UK prepares emergency campaign urging households to keep food and water at home

In recent hours major UK news outlets including The Guardian and The Independent have reported that ministers are preparing to launch a public campaign encouraging households to keep basic emergency supplies, including bottled water and tinned food, at home.

The reports are likely to draw the attention of British residents in Spain who have family, property or other close ties in the UK. However, there is no need to panic, yet. There is currently no warning of an immediate emergency and no instruction to panic buy. The government’s message is about helping households cope for a few days if essential services are disrupted.

The government has confirmed a campaign is coming

The reports follow an official Cabinet Office announcement published on July 14, confirming that a national resilience campaign will launch later this year. It will encourage the public to take simple steps to prepare for risks including severe weather, flooding, cyber attacks and other incidents. Ministers say that better-prepared households can help emergency services concentrate on people who are most vulnerable during a crisis.

The Cabinet Office has also said that government crisis plans are being updated as part of its Home Defence Programme. That work covers a range of possible threats, but it is not a prediction that an attack or national disaster is about to happen.

Food and water advice is already available

The guidance asks households to consider what they would need if a power cut, water outage, flooding or another emergency lasted for several days. Suggested supplies include bottled water, food that does not need cooking, a manual tin opener, a torch, candles, spare batteries, a phone power bank, a battery or wind-up radio and basic first aid supplies. 

It also recommends allowing for at least 2.5 to 3 litres of drinking water per person each day. People should also make sure they have enough regular medication to last several days. Importantly, the advice is not to rush out and buy everything at once and definitely no need to panic-buy toilet paper. Households are encouraged to build up their supplies little by little but when possible.

A quick check worth making from Spain

If you have an older parent or vulnerable relative in UK, it may be worth checking that they have their medication, a torch, enough food and water for a short disruption, and important telephone numbers written somewhere other than on their mobile phone. It is also worth asking whether they know a neighbour who could check on them if phone networks or transport were affected. Having someone nearby who can make contact could be particularly useful for people who live alone or have mobility problems.

Families separated between the UK and Spain may also want to agree on a simple contact plan. People who are older, disabled or medically dependent may be eligible for extra support through their supplier’s Priority Services Register. This allows energy, gas and water providers to identify customers who may need additional assistance during an interruption. Anyone with a second home in Britain should also make sure a trusted neighbour, friend or property manager has up-to-date contact details and knows how to reach the owner if there is a problem at the property.

Prepare calmly, not fearfully

The government has confirmed that the national resilience campaign is coming, but its detailed launch material has not yet been published. The recent reports indicate that advice about keeping basic supplies at home is likely to form part of it.

For Britons living in Spain, there is no reason to panic or start stockpiling food and water. What is advised however is that we check on relatives in the UK, make sure they could manage for a few days if essential services were interrupted, and agree how you would stay in contact if normal communications were affected.