Household preparedness
Knowledge Centre
Practical guides for the things you rely on every day.
Start with a subject that matters to you. Find a clear explanation, work through a task or keep a checklist to hand. You can take it one step at a time.
Power & Energy
Explore this area in PrepareHow-to guide
Make a practical plan for a power cut
Work out what you need first when the electricity stops, arrange support for essential equipment and keep a way to get updates.
For people preparing their home for a loss of mains electricity, including those arranging support for someone else.
Connected reading
Water & Sanitation
Explore this area in PrepareHow-to guide
Prepare for an interruption to your water supply
Think through drinking, meals and washing, keep suitable water available and know where to find instructions if the supply stops or is unsafe.
For homes normally supplied by a water company; private-supply users also need the arrangements for their own supply.
Connected reading
Food & Cooking
Explore this area in PrepareHow-to guide
Keep useful food for disrupted days
Choose familiar meals you can manage when shopping or cooking is disrupted, rotate what you keep and know where to check food-safety advice.
For people planning ordinary household meals when shopping, cooking or refrigeration may be interrupted.
Connected reading
Communications & Information
Explore this area in PrepareHow-to guide
Stay in touch when phone or internet services fail
Keep important contacts and reliable information within reach when home broadband, a mobile network or a digital landline is unavailable.
For anyone whose everyday calls, messages and information depend on a phone or home internet connection.
Connected reading
Warmth & Shelter
Explore this area in PrepareHow-to guide
Get your home ready for colder weather
Check everyday warmth, heating arrangements and safe use of extra heaters before cold weather makes small problems harder to manage.
For people preparing an ordinary home for cold weather, including those who rent or find heating costs difficult.
How-to guide
Prepare your home for hot weather
Plan a cooler place at home, keep everyday essentials usable and agree help before hot weather makes ordinary tasks harder.
For people getting an ordinary UK home ready for hot weather, including renters and households with limited space, money or help.
Connected reading
Health & First Aid
Explore this area in PrepareHow-to guide
Keep regular medicines and care within reach
Plan repeat prescriptions, useful contacts and equipment support so a disruption is less likely to interrupt ordinary care.
For people taking regular prescribed medicines, using medical equipment or helping someone with day-to-day care.
How-to guide
Get started with first-aid learning at home
Find recognised first-aid learning that fits your household, make supplies easy to find and understand what an awareness session does and does not provide.
For people starting or returning to first-aid learning for everyday life at home, including parents, carers and people living alone.
Connected reading
Safety & Security
Explore this area in PrepareHow-to guide
Check your fire warnings and escape arrangements
Check that fire warnings suit the people in your home, understand the right escape plan for your building and make simple prevention checks.
For people checking domestic fire arrangements; the correct plan depends on the building and the people living in it.
Connected reading
Mobility & Evacuation
Explore this area in PrepareHow-to guide
Plan for a disrupted journey or a delayed return home
Work out your options if travel is delayed or unsafe, keep essential information available and agree arrangements for people who rely on you.
For people travelling by foot, public transport or car, especially when someone depends on their return.
How-to guide
Prepare to leave home temporarily
Agree where you could stay, who might need help and which essentials matter, while keeping emergency instructions ahead of any household plan.
For people making arrangements before an incident, including those who live alone, share a home or help someone with care or travel.
Connected reading
Documents & Finance
Explore this area in PrepareHow-to guide
Keep important records accessible and secure
Make useful copies, protect digital access and check that you could recover essential records without relying on one phone or device.
For people organising household records and access to essential accounts, whether they mainly use paper or digital services.
Connected reading
Planning & Continuity
Explore this area in PrepareHow-to guide
Make a household plan you can actually use
Agree contacts, meeting arrangements and support needs in a short plan that fits your household and is easy to find when routines change.
For people living alone, with others or with caring responsibilities who want a simple shared plan for disruption.