UK urges households to prepare supplies for three days of disruption

The UK government is urging households to keep enough food, water and other essentials to last three days, saying supplies at home could help people manage if severe weather or cyber-attacks disrupt services.

The advice is part of its new Be Ready campaign. Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said it was not prompted by a particular piece of intelligence, but was intended to strengthen national resilience. He also cited risks to supply chains from hostile states or terrorists.

The checklist includes bottled water and food that does not perish quickly, as well as wet wipes, a torch and cash. The government also advises people who need medication to keep an extra supply where possible. The campaign updates earlier household guidance, which also recommends building up supplies gradually and adapting preparations to what each household can manage.

Disaster-planning expert Lucy Easthope said having essential medication at home could reduce the need for emergency crews to find a pharmacist during a crisis. She has argued for a public preparedness campaign for about 16 years, according to the BBC.

The advice has prompted questions about whether households can store enough water and whether the warnings risk causing alarm. Some people interviewed by the BBC described stocking up, while others questioned whether the supplies would be needed. Easthope suggested the campaign may have been rushed out ahead of Storm Austen; that was her speculation, not the government’s stated reason for the timing.

The UK guidance calls for three days of supplies. Easthope said France advises households to keep 72 hours’ worth of food, while Germany recommends supplies for 10 days. The BBC report also notes that the UK advice is similar to guidance issued by the previous government.