The UK government has launched new guidance asking households to hold short-term supplies of water and food to help them manage the immediate effects of serious incidents. The Be Ready campaign recommends keeping up to nine litres of bottled water and sufficient food to last about 72 hours.
Preparedness for a range of threats
The guidance is framed around a widening set of risks officials say could interrupt normal services, including extreme weather linked to the climate crisis, increasing technological dependency that raises the prospect of cyber disruption, and threats posed by hostile states. The aim of the campaign is to ensure that households can cope during the initial period after an emergency when infrastructure and support may be stretched.
Practical measures for households
Under the advice, families are encouraged to assemble basic supplies that will cover roughly three days. The recommendation on water — up to nine litres — and the three-day food target are presented as a minimum buffer that can help households remain self-sufficient if deliveries, power or other services are interrupted.
Government messaging and public response
The Be Ready campaign represents a government push to shift more responsibility for short-term survival preparations onto individuals and households, mirroring resilience advice seen in other countries. Public reaction to such appeals typically varies, with some people already maintaining emergency kits while others regard the measures as an unwelcome burden.
The government says the campaign is intended to be a straightforward step to reduce pressure on emergency services and communities in the immediate aftermath of disruption, although details on any further support measures or funding were not included in the initial guidance.