communicator, backup generator, fuel storage |
Ready-Made Emergency Kits
If you would rather not source items individually, EVAQ8 assembles complete kits built around this checklist — all UK-assembled, with next-day delivery available.
Not sure where to start?
Our team can recommend a kit based on your household size and most likely scenarios. Or browse our full range below.
Browse Home Emergency KitsFrequently Asked Questions
How long should my survival kit last?
UK Government Prepare guidance asks households to consider the supplies they would need for disruption lasting a few days. Following major events such as extended flooding or prolonged winter storms, disruption can last longer. Build to 72 hours first, then extend toward a week as budget and storage allow.
What is the difference between a grab bag and a survival kit?
A grab bag (also called a go bag) is designed for rapid evacuation — it is packed, portable, and ready to take with you at a moment’s notice. A survival kit or home emergency kit is typically larger and designed for sheltering in place, often including more food, water storage, and household supplies. Many households benefit from having both.
How often should I check and update my survival kit?
Check your kit annually as a minimum. A practical approach is to review it every November — when UK storm season begins — rotating food and water stocks, checking battery levels, and updating any documents. Replace any items past their use-by date and check that children’s sizes still fit any clothing items included.
Does the UK Government recommend keeping an emergency kit?
Yes, in the sense that official guidance advises households to keep basic supplies at home. The UK Government’s Prepare campaign asks people to consider what they and their household might need during an emergency lasting a few days — a power cut or water outage, for example — and suggests keeping those items together somewhere easy to find. The items named include bottled water, long-life ready-to-eat food with a tin opener, a torch and spare batteries, a wind-up or battery radio, a first aid kit, prescription medicine, and copies of important documents. That is broadly the structure of this checklist.
The guidance is framed as steps to consider rather than a required list, and no government department certifies or approves commercial emergency kits. In August 2026 it was reported that the Cabinet Office is preparing a wider public information campaign on household preparedness — see the update at the top of this page.
What should I keep at home for 72 hours?
For a household of four, a 72-hour supply means roughly 30 litres of drinking water at the WHO minimum, three days of long-life food that needs no cooking, a manual tin opener, a wind-up or battery torch and radio, a first aid kit with any prescription medicines, hand sanitiser and wet wipes, warm layers and foil blankets, some cash in small denominations, and waterproof copies of key documents. Sections 1 to 9 above break each of these down in full.
What survival kit do I need for a car?
A vehicle emergency kit should include a warning triangle, hi-vis vest, jump leads or booster pack, tyre inflator, torch, first aid kit, foil blanket, and basic tools. For winter driving, add an ice scraper, de-icer, and a small shovel. In remote areas, add water and a day’s worth of food. See our car safety kits for complete vehicle-specific options.
Can I buy a pre-made survival kit instead of building my own?
Yes — EVAQ8 assembles complete emergency kits for households, workplaces, schools, and vehicles, all built and quality-checked in the UK. Ready-made kits are a faster and often more cost-effective option than sourcing items individually, and they are designed around the same checklist on this page. See our home emergency kits to find the right option for your household.
