A household continuity plan for longer disruption
Plan essential household tasks, care, supplies and decisions during disruption lasting beyond a few days, without relying on large stockpiles.
The UK reference library
Advanced Preparedness
Explore longer household continuity, organised volunteering, amateur radio, non-drinking rainwater and permanent battery backup.
Full image attribution
Personal organizer book (India, 2026).jpg — Gpkp; CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized and converted to WebP; source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Personal_organizer_book_(India,_2026).jpg
More involved preparedness needs clearer boundaries, not larger promises. A longer disruption may call for shared tasks and alternative arrangements rather than buying more of everything. These guides examine specialist systems and organised participation, including licences, plumbing separation and professionally designed battery backup. Begin with the household continuity plan, identify a specific need and check whether the additional system would genuinely solve it.
Read, plan, practise
5 guides
Community emergency volunteering: useful roles and clear boundaries
Find a suitable emergency volunteering role, ask about training and safeguarding, and understand why coordinated help matters during disruption.
Amateur radio for preparedness: training, licences and realistic limits
Understand UK amateur radio training, Ofcom licensing, realistic range, practice and emergency-volunteering options before buying a transmitter.
Rainwater harvesting for gardens and non-drinking uses
Plan a garden water butt, safe overflow and upkeep. Keep rainwater separate from drinking water and use qualified help for plumbed systems.
.jpg){kind=link}
Will a home battery work in a power cut?
Check whether a permanent home battery supports power-cut backup, which circuits work, runtime limits and questions for a qualified installer.