Safe, Secure & Ready to Go
Low-cost security, grab bags and helping neighbours
0 of 37 bought
£0 of £2,302 spent
£80 critical
£2,302 for everything
Buy now: under 72 hours
£80 critical£1,520Portable door security bar (adjustable brace)
£70est.
Wedges under the handle; for the safe room and the front door
Door wedge alarms
£20est.
Loud alarm if a door is pushed open; also for hotels or relatives' houses
Stick-on window and door contact alarms
£25est.
Battery, no internet needed
Pack of 8Amazon (opens in a new tab)Blackout blinds or curtains
£60est.
Main rooms, so a lit house doesn't stand out
As neededB&Q (opens in a new tab)High-lumen rechargeable torches (1,000+ lumens)
£60est.
Dazzles and disorients at night; an everyday item
Criminal identifier dye spray
£50est.
Sold as UK-legal (non-noxious marker dye, e.g. Farb-Gel). We found no official police statement; check with your force
Personal attack alarms
£20est.
One each for adults and older children, plus a spare
Battery CCTV cameras with local SD storage
£150est.
Records without mains or internet. If they film beyond your boundary, ICO rules apply
Security window film, ground floor (DIY)
£150est.
Holds glass together for longer
Ground floorB&Q (opens in a new tab)Personal safety or self-defence course
£240est.
Adults and older children: de-escalation and escape skills (for example, the Suzy Lamplugh Trust)
Ready-to-leave bags
£100est.
2 adult backpacks and 3 child or teen bags: a day's snacks, water bottles, warm and waterproof layers, medicines, documents, dog kit
Waterproof layers and reusable bottles
£125est.
Reuse existing coats where you can
Dog kit
£40est.
Usual bedding, lead and harness, 2 bowls, treats
Dog waste bags
£10
Hand tools and repair consumables
£100est.
Hammer, adjustable spanner, pliers, screwdrivers, 2 pairs of work gloves, tape, cable ties, a 3 × 4 m tarp, 20 m cord, 2 buckets. No gas or mains electrical repairs
Waterproof family folder
£20est.
School collection arrangements and authorised collectors, contacts, medicine details, utility isolation steps, two meeting places, printed manuals
Children's comfort and routine
£40est.
Cards, 2 familiar board games, books, colouring, comfort toys; an offline film on a tablet is a low-power extra
Buy next: over 72 hours
£782Bike service and accessories
£200est.
Track pump, tubes, patch kits, tyre levers, multitool, locks, helmets
Child bike trailer or seat
£450est.
Check the 4- and 6-year-olds' heights and weights first
Sewing kit, spare boots and work gloves
£100est.
The Knowledge and the SAS Survival Handbook
£22est.
Lewis Dartnell; John Wiseman
Sealed water
£18est.
24 × 2 litresTesco (opens in a new tab)Multi-port USB charging station
£40est.
10 ports, for a neighbours' charging point
Extension leads with surge protection
£30est.
Extra coffee, tea, sugar and salt
£40est.
Spirits, sealed bottles
£60est.
Candles, lighters and matches
£20est.
To do
Check every
Quarterly: grab bags and alarm batteries. Twice a year: the safe-room drill.
Where it lives
Grab bags by the door; door bars and alarms where they're used; trade stock labelled separately in the garage.
Know-how
The five layers
- Avoid: leave early, your strongest protection.
- Deter: blackout at night, no visible supplies, car in the garage.
- Delay and warn: door bars, alarms, film. Shelter: safe room, 999, neighbours. Last resort: reasonable force within the law.
Neighbours
- You can't hide a lit house, so be the organised, helpful one: charging and hot drinks at set hours from the garage, with trusted neighbours.
- Only share trade stock after your family's reserve is complete. Never trade prescriptions or your recovery phrase.
The law
- Reasonable force is lawful; at home it fails only if grossly disproportionate.
- Illegal even at home: pepper spray, stun guns, knuckledusters, flick knives. Carrying anything as a weapon in public is an offence.
Infographic · tap to enlarge