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Prep Britain

Start where you are

What's happening right now?

See every situation guide

Pick your situation

5 scenarios
  • The power's off Fridge, heat and the first hour
  • No water from the tap How much to store, what's safe Coming soonSoon
  • Flooding near me Reading the warning, first moves Coming soonSoon
  • A storm is coming The hour before, the day after Coming soonSoon
  • The shops are empty What matters in the first fortnight Coming soonSoon

Start here

The power's off. Here's the order to do things in.

All situation guides
A UK terraced street at dusk during a power cut, with dark streetlights and one window lit by a torch

Most UK power cuts are back on within a few hours. Our first guide takes you from the first minute to the morning after. Do these three things first:

  1. Find a torch (not a candle)Candles cause most power-cut house fires.
  2. Check your trip switchesIf your neighbours have lights, the fault is probably inside your home.
  3. Leave the fridge shutClosed, a full freezer holds for hours. Opened, far less.

Next up: no water from the tap, flooding, storms and empty shops.

Kit and money

What it costs, honestly

Prices checked September 2026
Typical UK prices for power-cut kit, and when you can skip each item
WhatSkip it if…Typical UK price
Torch and head torch (AA) you already own one that works £12–£25
Two 10 L water containers you keep 4 L bottles spare £16–£30
Battery or wind-up radio you'd rely on a phone and a car radio £25–£60
20,000 mAh power bank you have a charged laptop £22–£45