Government urges households to keep three days of food and water
The government's 'Be Ready' campaign advises households to keep three days' worth of food and water to get through a national emergency. The BBC reported the advice on 23 October 2026.
The campaign warns that severe weather and cyber attacks could disrupt essential services. Its recommendations include bottled water and non-perishable food enough to last three days. Households are also advised to keep wet wipes, a torch and cash among their emergency supplies. People who need medication are advised to keep an extra supply for emergencies.
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said the three-day advice was similar to guidance issued by the previous government. He said the advice was not triggered by any particular piece of intelligence, and was instead about improving national resilience generally.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said unexpected events seem to be becoming more common, and that everyone should have supplies to get through those moments.
The government's 'Get prepared for emergencies' page asks households to consider what supplies they might need for an emergency lasting a few days, such as a power cut or a water outage. Separate 'Be ready for emergencies' guidance suggests items for a first-aid kit, including waterproof plasters, bandages, a thermometer, antiseptic, eyewash solution, sterile dressings, gloves and medical tape for dressings.
The main Prepare page links to a downloadable Be Ready checklist. It also includes a 'Play your part' section on volunteering and supporting the community during an emergency. It advises people to check whether they are eligible for the Priority Services Register, a scheme for support during outages, and points users to the Met Office for weather information and warning alerts.
People in Scotland and Northern Ireland are directed to separate local websites for tailored advice: Ready Scotland and NI Direct. The Prepare page also states that the site will not be updated with live information during an emergency.
