Short answer: no. As far as we can find, there's no scheme sending free survival kits or emergency kits to UK households. The government's guidance is advice. It asks every household to put together its own supplies so you can look after yourselves for a few days if the power, water or phone network goes down.
If you've seen posts or adverts suggesting a free government kit is on its way, treat them with caution, and never hand over bank details to claim one.
What the government is actually asking you to do
The government's preparedness guidance (search "Prepare" on GOV.UK) asks households to be ready to cope on their own for around three days in an emergency such as a long power cut, severe flooding, storms or a problem with the water supply. It isn't about any one threat. It's the same basic kit whatever happens.
The checklist that's been widely reported covers:
- Bottled water
- Non-perishable food that doesn't need cooking
- A tin opener
- A battery or wind-up torch
- A battery or wind-up radio
- Spare batteries
- A portable power bank
- A first aid kit
- Hand sanitiser and wet wipes
- Baby supplies, if you need them
It's also worth keeping copies of important documents, a written list of phone numbers and any regular medicines somewhere you can grab them.
How much water and food do you need?
For drinking, plan on about 3 litres per person per day. For a family of four over three days that's 36 litres, before you add a little for cooking and washing. Water is heavy, so most people store it in a couple of 20 litre containers rather than lots of small bottles.
For food, think in "food days": breakfast, lunch, dinner and a snack for each person. Tins and pantry staples keep for years. If you have a way to heat water safely, freeze-dried meals make dinners far more appealing, and the first day should be food you can eat straight from the packet.
The bit nobody tells you: it adds up
None of these items is expensive on its own, but buying them separately means a lot of decisions. How many torches? Which radio? Enough gas for how many meals? What about the kids, the over-70s, the dog? That's usually where good intentions stall.
The quick way to get it done
That's why we built Well Prepared. Tell us who lives with you and how many days you want to cover, and we work out the quantities and pack everything into one tough case:
- Food for every day, with recipe cards
- Gas stove and enough cartridges for every hot meal
- Wind-up radio, LED torches, batteries and a power bank
- First aid kit, paracetamol and ibuprofen
- Foil emergency blankets
- Document wallet, contacts card and a printed guide anyone can follow
We also tell you exactly how much water to store for your household, and email you before anything in the box expires.
Build your box in under a minute →
Quick answers
Is there a free government emergency kit in the UK?
We're not aware of one. The guidance asks households to build their own kit.
How many days should an emergency kit cover?
The current advice is to be ready for about three days. Some people, especially in rural areas, choose a week.
What's the difference between an emergency kit and a grab bag?
A home emergency kit is for staying put through a power cut or other disruption. A grab bag is a small bag you take with you if you have to leave home quickly. Many households have both.