Home first aid kit list UK: what to keep, and what training helps
Last reviewed 24 October 2026 · 6 min read
Quick checklist
Quick checklist
0 of 8 doneWhy Be Ready asks for a first aid kit
The government's Be Ready campaign lists a first aid kit on its checklist and asks households to learn basic first aid. It does not publish a contents list. So what follows is our reasonable practice, based on the items most homes use, not an official standard for households.
If someone is in immediate danger, call 999. For advice on a problem that is not an emergency, use NHS 111.
A home first aid kit list for UK households
Start with the items you will use most. You can add the rest over a few weeks.
Dressing wounds
- Plasters in several sizes. A box of assorted plasters and dressings (Retailer link coming soon) covers most cuts and grazes.
- Sterile dressings for larger wounds, in sealed packs.
- A bandage or two, including a conforming bandage that holds a dressing in place.
- Medical tape, for fixing dressings.
Tools
- Scissors that cut tape and bandage.
- Tweezers, for splinters.
- Disposable gloves. A box of disposable nitrile gloves (Retailer link coming soon) protects you and the person you are helping.
Checking how someone is
- A digital thermometer. A digital thermometer (Retailer link coming soon) is easier to read than older types. Keep spare batteries or check it works.
- A watch or phone timer with a seconds display, for timing breathing or pulse if a call handler asks.
Things your household might need
- Pain relief, antihistamines or other medicines only if a pharmacist has advised them for your household. Do not guess at doses or give medicines meant for one person to another. Our guide to how to organise medication at home covers safe storage.
- Items for known conditions, such as a child's asthma plan or an allergy action plan from their clinician. Keep copies with the kit.
- For babies and young children, a thermometer and the advice of your health visitor or pharmacist on what to keep.
Ready-made or build your own?
A ready-made kit saves time. If you want one, look for a British Standard compliant household first aid kit (Retailer link coming soon). The British Standard BS 8599-1 covers workplace kits, and many household kits are packed to match it. It is a handy shorthand, not a legal requirement at home.
Building your own is cheaper if you already own a few items. Many homes have plasters and tape. Put what you have in a box, then fill the gaps.
A first aid reference book from a reputable publisher (Retailer link coming soon) sits well alongside either, and it works without a phone signal. Pick one from a recognised publisher or charity.
What training matters
The kit is the easy part. A short course matters more.
- British Red Cross has free online guides covering things like severe bleeding, burns, choking and what to do when someone is unresponsive. It also has a free first aid app and a free adult workshop, which gives no qualification.
- St John Ambulance has an online advice library and runs courses you can book.
- A paid course gives you hands-on practice and a certificate. It is worth it if you care for children or an older relative, or if you do not feel confident.
If you do only one thing from this page, make it a short free guide on severe bleeding, burns or choking. Aim to have one person in the house who has done it.
Where to keep it
Choose a cool, dry, easy-to-reach place, such as a kitchen cupboard or hall shelf. Avoid the bathroom, where damp can spoil dressings, and keep it out of reach of young children. Tell everyone in the house where it is. A separate small pouch in the car or the grab bag is useful too.
Our emergency kit list shows how the first aid box fits with the rest of your supplies.
Checking it twice a year
Be Ready suggests checking supplies about every six months. Put the first aid box on the same list. Look at the dates on dressings, creams and anything sterile, replace what you have used and throw out anything past its date. Make sure the thermometer works and that your clinician's plans are still up to date.
Do this today (free)
- Find the plasters and tape you already own and put them in one box.
- Check any dates on them.
- Tell everyone at home where the box lives.
- Open the British Red Cross free first aid guides on your phone and read the one on severe bleeding.
If you have £10, £25 or £50
These are budgets, not quotes. Prices change, so check the current price first.
- About £10: a box of plasters and dressings, plus tape and gloves if you have none.
- About £25: add a digital thermometer and a bandage or two.
- About £50: a complete ready-made household kit, or the kit plus a reference book.
Questions people ask
What should be in a first aid kit at home?
Plasters, sterile dressings, a bandage, medical tape, scissors, tweezers, disposable gloves and a thermometer cover most households. Add anything a pharmacist or clinician has advised for your family. There is no official list for homes, so this is our reasonable practice, not an official standard.
Do first aid kits expire?
Yes, some items do. Sterile dressings, creams and anything in sealed packs carry dates. Look at them when you check your other supplies, about every six months, and replace anything past its date. Plasters and bandages are less fussy, but check they are clean and still stick.
Where is the best place to keep a first aid kit?
Somewhere cool, dry and easy to reach, such as a kitchen cupboard or hall shelf. Avoid bathrooms, where damp spoils dressings. Keep it out of young children's reach and make sure every adult knows where it is. A small second kit in the car is useful too.
Is there free first aid training in the UK?
Yes. The British Red Cross offers free online guides, a free first aid app and a free adult workshop, though the workshop gives no qualification. St John Ambulance has a free online advice library. For a certificate and hands-on practice, you would book a paid course.
Sources and further reading
Sources
firesidefolk.com/kits-and-grab-bags/home-first-aid-kit-list-uk · Last reviewed 24 October 2026 · Fireside Folk