9 Essential Emergency Supplies for Your Home

What you need

If you are just beginning to build your emergency kit, I strongly recommend that you start with water. It is the most important item on this list.

The best source of drinking water for emergency supplies is supermarket-bought bottled water.

You need a minimum of 3 litres of safe drinking water per person per day. If you are a couple building a three-day emergency water supply, you would need a minimum of 18 litres. Let's be generous and round that up to 20 litres. At the prices I found, this would cost £6 at Tesco (four 5-litre bottles at £1.50 each). For just £6, you will have secured the most important item in your emergency kit.

Practical advice

Ideally, buy water in 5-litre bottles. These fit neatly at the bottom of wardrobes. Alternatively, 2-litre bottles fit under many beds and in small spaces around the house.

When buying bottled water, ensure that the seal on the lid is intact and that the bottle is undamaged. Keep your emergency water supply sealed until needed. Once a bottle has been opened, handle and store any remaining water safely rather than returning it to your sealed emergency supply.

If you open a bottle and only drink part of it, don't put the remainder back into your emergency supplies. Instead, finish it and replace it with a new bottle.

A simple battery-operated torch. Don't rely on your phone—it's not bright enough and will quickly use up your battery.

Keeping your phone charged is essential during a power cut. You need a power bank capable of providing more than one full charge and, ideally, charging multiple devices.

In an emergency, the government will likely communicate important information to the public through radio, including BBC stations. A simple radio allows you to receive these updates. It also provides a little light entertainment!

What to look for when buying

You need a simple battery-operated AM/FM radio with a long battery life. You could also consider a wind-up radio, although these are generally more expensive.

There really isn't much to love about batteries! But they are essential for powering your torch and radio. Ideally, buy more batteries than you need. Not only does this boost your emergency supplies, but buying a larger pack can also work out much cheaper per battery.

The UK government advises keeping a first aid kit as part of your emergency supplies. It's important to keep your emergency kit separate from your normal household first aid supplies. This way, you won't be tempted to dip into your emergency supplies for the odd plaster.

What to look for when buying

Look for a kit containing a useful range of first aid essentials, including dressings, plasters, gloves and scissors. Check the contents rather than relying on the number of pieces advertised.

What you need

Tins, tins and more tins!

Practical advice

Tinned foods should form the core of your emergency food supplies. This is because:

• They can last for a long time, provided the tins remain undamaged.
• Many tinned foods are already cooked, so they can be eaten without cooking or simply heated if you have the means to do so.
• They can provide useful meals when you have no cooking facilities.

The types of tinned food you buy are a matter of personal preference. However, I recommend choosing a variety, including pasta and beans, potatoes, vegetables, meat, fish and tinned fruit. You could, of course, buy dozens of tins of baked beans, which would be cheap but very boring after a day or two!

I don't recommend relying on dry pasta or rice as the main part of your emergency food supply. They need to be boiled, which uses water and fuel. If you do keep them, make sure you have a practical way to cook them and enough water available.

It's also worth adding a few treats to your supplies, such as chocolate or sweets. These add variety and can provide a welcome morale boost.

What you need

In an emergency, good hygiene is extremely important, especially if you have limited water supplies and no access to hot water or showers. Wet wipes can help you clean yourself without using up your drinking water. Hand sanitiser can help keep your hands clean when soap and water are unavailable, provided you follow the product instructions.

Practical advice

For a family-sized supply, I recommend starting with one large bottle of hand sanitiser and two packs of wet wipes. Adjust these quantities to suit your household size and needs.

What you need

If you have a baby, make sure you have enough supplies to cover at least three days.

Ready-to-feed infant formula can be useful because it doesn't require mixing with water. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for safe handling and feeding, and make sure you have the appropriate bottles or feeding equipment. Include suitable bottle-cleaning and sterilising supplies if you need them.

Set aside enough nappies for three days of use, along with wet wipes and any other essentials your baby needs.

Practical advice

Consider your baby's individual needs, including formula or food, nappies, wipes, prescribed medicines and suitable feeding equipment. Check expiry dates where relevant and replace supplies as they are used.