In the United Kingdom
Plan around your home, nation and local services.
Use UK emergency numbers, nation-specific flood services, weather warnings, utility contacts and an accessible household plan.
Start your UK planPrepare early. Be Ready. Respond calmly.
Be ready for emergencies before they reach your door.
A practical UK plan to be ready for emergencies, including power cuts, floods, severe weather, shortages, evacuation and crises abroad.
No panic buying. No expensive kit list. Start with what you have.
Emergency happening now?Call 999 or 112 if there is immediate danger. Follow genuine alerts and emergency services.Immediate actions
Understand the advice. Make it practical.
UK government Be Ready advice: what it means for your household
The government’s Be Ready campaign recommends preparing for three days of disruption. Start with free actions and things you already own, then add what your household needs over time.
Prepare Now UK is independent. Our explainer links to the official campaign and helps you turn its advice into a checklist and a household plan.
Understand the Be Ready campaignDo these today to be ready
Check your three-day kitFill in your household planPlan for disability, carers and additional needsChoose the right starting point
Where are you preparing?
Be ready at home and abroad with a plan for where you are and who depends on you.
Living or travelling abroad
Prepare to help yourself through a crisis overseas.
British consular support is valuable but limited and discretionary. Keep a departure plan, documents, insurance, funds and country advice.
Open the overseas planOne plan, many emergencies
Be ready and prepare for the disruption, not the headline.
Most emergencies affect the same essentials: information, power, water, food, warmth, medicines, money, travel and contact with other people.
Power cutsBe ready for power cuts: a UK household planFloodingBe ready for flooding: preparation across the four UK nationsFood supplyBe ready for food-supply disruption: build a modest bufferConflict-related disruptionBe ready: national security and conflict-related disruptionAccess and additional needsBe ready: planning for disabled people, carers and additional needsBritish nationals abroadBe ready abroad: understand crisis planning and the limits of consular help.
Services differ by nation
Use the warning service for where you are.
Flood, health and utility services are not identical across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
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Every safety guide shows its official sources and review date.
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