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How we check things

Every factual claim on this site cites a primary source, with the date we checked it. If we can't source a claim, we cut it. This page explains the rules we hold ourselves to.

Which sources count

In order of preference:

  1. UK Government and agencies: GOV.UK and the Prepare campaign, the National Risk Register, the Met Office, the Environment Agency (and SEPA, Natural Resources Wales and DfI Rivers for the nations), the Drinking Water Inspectorate, Ofgem, NESO, Fire and Rescue services, the Food Standards Agency, UKHSA.
  2. The NHS, the WHO, the British Red Cross, St John Ambulance, RoSPA, Electrical Safety First, Gas Safe.
  3. The FCA, MoneyHelper, the Bank of England, LINK, the Consumer Council for Water, Citizens Advice.
  4. The utility itself — your water company's incident page, your network operator's power-cut page.
  5. Peer-reviewed research, only when we have read the paper rather than a summary of it.
  6. Our own tests, clearly labelled as ours, with the method written down.

Not acceptable as sources: other preparedness sites, retailers, Wikipedia (we use it to find the primary source, then cite that), social media, or "experts say".

How a page is made

  1. Facts are gathered with URLs and dates before writing. Anything unsourced is tagged and cannot be published.
  2. Health, money, fitness and fire-safety content is reviewed by a suitably qualified person, named on the page. Where a review is still pending, the page says so.
  3. Every page shows its author, reviewer and review date, and is re-reviewed at least every 150 days or when the facts change, whichever comes first.
  4. Prices are typical UK prices with the month we checked them; we never invent a number.

Describing, not advising

Health and money pages describe what the NHS, MoneyHelper or the regulator says and link to them. We don't diagnose, prescribe or recommend financial products. Fire-safety pages quote Fire and Rescue guidance verbatim, because that is the one subject where bad preparedness advice hurts people.

Corrections

Errors are corrected in place with a dated note at the foot of the page. We never silently edit a fact. Spotted one? hello@prepnotpanic.co.uk — corrections make the site better and we are glad of them.