U.K. Survival Kit Brief

Guide and comparison · Updated

72-hour emergency kit for UK homes: what to pack, and the essentials compared

Build your kit around the government's Be Ready list. Start with what you already own, then fill the gaps: water first, then light, a radio, power, first aid and warmth.

  • 9 products on Amazon UK
  • Researched from listings, not tested

The short version

Quick answer

A 72-hour kit should cover 3 litres of drinking water per person per day, no-cook food, a torch, a battery or wind-up radio, a charged power bank, first aid, your medication, cash, warm layers and copies of documents.

Official guidance Benchmark: the government's Be Ready checklist (Oct 2026).

Emergency water

1 product

First aid

2 products

Wind-up torches & radios

2 products

Wind-up torches & radios · PRUNUS

PRUNUS J-369 Wind Up Radio Solar, AM/FM Emergency Hand Crank Radio

  • Torch and radio
  • AM / FM radio
  • Power: wind-up, solar, USB, built-in battery
  • 3,000 mAh battery

AdCheck PRUNUS J-369 on Amazon

Power banks

3 products

Emergency blankets

1 product

Products are listed in the order we added them, not ranked. Details come from each Amazon UK listing and are shown only where the listing states them.

Water: plan 3 litres per person per day

Be Ready advises 3 L of drinking water per person per day for 3 days, with more for cooking and washing. The British Red Cross gives 2.5 to 3 L. Purification tablets and filters treat water you already have; they do not replace stored water.

  • Store sealed water where it stays cool and dark, and note the earliest date.
  • Split it: some in a grab bag, the rest at home.
  • Add extra for babies, pets, hot weather or illness.

Water storage criteria

Drinking water for 3 days at 3 L per person per day
PeopleLitres
19 L
218 L
327 L
436 L
545 L
654 L

Pre-packed or build your own?

Pre-packed kit

  • Done in one order, packed in one bag.
  • Fixed sizes: shared items like a torch and radio don't scale with people.
  • Check the listed water volume against 3 L per person per day; most bags carry far less.
  • You may pay for things you already own.

Build your own

  • Sized to your household, ages, medical needs and pets.
  • Uses food you actually eat, rotated into normal meals.
  • Start with what you own; spread the cost over normal shops.
  • More effort, and easy to leave half-finished.

Our take (editorial guidance, not a test result): build from what you already own, then add the missing pieces, starting with water.

Open the 72-hour checklist

What you add yourself

  • Your essential medication and a written list of it
  • Cash in small notes
  • Copies of important documents
  • Written phone numbers and your household plan
  • Baby supplies: ready-to-feed formula and nappies
  • Pet food and water
  • Spare keys and glasses

Grab bag or home kit?

A grab bag is what you take if you are told to leave home, for example in a flood. A home kit is what you need to stay put through a power cut or storm.

If there is a fire, get out, stay out and call 999. Don’t waste time rescuing valuables (GOV.UK: fire safety in the home).

Packing a leave-home bag

Power cut specifics

  • Call 105 to report a power cut in England, Scotland or Wales.
  • Join the Priority Services Register if someone at home relies on power for medical equipment.
  • Digital landlines may stop working in a power cut: keep a charged mobile.
  • Never use camping stoves, gas heaters or barbecues indoors.

Power cut guide

Storage and rotation

  • Check the kit every 6 months, as Be Ready advises.
  • Note the earliest expiry date on food, water and first-aid items.
  • Recharge power banks and test torches and radios when you check.
  • Keep it somewhere you can reach in the dark: under the stairs, a wardrobe floor or near the door.

How we researched this

  • Researched from listings, not tested. Product details come from each Amazon UK listing. Where a listing does not state something, we leave it out.
  • Shortlist: one category for each Be Ready essential we can buy, from Amazon UK only, matched to the exact product by its ASIN.
  • Benchmark: the Be Ready checklist and British Red Cross guidance. Water need is 3 L × people × 3 days.
  • Prices: shown only when Amazon's own product data supplies them and they are under 24 hours old, with the time they were checked.
  • Commission: it does not affect which products we include or their order.

How we label evidence across the site

Questions

How much water does a 72-hour kit need?

3 litres per person per day for 3 days: 9 litres per person, more for babies, pets and hot weather.

Is a 72-hour kit a legal requirement?

No. Be Ready is government advice to be ready for 3 days of disruption, not a legal duty.

Are grab bags the same as home kits?

No. Grab bags are for leaving home quickly; home kits are for staying put. Many households need both.

Why don't you show a price for every product?

We only show an Amazon price that comes from Amazon's own product data and is less than 24 hours old. Prices change, so check on Amazon.

Sources

Last checked .

Official guidance

Product listings

Amazon UK product pages for each item above, read on 15 November 2026.