Why this exists
The government relaunched its household preparedness advice as Be Ready in October 2026. In its own 2026 survey, 13% of UK adults said their household was largely or totally prepared for an emergency. The advice is good, but it's written for a generic household and a reader with time. This site is for people fitting preparedness around work, school runs, pets and an older parent who insists they're fine.
The rules I write to: free actions come before purchases, and supermarket food comes before specialist food. Everything uses UK guidance, phone numbers and shops. Nothing here should look out of place in a Which? article, and nothing is written to scare you.
How this site makes money
Some links on this site are affiliate links, and every one of them is marked ad and sits on a page that says so at the top before you reach any link. If you click one and buy something, I earn a small commission from the retailer. It costs you nothing extra and it doesn't change what I recommend. Several of the most useful things on this site, such as registering on the Priority Services Register, keeping some cash and filling the bath, earn me nothing at all, and I put them first.
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
I don't link medicines or show prices that go stale. I don't take payment to feature products, and I don't accept free products for review. If I add other UK retailers' affiliate programmes in future, their links will be marked the same way.
Where the facts come from
- gov.uk Be Ready and its October 2026 checklist
- The Cabinet Office's 2026 public survey of risk perception and preparedness
- The Priority Services Register, Ofcom on the digital landline switchover, NHS prescribing guidance
- Save the Children UK, PDSA, the RSPCA, Carers UK, UKHSA cold and heat guidance
- The ENTSO-E factual report on the 28 April 2025 Iberian blackout
Each page lists its own sources in the sidebar. If I've got something wrong, tell me and I'll fix it.
What this site is not
General preparedness information for UK households. Not medical advice: read the label, ask a pharmacist, ask the GP about prescriptions. Not legal or financial advice. Not a substitute for your water company, your network operator or 999.
Contact
Email hello [at] larderandlantern.co.uk. Dead links and better products welcome.
On X, the site's voice is Prepper Potts (@prepperpottsuk). The account is coming soon; until then, email is the way to reach me.