'Be Ready' campaign urges Britons to stock up to survive 'extreme weather and cyber attacks'

The UK is urging households to stock up enough emergency supplies to survive for three days in a crisis as part of a new campaign to strengthen national resilience.

The "Be Ready" push focuses on the need to be prepared for more familiar emergencies such as floods or wildfires, but also comes as ministers warn about the possibility of war.

Headed by the Cabinet Office, an updated government website advises everyone in the country to consider stocking up on water, non-perishable food, medical and other supplies.

It says people should also keep an amount of physical cash - in case online banking is not possible - as well as a torch and an FM radio, either a wind-up version of battery-powered, along with spare batteries. A power bank would also be useful.

The readiness campaign is set to last for three years.

"Are you emergency ready?" the government asks.

"From severe weather to cyber attacks, emergencies can disrupt the services you rely on.

"Being ready for three days helps you manage while support reaches those in need."

It then shares a "Be Ready checklist" that can be downloaded and sets out what steps people could take to make their household more resilient.

The Be Ready website replaces a previous version that was launched in 2024 and similarly urged the country to be more prepared.

While welcomed by resilience campaigners, the update is not the big fanfare that many within the resilience sector had been anticipating if the government is going to lead the country on to more of a war footing.

It contrasts with much more high-profile efforts by many like-minded NATO allies when it comes to preparing their public for the possibility of conflict.

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The Baltic states and Nordic countries have long spoken bluntly with their citizens about what each household needs to have the best chance of survival in a crisis.

Many of them also have a form of conscription and a large reserve force, as well as volunteers who have some kind of basic training to help bolster national defences.

(c) Sky News 2026: 'Be Ready' campaign urges Britons to stock up to survive 'extreme weather and cyber attacks'