"Be Ready": UK urges households to prepare for three days of disruption
On 22 October the Cabinet Office launched "Be Ready", asking households to prepare for three days in which power, water, phone or internet services could be disrupted. We look at the official checklist, the free Priority Services Register and how the advice compares with Lithuania's.
What is new and what is not
The government has published household advice since May 2024. The previous "Prepare" website has new messaging and branding, but "much of the advice has not changed". What is new: this is the first stage of a three-year campaign, and more than 500 organisations have signed up to share the campaign materials.
Security Minister Dan Jarvis said: "Those who can follow this advice should follow this advice."
What the checklist says
The official list at beready.campaign.gov.uk includes:
- bottled water for three days, 3 litres of drinking water per person per day;
- long-life food needing no fridge or cooking, such as tins, dried fruit and nuts;
- a torch and spare batteries (safer than candles);
- an FM radio, battery or wind-up;
- a charged power bank;
- cash (coins and notes) and cards;
- copies of documents such as passports and birth certificates;
- toiletries, blankets, warm clothes, a first aid kit, key phone numbers and a medicines list;
- medicines (order prescriptions up to five working days ahead);
- baby items (formula, nappies), and pet food and water.
Check expiry dates every six months.
Priority Services Register
The PSR is a free service that helps gas, water and electricity companies identify customers who may need extra support in an emergency. Ofgem says eligible groups include people of state pension age, pregnant women, families with young children, disabled people, people with long-term conditions or electrically powered medical equipment, and people who struggle with speaking or reading English. You can join by contacting your energy supplier or your network operator online, in writing or by phone. If your gas and electricity come from different suppliers, contact each one, and ask again if you switch supplier. In Northern Ireland these are called Customer Care Registers.
In a power cut, call 105 in England, Scotland and Wales, or 03457 643643 in Northern Ireland. For Scotland and Northern Ireland, see Ready Scotland and NI Direct.
How prepared are people
As reported by the Mirror on 5 November, a Barclays survey found only 44% say their household has enough food and drinking water for at least three days: 31% of 18 to 34-year-olds and 53% of those aged 55 and over. The article does not give the sample size or method. In a separate 2026 Cabinet Office survey (10,791 respondents, fieldwork between 27 February and 11 May 2026), 60% said they had non-perishable food that needed no cooking for about three days. Questions and timing differ, so the figures are not comparable.
Lithuania: 72 hours
The lt72.lt website is run by Lithuania's Fire and Rescue Department under the Ministry of the Interior (PAGD prie VRM). Its principle is that every resident should be ready to look after themselves and their loved ones independently for at least 72 hours. The Lithuanian page says one person needs 6 litres of water for 72 hours; the UK counts 3 litres of drinking water per day. The English version of lt72.lt gives 12 litres for 72 hours.
What you can do this week
- Buy bottled water and long-life food for three days.
- Check torch, batteries, power bank.
- Copy your passport and documents.
- Note down 105 (03457 643643 in Northern Ireland) and key numbers.
- Check your PSR eligibility.
- Set a six-monthly expiry reminder.
Based on: the Cabinet Office press release (22 October 2026); the Be Ready checklist; Ofgem's page on the PSR; the Mirror article via AOL (5 November 2026); the Cabinet Office 2026 survey findings; the LT72 website; LT72's food supplies page (Lithuanian); LT72's English-language page.
Republication must credit Londonozinios.com as the source.
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