Emergency Supply List: What the UK, Sweden and Ready.gov Each Tell Families to Keep
The emergency supply list from three governments, side by side: UK Be Ready, Sweden's home checklist and Ready.gov. What overlaps, what differs.
Every government that hands out an emergency supply list is trying to answer the same question: what should a household have on hand so it can manage on its own for a while when normal services stop? Three of them have published current versions that are easy to read and easy to compare.
United Kingdom: the government's Be Ready campaign checklist, updated in October 2026.
Sweden: the home preparedness checklists in the brochure *In case of crisis or war* (June 2026 edition), published by the Swedish Civil Defence and Resilience Agency (MCF, formerly MSB), plus the agency's own home preparedness page.
United States: the Ready.gov Build A Kit page, last updated July 1, 2026.
None of these lists is better in every way. Each one reflects what that country expects to go wrong and how long it expects help to take. Reading them side by side shows where they agree, where they differ, and what an American family can borrow from the other two.
How long each list asks you to last
This is the biggest difference, and it is not the number most people expect.
UK (Be Ready)
Sweden (MCF)
US (Ready.gov)
Stated target
3 days
At least one week
"Several days"
Water
3 litres per person per day for drinking
At least 3 litres a day, mainly for drinking and cooking
One gallon per person per day, for drinking and sanitation
Food
Non-perishable food for 3 days
Filling, energy-rich food that stores at room temperature
At least a several-day supply of non-perishable food
Check it
Every six months
Check stored water once or twice a year
Re-think needs every year
The UK site says "being ready for 3 days helps you manage while support reaches those in need." Sweden's agency says households contribute to collective preparedness if they can manage on their own for at least one week. Its own Q&A explains why: 72 hours is the figure US and Canadian authorities have used, Sweden's government moved to a one-week recommendation in 2020, and the agency adds that "72 hours is, of course, better than nothing."
Ready.gov's current kit page does not give a fixed number of days. It says you may need to survive on your own for "several days" and asks for food, water and supplies to match. Many people still quote "3 days" for the US, but that is not what the page says today.
Ready.gov's water figure is the most generous of the three. A US gallon is about 3.8 litres, and it is meant to cover sanitation as well as drinking. The UK's 3 litres is for drinking only, and the UK site says more would be needed for cooking and washing.
Item by item: what each list includes
Water and food
UK: bottled water, plus non-perishable food that doesn't need refrigeration or cooking, such as tinned meat, fish or vegetables, dried fruit and nuts. "It's best to buy food you'd usually eat."
Sweden: water containers or buckets with lids, bottled water, and a long food list sorted into groups:
US: at least a several-day supply of non-perishable food, plus a manual can opener.
Sweden is the only one of the three that tells you to pick food that "requires very little water" or can be eaten immediately. That's a useful filter, because water you spend cooking is water you can't drink.
Light, heat and warmth
UK: a torch and spare batteries ("torches are safer than candles"), plus blankets, sleeping bags and warm clothing, because "homes can become cold very quickly when the heating goes off."
Sweden: warm clothing, blankets and sleeping bags. It also lists alternative heat sources that don't need electricity, such as a gas or paraffin heater, along with candles, matches and a fire extinguisher. Its advice is to open a window for fresh air and switch heat sources off before sleeping.
US: a flashlight, extra batteries, and a sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person. A fire extinguisher and matches in a waterproof container are on the "additional" list.
On indoor heat, US guidance is stricter than Sweden's. Ready.gov says never to use a gas stove or oven to heat your home, and to run generators, camp stoves and charcoal grills only outdoors, at least 20 feet from windows. CDC says not to use portable gas camp stoves or flameless chemical heaters indoors. Any fuel-burning heat source indoors needs a working carbon monoxide alarm. Our generator and carbon monoxide safety guide covers the details.
Staying informed
UK: an FM radio (battery or wind-up). Write down the frequencies of the stations you use for news.
Sweden: a radio powered by batteries, solar or a crank, extra batteries, a charged power bank, a car phone charger, and important numbers written on paper.
US: a battery-powered or hand-crank radio *and* a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert, plus a cell phone with chargers and a backup battery.
The NOAA Weather Radio is the one item only the US list has. It can wake you up for a warning in the middle of the night, which a regular radio can't. We explain how they work in our NOAA weather radio guide.
Money, documents and phone numbers
UK: cash in a mix of coins and notes, plus cards. Printed copies of IDs, insurance details "and instructions for any medical equipment you rely on". A written list of emergency contacts "including anyone who might need checking on", and your regular medications and doses.
Sweden: around 1,000 Swedish kronor in cash per adult, in mixed denominations, plus other ways to pay. A paper list of numbers for family, neighbours, the hospital, the municipality, emergency services and your energy provider.
US: cash, and copies of important documents such as insurance policies, ID and bank records, saved electronically or in a waterproof, portable container.
Medical, hygiene and sanitation
UK: a first aid kit, essential medication and medical supplies, plus hand sanitiser, wet wipes and bathroom products. The UK site advises ordering repeat prescriptions up to five working days before you need them.
Sweden: a home pharmacy and first aid kit, plus a full section on toilets. If water stops, you can't flush, so it lists plastic or garbage bags, a bucket with a lid, compost litter or sawdust, and toilet paper.
US: a first aid kit, a dust mask, moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation, plus soap, sanitizer, prescription and non-prescription medicines, and glasses or contact solution on the additional list.
Babies and pets
UK: baby formula, with a specific note: ready-made or ready-to-feed formula is best, "as you may not be able to boil water to make up powdered formula safely." Also nappies, wipes, pet food and bottled water for pets.
Sweden: infant formula and baby food in the food list, and diapers in the toilet list.
US: infant formula, bottles, diapers, wipes and diaper rash cream, plus pet food and extra water.
Tools and shelter supplies
Only the US list includes a whistle, plastic sheeting, scissors and duct tape for sheltering in place, a wrench or pliers to turn off utilities, and local maps. Sweden lists a camping stove, a tin opener, a headlamp, and games and books. The US list also has books, games and puzzles for children.
What each list does best
The UK list is the easiest to start. It tells you to check your cupboards first, note what your household relies on, buy missing items during regular shopping, and set a reminder every six months. It also tells you to swap contact details with neighbours and talk about what you could share in an outage.
Sweden's list is the most complete for a long outage. It is the only one that plans for a week, talks about food that needs little water, and treats the toilet as a real problem to solve. Sweden also tells people who can't store a full week to "do what you can," starting with a cheap battery radio, some extra food, written phone numbers and a few bottles of water.
The US list is the strongest on gear. It has the most water per person, the NOAA alert radio, sheltering supplies, and the reminder to keep kits at work and in the car as well as at home. Ready.gov says to be prepared to shelter at work for at least 24 hours.
What a US family can take from all three
Ready.gov is the baseline. Each of these steps builds on it, using an idea one of the other lists already proves out.
Aim past "several days." The American Red Cross says to store non-perishable food and water for at least two weeks for a power outage. Sweden aims for a week. If you're starting from zero, build to three days first, then a week. Our 72-hour survival kit guide covers that first stage.
Keep the gallon-a-day water target. It's more than either European list, and it covers washing. To work out what that means for your household, see how much water to store per person.
Pick food that needs little or no water. Use Sweden's filter: things you can eat cold, or cook fast with almost no water. Use the UK's rule too: buy what you already eat.
Add a toilet plan. A bucket with a lid, heavy bags and some sawdust or cat litter cost little and solve a problem that the basic US list only partly covers.
Use ready-to-feed formula for babies. If you have an infant, the UK's reasoning applies anywhere: you may not be able to boil water safely.
Write your numbers on paper. Include your utility's outage line, family contacts, your medications and doses, and anyone who might need checking on. Both European lists ask for this, and a dead phone can't show you its contacts.
Set a six-month check. Swap out expiring food, test batteries, and update the kit when your household changes.
Talk to the neighbors. Two of the three lists tell you to work out with neighbours what you could share. In the US, that starts with knowing who on your street lives alone or relies on powered medical equipment.
UK Government, Be Ready campaign, "Be ready for emergencies" and the Be Ready checklist (beready.campaign.gov.uk), checked October 24, 2026.
Swedish Civil Defence and Resilience Agency (MCF), *In case of crisis or war*, English edition, publication MCF0180, June 2026; and "Basics of home preparedness" (mcf.se).
Ready.gov, Build A Kit (ready.gov/kit), last updated July 1, 2026; Ready.gov Power Outages.
American Red Cross, Power Outage Safety.
CDC, Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Basics.
FAQ
Does Ready.gov still say 3 days?
The current Build A Kit page says "several days" and doesn't give a fixed number. Older materials and many other sources still use 72 hours.
How much water does each country recommend?
The UK says 3 litres per person per day for drinking. Sweden says at least 3 litres a day, mainly for drinking and cooking. Ready.gov says one gallon per person per day, for drinking and sanitation.
Why does Sweden say one week?
The Swedish government set a one-week recommendation for households in 2020. The agency says a week gives society time to gather resources and manage the situation.
What is the one thing most US kits are missing?
Usually a plan for the toilet when water stops, and phone numbers written on paper. Both cost almost nothing.
*Written by Mike Sasarak, a union electrical lineman with 22+ years on the job. He sees how power actually fails, and what families need when it does, on ordinary workdays, not just big name disasters.*