What's inside the Home Prep Kit
Quick answerThe Home Prep Kit contains 18 items: a hand-crank solar radio with torch, rechargeable lantern, head torch, hand-crank mini torch, 24 LED tea lights, 10,000mAh solar power bank, 8 AA batteries, fleece blanket, 4 foil blankets, hot water bottle, hand sanitiser, wet wipes, first aid kit, manual tin opener, waterproof document wallet with contacts card and pencil, printed week-at-home plan, whistle and kit bag.
| Group | Item | What it is for |
|---|---|---|
| Light | Hand-crank solar radio with built-in torch | AM/FM radio you can power by winding, by sunlight or USB. Built-in torch and USB output to top up a phone. |
| Light | Rechargeable LED lantern | USB-C rechargeable, 3 brightness modes. Lights a whole room far more safely than candles. |
| Light | Rechargeable head torch | Hands-free light for cooking, stairs and checking the fuse box. |
| Light | Hand-crank mini torch | No batteries needed, ever. Lives in a drawer for the moment the lights go. |
| Light | LED tea lights (24) | Candle-free mood lighting with no fire risk, for children's rooms and bathrooms. |
| Power | Solar power bank (10,000mAh) | Keeps phones charged for several days; tops up from a sunny window. |
| Power | Spare AA batteries (8) | For the lantern, tea lights or a battery CO alarm. |
| Warmth | Fleece blanket | Large, washable fleece throw for the coldest room in the house. |
| Warmth | Foil emergency blankets (4) | Reflect body heat; layer under a duvet or blanket when the heating is off. |
| Warmth | Hot water bottle with knitted cover | BS 1970 compliant. Fill it whenever you can safely boil water; it holds heat for hours under a duvet. |
| Hygiene | Hand sanitiser gel (100ml) | For when the water is cold or you are rationing it. |
| Hygiene | Wet wipes (80) | Hands, faces and surfaces without running water. |
| Health | First aid kit | Plasters, dressings, gloves and tape in a compact pouch. No medicines. |
| Food | Manual tin opener | Because every food stockpile needs one that works without power. |
| Info | Waterproof document wallet, contacts card and pencil | Keep copies of key documents, phone numbers and medication lists together and dry. |
| Info | Printed 'week at home' plan | Day-by-day guide to staying safe, warm and informed for seven days without power or gas. |
| Signal | Emergency whistle | Loud, 3-tone whistle to attract attention without shouting. |
| Carry | Green kit bag | Everything stored together in one place, ready to grab. |
Optional add-on: battery carbon monoxide alarm
If your home has a gas boiler, gas fire, wood burner or gas cooker, a battery-powered carbon monoxide (CO) alarm keeps working when the power is off. Choose one marked to EN 50291. Never use a barbecue, camping stove or generator indoors.
What we deliberately left out, and why
- Candles and matches. Torches and LED lights are safer, especially with children and pets.
- Camping stoves and gas canisters. Carbon monoxide risk indoors, and gas canisters cannot be posted.
- Medicines. Keep your own regular medication topped up; request repeat prescriptions in good time.
- Food and water. Bulky and personal. The printed plan includes a stock-up list: 3 litres of water per person per day, plus tins and dried food you already eat.
- Knives and tools with blades. Not needed for a week at home, and restricted for delivery.