Low-data edition · Version 1.0.0 · An AidWorkers initiative · Updated 28 August 2026
Low-data UK emergency guide
Not a live alert service. Call 999 or 112 if there is immediate danger. Follow emergency services and genuine UK Emergency Alerts.
Immediate actions
- Fire: get out, stay out and call 999.
- Evacuation: leave promptly by the route given.
- Shelter instruction: go in, stay in and tune in unless the building is unsafe.
- Terrorism or weapons attack: Run, Hide, Tell.
- Flood water: never walk or drive through it.
Useful numbers
- Power cuts in England, Scotland and Wales: 105.
- Power cuts in Northern Ireland: 03457 643643.
- FCDO emergency contact: +44 20 7008 5000 from abroad or 020 7008 5000 within the UK.
First household actions
- Write one out-of-area contact and two meeting points.
- Keep a torch, radio, power bank, batteries and paper contacts together.
- Build a few-days buffer of sealed water, no-cook food, medicines and hygiene supplies.
- Check flood risk and weather warnings for your nation.
- Plan for disabled people, carers, children, pets and assistance animals.
Critical safety limits
- Never use barbecues, camping stoves or generators indoors or in enclosed spaces. Keep generators outdoors at least 6 metres or 20 feet from the building, with exhaust facing away from doors and windows.
- Do not buy or take iodine unless officials direct it for a specific radiation incident.
- Do not delay urgent care or evacuation to finish a checklist.
- Do not treat a risk assessment as a prediction.