How to start prepping in the UK: one supermarket trip

Start with one supermarket trip: 9 litres of bottled water per person, nine ready-to-eat tins and a tin opener, and a battery torch, which covers the core of the government's Prepare list (GOV.UK Prepare, checked 26 August 2026). Then sign up for free flood and weather alerts. Budget £15 or so a head, plus one £10 torch.

The slightly longer answer

Starting is one shopping trip, not a lifestyle. The government’s Prepare campaign asks every household to keep drinking water (2.5 to 3 litres per person per day), ready-to-eat tinned food with an opener, a battery torch, and to sign up for alerts (GOV.UK Prepare, checked 26 August 2026). That’s it. That’s the start.

In practice: 9 litres of bottled water per person covers three days at the minimum, nine tins that need no cooking cover the same, and a manual opener and a battery torch finish the list. At typical supermarket prices (Aug 2026, check monthly) that’s £15 or so per person, plus one £10 torch shared by the household. The weekend list under £100 sets it out aisle by aisle, and the home emergency kit guide shows where it goes from there. The government’s own advice is that you can “build it up over time”, so nothing needs doing in one go.

The alerts are free and take minutes. In England you can get Environment Agency flood warnings by call, text or email (Scotland and Wales have their own flood warning services; in Northern Ireland you can check flood risk on the flood maps), and the Met Office publishes yellow, amber and red weather warnings through its app, website and email alerts. Between them, that’s your early notice for the two disruptions British homes actually meet most.

You never need to call yourself anything, join anything, or buy special kit; the government just calls this being prepared, and most households are already partway there. LINK’s Cash Index found 49% have a battery-powered torch and 47% keep tinned goods, though even among people who had taken steps to prepare, only 23% had done anything in the previous three months (LINK Cash Index, published May 2026). This site organises the rest into three places: a stocked cupboard, a cash cushion and a body that copes. The Readiness Score shows you which of the three to look at first.

How much does it cost to start prepping?

£15 or so a head for the core: water at £1.50 to £2 for 9 litres (typical supermarket own-brand), nine tins at around £1 each and a manual opener, plus one £10 torch shared per household (typical supermarket prices, Aug 2026, check monthly). The alerts cost nothing. The government says to add to your kit over time as you’re able.

Do I need a go bag?

Not first. In most UK disruptions, a power cut, a burst main, a storm, you stay at home, so the cupboard matters far more than a bag by the door. A small grab bag is a sensible later step once the cupboard, cash and alerts exist.

What should I do after the first trip?

Put £20 to £40 in small notes somewhere at home, since card machines fail in power cuts. Then look at your body the way you looked at your cupboard: the five Ready Body tests take a week. As the NHS advises, speak to your GP first if you have not exercised for some time, or have medical conditions or concerns.

Isn’t all this a bit alarmist?

The opposite, done right. This is the government’s own household advice, described in its own calm language, and it amounts to water, tins, a torch and two free sign-ups. Even among people already preparing, only 23% took a step in the last three months; a quiet afternoon puts you ahead, and then you stop thinking about it.

Sources and review

UK Government, Get prepared for emergencies: 2.5 to 3 litres of drinking water per person per day; ready-to-eat tinned food and an opener; a battery or wind-up torch; signing up for alerts; building the kit up over time. Checked 26 August 2026.
LINK, Cash Index, published May 2026: 49% have a battery-powered torch, 47% a supply of tinned goods, and, among those who have taken steps to prepare, 23% took some action in the last three months. Checked 26 August 2026.
GOV.UK, Sign up for flood warnings: free Environment Agency warnings for England by call, text or email, with links to the Scottish and Welsh warning services and to Northern Ireland’s flood-risk maps. Checked 26 August 2026.
Met Office, Weather warnings guide: yellow, amber and red warning levels, published via the app, website, email and broadcast. Checked 26 August 2026.

Review: TBC. Review date: 26 August 2026.