72-hour emergency kit: what to buy (and what you already have)

9 litres each for 3 days, plus extra for pets, cooking and washing.

You may already have

Clean empty bottles and a kitchen tap.

What to look for

Food-grade (BPA-free) 5–10 litre containers with a tap, or multipacks of bottled water. 9 litres per person covers 3 days.

Budget option

Fill clean bottles from the tap and swap the water every 6 months. Costs nothing.

Tinned fish, meat and veg, dried fruit, nuts, cereal bars. Plus a manual tin opener.

You may already have

Most cupboards already hold 2–3 days of tins and dry food.

What to look for

Tins (fish, meat, beans, veg, soup that can be eaten cold), cereal bars, nuts, dried fruit, UHT milk. Plus a manual tin opener: ring-pulls fail.

Budget option

Add two or three extra tins to each weekly shop instead of buying a "survival food" kit.

One per adult is ideal. Head torches keep your hands free.

You may already have

A torch somewhere, but check the batteries.

What to look for

Rechargeable LED head torches (hands-free, one per adult) plus one bright handheld or lantern for the room. USB-C charging is handiest.

Budget option

A multipack of basic LED torches using AA batteries, plus spare batteries.

For local news and updates when phones and internet are down.

What to look for

An FM radio with at least two power options: wind-up crank, USB charging, solar or AA batteries. A built-in torch is a bonus. FM matters more than DAB in an emergency.

Budget option

Any cheap battery FM radio plus spare batteries does the job.

Enough to charge each phone at least twice. Top them up every few months.

You may already have

Many people own one but forget to keep it charged.

What to look for

About 20,000mAh per person, with USB-C. Enough for 3 or more phone charges each.

Budget option

Our budget pick costs under £30 and is the cheapest per phone charge we found.

You may already have

Plasters and paracetamol in the bathroom cabinet.

What to look for

A complete home first aid kit (bandages, dressings, gloves, tape, scissors, foil blanket), plus your family’s usual medicines.

Budget option

Top up what you have rather than buying a big kit.

Not something to buy online. Ask your GP or pharmacist about keeping a few days’ spare, and keep copies of prescriptions with your documents.

Keep some notes and coins at home. Card machines and cash points may not work in a power cut or cyber attack.

Insurance, ID, contact numbers on paper, in a waterproof bag.

What to look for

A waterproof document pouch for copies of ID, insurance details and a paper list of phone numbers.

Budget option

A zip-lock freezer bag works perfectly well.

Homes cool quickly without heating. Sleeping bags are excellent.

You may already have

Duvets, blankets, hats and jumpers.

What to look for

Sleeping bags are the single best buy for staying warm without heating. Add foil emergency blankets for the car or a grab bag.

Budget option

Blankets and layers you own already. Foil blankets cost pennies each.

Keep a few days’ extra of whatever your household relies on (nappies, formula, pet food, hearing aid batteries), rotated with your normal shopping.

Wet wipes, hand sanitiser, bin bags, toilet roll.

You may already have

Probably already in the house.

What to look for

Wet wipes, hand sanitiser, bin bags and toilet roll. Useful if the water supply is off.

Budget option

Buy one extra pack of each with your normal shopping.

Carbon monoxide alarm (battery)

Essential if you have any gas, oil or wood appliance, and if you’d ever use a generator outside. Fit one in each room with a fuel-burning appliance.

Portable power station

Only if you want to keep a fridge, Wi-Fi, an electric blanket or medical equipment running.

LED lantern

Lights a whole room safely, much safer than candles around children and pets.

Flasks

Fill them with boiling water when a storm is forecast, for hot drinks and hot water bottles when the boiler stops.