Emergency planning for your household

Build a household plan around the people who live with you, the support they use and the practical steps that would help them during a disruption. Record contacts, medicines, mobility needs, children’s routines, pet care and meeting arrangements, then ask each person what they want included.

How do I start a household plan?

Begin with a conversation rather than a checklist. Ask who lives at home, who visits regularly, what support people already use and which changes would make a disruption harder. Include the person concerned in decisions whenever possible. A plan should respect privacy and independence while making practical help easier to arrange.

Write down the household's essential contacts, meeting point and a way to share updates if phones or internet are unavailable. Include a relative, neighbour or support person only with their agreement. Keep contact information current and let each person know where the paper copy is stored.

Make a short inventory of medicines, care instructions, mobility aids, glasses, hearing aids, communication devices and any equipment that needs power. Do not record more sensitive information than helpers need. Store clinical details securely and follow the person's existing care plan.

Identify what may change if water, electricity, transport, heating or communications are interrupted. A household member may have a different route to work, regular treatment or a scheduled care visit. Make a note of who to contact if an appointment, delivery or support service cannot happen as usual.

The household plan tool can organise contacts and household prompts. Keep an offline copy so the plan remains available if a phone battery is low or internet service fails.

How do I include different needs?

Do not assume that people with the same label or age need the same support. Ask what works in the person's own routine. Someone who uses a wheelchair may want to identify an accessible exit and a trusted helper; another person may prefer that emergency services handle assistance. Record the person's chosen method and update it when circumstances change.

Communication needs may be easy to miss. Write down the best way to contact someone who is deaf, hard of hearing, blind, has low vision, uses a communication aid or needs information in another language or format. Keep a charged device if it is part of the person's usual communication, and identify a backup method.

Consider the building as well as the household. A lift may stop during a power cut, a shared entrance may lock, or a rented property may have a building manager who holds important information. Ask the landlord, housing association or building manager about safe arrangements. Do not alter communal equipment or assume that a neighbour can provide assistance.

Children and adults may respond differently to changes in routine. Agree on a simple meeting point and a trusted contact. Keep reassuring information clear and age appropriate. Practise the normal safe route without simulating a frightening event or asking a child to manage an adult responsibility.

How can I help an older relative?

Ask the relative what they want help with and what they already manage independently. A practical check-in may cover charged phones, medicines, heating, food, water and transport. Agree who will call, what time to call and what to do if there is no answer. Avoid assuming that a missed call means an emergency, but agree a clear next step.

Check whether routine services can contact the person by another route during an interruption. Keep a list of care providers, pharmacy details, transport contacts and important appointment numbers. Make sure the relative can reach the list and understands how to use it. Get consent before sharing personal details with a neighbour or family group.

Mobility equipment and home adaptations may depend on electricity. Ask the equipment supplier or relevant care service what to do if a lift, adjustable bed or other device stops working. Do not attempt to move someone using equipment in a way that has not been taught. If there is immediate danger, contact emergency services.

Older people may have specific medicine storage, hydration or dietary needs. A pharmacist, GP or clinician can advise on individual questions. Keep medicines in original packaging and do not change doses to make them last longer. The guide to helping older relatives includes check-in and support prompts.

What if someone relies on powered equipment?

Contact the equipment supplier and clinician to make a plan for interruptions. Ask about approved batteries, alarms, charging, alternative equipment, and what to do if the power source fails. Write down the exact model and supplier contact route. Do not rely on a general-purpose battery or power station unless the equipment maker confirms that it is suitable.

Ask the electricity supplier or network operator about the Priority Services Register. Registration can help a provider understand a household's support needs, but the service and available assistance differ. Confirm what information is recorded and how to keep it up to date. Also ask the water supplier about its own support arrangements if water access is important to the household.

Agree a backup plan for a low battery, alarm or equipment failure. Identify where to go, whom to call and what to take. Include the person's clinician or care team in decisions about moving, treatment or changes to the normal routine. If someone becomes acutely unwell, call 999 for an emergency or use NHS 111 for urgent advice.

The medical equipment and power cuts guide provides questions for a supplier or clinician. The Priority Services Register guide explains how to find the relevant energy and water contacts.

How should I plan for babies and children?

Keep the child's familiar care information together, including relevant contacts, allergies, medicines and comfort needs. Ask a health visitor, midwife, GP or clinician about infant feeding and storage requirements. Do not guess formula amounts or preparation steps. Follow the product label and current health advice for safe preparation.

For nappies, clothing and hygiene items, consider the child's current size and routine, but do not use an assumed quantity as a universal rule. Keep the supplies that the child already uses and review them as they grow. Store any medicine or feeding equipment according to its instructions.

Tell children who to contact and where to meet if household members become separated. Keep the instruction simple and repeat it calmly. A familiar toy, book or comfort item can help make an unexpected wait easier, provided it does not make a bag too heavy or slow departure.

Plan who can collect a child from school or childcare if a parent is delayed. Keep authorised pickup details current with the provider and make sure the chosen adult knows the arrangement. The baby emergency kit guide has prompts for household supplies and care contacts, and the household plan tool can record who to call.

How do I include pets?

Record the vet's contact details, medication instructions and a safe way to transport each animal. Keep a lead, harness, carrier or travel crate where it can be reached. Use the animal's normal food when possible and ask a vet about suitable quantities and storage. The site does not set a food or water allowance for pets.

Choose a person who can help with the animal if the owner is away or unable to return home. Agree how that person can enter the home, where the supplies are and how to contact the vet. Keep identification details current and consider how you will reunite with the animal if you are separated.

Check likely destinations before an emergency. A temporary accommodation provider may have restrictions on animals, and a public reception point may not be able to care for every pet. Agree a backup with a trusted person or boarding service. The pet emergency kit guide helps organise these choices for dogs and cats.

Which contacts and documents matter?

A short contact sheet may be more useful than a large folder. Include people who can help, the relevant care providers, utility suppliers and the landlord or building manager where needed. Add account reference information only when necessary and store it securely. Do not put passwords, payment card details or sensitive medical information on a sheet carried in a public bag.

Decide which documents would be useful if you need to contact an insurer, landlord, bank, school or care provider. Keep copies in a secure place and protect digital versions with account security. Avoid carrying original documents unless there is a specific reason. Review access permissions when a family or care arrangement changes.

Keep a separate list of medicines and allergies if the person wants one. Include the prescriber, pharmacy and instructions needed by a carer. Do not include more than necessary, and do not leave the information where visitors can casually see it.

The documents and cash guide covers copies, privacy and small practical details. The grab bag builder can help organise items for leaving home, while the home kit builder focuses on supplies for staying at home.

How do I record and review the plan?

Write instructions in plain language and keep them short enough to use under pressure. State who will do each task, where the required item is and who to contact if the plan cannot be followed. Make a second copy available to a trusted support person with the household's permission.

Review the plan when medicines, equipment, school or care arrangements change. Check phone numbers, meeting points and service registrations. Make sure each household member knows where to find the relevant information. A plan that only one person understands is difficult to use if that person is away.

Check practical items such as spare glasses, charger type, hearing aid batteries, mobility aid charging and pet carriers. Follow instructions for medicines and equipment. Do not store items in a way that exposes them to heat, damp or children.

Three useful steps are to ask each person what help they would want, write down essential contact routes and agree a check-in method. Then use the tools to make a printable household record. Keep the plan proportionate and change it when real circumstances change.

Where do support services differ?

The Priority Services Register is managed by energy suppliers and networks, and water companies have their own support arrangements. The registration route and assistance can vary by provider and nation. Contact the organisations serving your address, ask what support they offer and make sure the details are accurate.

In England, use Ofgem and the relevant supplier or network for energy guidance. In Wales, contact the energy supplier, local network and water company that serve the household. In Scotland, check the energy provider and Scottish Water's support information. In Northern Ireland, contact NIE Networks and Northern Ireland Water. Do not assume that one provider's registration automatically covers another service.

Local authorities, health services and emergency services also have different roles. Use the relevant council and NHS service for local support, and follow current instructions during an incident. A national guide cannot confirm that a particular service is available at a specific address.

For urgent health concerns, contact the person's clinician or use NHS 111. Call 999 when there is immediate danger. If someone is missing or at risk, follow police and emergency service instructions.

Common questions

Related guides

Use the household plan tool, grab bag builder and home kit builder to record different parts of the plan.

Sources

• Ofgem Priority Services Register guidance
• Energy Networks Association information about extra help
• Priority Services Register information
• NHS urgent medical help guidance
• Northern Ireland health and social care information
• UK Government public service information

Sources checked 30 October 2026.

Reviewed by the PrepperReady team, 30 October 2026.