The government's new Cabinet Office resilience campaign urges UK households to keep basic supplies such as tinned food and bottled water to cope with disruptions from extreme weather to cyberattacks. Alongside a supply kit, a financial safety net of 3 to 6 months of essential costs is the money-side equivalent of being prepared, together with a small cash reserve for power cuts.
TL;DR · LAST REVIEWED The government's new Cabinet Office resilience campaign urges UK households to keep basic supplies such as tinned food and bottled water to cope with disruptions from extreme weather to cyberattacks. Alongside a supply kit, a financial safety net of 3 to 6 months of essential costs is the money-side equivalent of being prepared, together with a small cash reserve for power cuts.
- The Cabinet Office is launching a national resilience campaign urging households to keep basic emergency supplies.
- Recommended basics include long-life tinned food, bottled drinking water, a torch, a battery or wind-up radio and a power bank.
- The aim is household resilience for the early stages of a crisis - not a warning that any specific emergency is imminent.
- On the money side, an emergency fund of 3 to 6 months of essential costs is the standard financial safety net.
- Keep some cash at home: card and ATM systems can fail in a power cut or cyber incident.
- Check home and contents insurance covers flood and accidental damage, and keep key documents accessible.
KEY FACTS
- The Cabinet Office is launching a national resilience campaign urging households to keep basic emergency supplies.
- Recommended basics include long-life tinned food, bottled drinking water, a torch, a battery or wind-up radio and a power bank.
- The aim is household resilience for the early stages of a crisis - not a warning that any specific emergency is imminent.
- On the money side, an emergency fund of 3 to 6 months of essential costs is the standard financial safety net.
- Keep some cash at home: card and ATM systems can fail in a power cut or cyber incident.
- Check home and contents insurance covers flood and accidental damage, and keep key documents accessible.
What the government is advising and why
The Cabinet Office is launching a national resilience campaign urging UK households to keep basic emergency supplies such as long-life tinned food, bottled drinking water, a torch, a battery or wind-up radio and a power bank. The aim is to help households cope in the early stages of disruptions ranging from flooding and extreme weather to cyberattacks. It is a message about general resilience, not a warning that any specific emergency is imminent.
The campaign asks households to hold these basics so they can manage for a short period if services are interrupted. The focus is on being prepared for the early phase of a crisis, before full support arrives. Officials stress the advice is about building resilience against a range of possible disruptions, including power cuts and severe weather, rather than responding to a particular threat.
The guidance is part of a wider push to encourage people to think ahead. By keeping a small stock of essentials, households can reduce pressure on emergency services and their own stress during an incident. The advice is deliberately practical and low-cost, aimed at making preparedness a normal part of home life.
The household emergency kit
A practical emergency kit should cover the basics for staying safe, warm, informed and connected for a few days. The recommended items are inexpensive and easy to store, and they can make a significant difference if you are cut off from shops, power or communications.
Here is a checklist of what to keep at home:
- Long-life tinned food and a manual tin opener
- Bottled drinking water
- A torch with spare batteries
- A wind-up or battery-powered radio
- A phone power bank
- A basic first aid kit
- Any regular prescription medicines
- Warm layers and blankets
- Copies of key documents, such as insurance policies and identification
Store items in a place everyone in the household knows about, and check expiry dates on food, water and batteries every few months. The kit does not need to be large; the aim is to cover the early stages of a disruption, not to sustain a household for weeks.
The money side - your financial safety net
An emergency fund of 3 to 6 months of essential outgoings is the standard financial safety net. This money should sit in an instant-access savings account, separate from your current account, so that an unexpected shock does not force you into debt.
Essential outgoings mean the costs you cannot avoid: rent or mortgage, food, energy bills, council tax, insurance and any debt repayments. Work out a monthly figure for these, then multiply by three to six to set your target. Even a smaller amount is a useful starting point; the goal is to build up gradually.
Keeping this money separate from your everyday account reduces the temptation to spend it. An instant-access account means you can withdraw without notice or penalty, which is important in a genuine emergency. The fund is not for planned expenses or discretionary spending; it exists to cover the essentials if your income stops or a large unexpected bill arrives.
Cash and payments in a crisis
Card terminals, ATMs and online banking can fail during a power cut or cyber incident. Keeping a modest amount of cash at home means you can still buy essentials if electronic payments are unavailable.
Decide on a sensible amount based on your circumstances, and keep it in small denominations so it is easy to use. Store it somewhere safe but accessible, and tell a trusted household member where it is. Cash should be part of your wider emergency kit, not a substitute for a savings fund.
It is also worth knowing your account details offline. If you cannot access online banking, having your sort code, account number and a note of any direct debits or standing orders written down can help you manage payments or speak to your bank. Keep this information somewhere secure but not with your card or PIN.
Insurance and documents
Check that your home and contents insurance covers flood and accidental damage, and keep key documents somewhere you can grab quickly. Photographing valuables and storing insurance, identification and medical details together can speed up a claim and reduce stress after an incident.
Many standard policies do not automatically include flood cover, so check your terms or ask your provider. If you live in a flood-risk area, this is especially important. Contents insurance should cover the cost of replacing belongings, but check the limits for high-value items such as laptops or bicycles.
Keep a physical or digital record of your insurance policy numbers, emergency contact details and any medical information. A folder or a sealed bag near your emergency kit works well. Photographing rooms and individual valuables provides evidence if you need to claim, and storing these images in a separate location, such as a cloud service or with a relative, protects them from damage.
What is the UK government's emergency prep advice?
A Cabinet Office resilience campaign asks households to keep basic supplies such as tinned food and bottled water so they can cope in the early stages of a crisis.
Is the government warning of a specific emergency?
No. The campaign is about general household resilience for disruptions like flooding, extreme weather and cyberattacks, not a prediction that an attack or disaster is imminent.
How big should my emergency fund be?
A common guide is 3 to 6 months of essential outgoings, kept in an instant-access savings account separate from your everyday money.
Why keep cash at home?
Card terminals, ATMs and online banking can fail in a power cut or cyber incident, so a small cash reserve helps you buy essentials.
What should be in a household emergency kit?
Long-life food and water, a torch and batteries, a wind-up or battery radio, a phone power bank, first aid and medicines, warm layers and copies of key documents.
DISCLAIMER
This article is editorial information, not financial advice. Kael Tripton Ltd is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Figures were correct at the last review date shown above; verify current rates and rules with the primary sources listed below before acting.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK government's emergency prep advice?
A Cabinet Office resilience campaign asks households to keep basic supplies such as tinned food and bottled water so they can cope in the early stages of a crisis.
Is the government warning of a specific emergency?
No. The campaign is about general household resilience for disruptions like flooding, extreme weather and cyberattacks, not a prediction that an attack or disaster is imminent.
How big should my emergency fund be?
A common guide is 3 to 6 months of essential outgoings, kept in an instant-access savings account separate from your everyday money.
Why keep cash at home?
Card terminals, ATMs and online banking can fail in a power cut or cyber incident, so a small cash reserve helps you buy essentials.
What should be in a household emergency kit?
Long-life food and water, a torch and batteries, a wind-up or battery radio, a phone power bank, first aid and medicines, warm layers and copies of key documents.
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