Ten prepper myths beginners can ignore

Quick checklist

Why prepper myths put people off

Some ideas about preparing come from films and from the loudest corners of the internet. They suggest you have to expect the worst, spend a lot and give up a spare room. Most households need none of that.

Real disruption in the UK is usually ordinary: a power cut, a burst pipe, a storm, a road closed by flooding. A simple household plan covers all of those. Here are ten myths, and what to do instead.

Myth 1: You need a bunker

You do not. Your home is your shelter. What helps is a dry cupboard, a few supplies and a plan. If you can find space for a box under the stairs, you have all the room you need.

Do instead: pick one spot at home for a small kit.

Myth 2: You need months of food

Be Ready asks for about three days. Start there, with food you already eat. Tins, pasta, rice, oats and long-life milk are normal shopping. Use the oldest first and your cupboard stays fresh without a big buy. Our guide to emergency kit mistakes explains why a huge stock often wastes money.

Do instead: add two or three extra items to each weekly shop.

Myth 3: You need expensive kit

Most of what helps costs very little. A torch that takes AA or AAA batteries, a blanket, a hot-water bottle and a charged power bank cover most power cuts. A plain AA or AAA LED torch (Retailer link coming soon) is enough. Spend on a smoke alarm and a carbon monoxide alarm before you spend on anything fancy.

Do instead: use what you own first, then fill gaps one cheap item at a time.

Myth 4: Leaving home needs a drill and a route map

Most disruption means staying where you are. Sometimes you are asked to leave, for example during flooding. A short list of what you would take, kept in one place, is enough. Most homes do not need a route map or a rehearsed drill. Our article on whether you need an emergency kit looks at this more closely.

Do instead: write down your documents, medicines and a few contacts.

Myth 5: Filters and tablets make any water safe

This one is false. Filters and purification tablets have limits that differ by product, and none of them makes every water safe to drink. Read the maker's instructions and stay within them. For a power cut or a short water outage, the default is tap water stored in clean, food-grade containers. Be Ready suggests 3 litres per person per day. We compare the two options in water purification tablets vs filter.

Do instead: fill clean containers with tap water before a storm or a planned shut-off.

Myth 6: A camping stove is fine indoors

It is not. Camping stoves, gas heaters, barbecues, charcoal and generators give off carbon monoxide, a gas you cannot see or smell. It can make people seriously ill and can kill. Never use them indoors, in a garage or in a porch. If your cooker is off, eat food that needs no cooking. Fit a working carbon monoxide alarm (Retailer link coming soon) and test it. If it sounds, get outside into fresh air and call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999 (Great Britain; Northern Ireland: 0800 002 001).

Do instead: keep no-cook food and a manual tin opener (Retailer link coming soon).

Myth 7: More gadgets means more ready

A drawer of gadgets can leave you less ready, because you cannot remember what you own. Each item needs batteries, charging or care. Choose a few things you will use, test them, and write down where they live.

Do instead: spend ten minutes checking what you own, and note what does not work.

Myth 8: Preparing is only for people who expect the worst

Preparing is closer to keeping a first-aid kit or a spare lightbulb. You do not expect a cut finger, but you keep plasters in case. It is ordinary household care, and it is kind to those around you: a ready home asks less of neighbours and services.

Do instead: treat it as a small tidy-up, not a worry.

Myth 9: One big shop sorts it

A single large shop feels like progress but goes out of date all at once. It also uses money you may need for bills. A smaller weekly top-up, with dates checked every six months, keeps things current. Food safety is simple: a use-by date is about safety, a best-before date is about quality.

Do instead: spend about £5 a week for a month, and check the current price of each item.

Myth 10: A multi-tool does everything

A multi-tool is handy, but it replaces very little. Scissors, a screwdriver and a tin opener each do their job better. Our guide to essential tools to keep at home covers what is worth owning. Never do DIY work on a gas or electrical supply; call a registered professional.

Do instead: gather the tools already in your drawers and keep them together.

A myth about who this is for

Another myth says preparing is for the young and fit. It is for everyone, and it matters most for people who need extra support. If you are helping an older parent, our guide to an emergency kit for elderly parents is a good start. Sign up to the Priority Services Register through your energy supplier if you or a relative rely on power for health reasons.

If you like a book to dip into, The Disaster-Ready Home (Retailer link coming soon) is a readable guide aimed at the home. You do not need it to start, and UK official guidance should win wherever the two differ.

Do this today (free)

1. Find your torch and check it works.
2. Look at your tap and your cupboards: could everyone at home manage three days of food and water?
3. Press the test button on your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.
4. Write three phone numbers on paper.

If you have £10, £25 or £50

These are budgets, not quotes. Prices change, so check the current price first.

• About £10: a manual tin opener, a torch and a pack of batteries.
• About £25: add a carbon monoxide alarm if you do not have one, and a hot-water bottle.
• About £50: add a power bank, a battery radio and a few extra tins.

Sources and further reading

• Be ready for emergencies: checklist and household plan
• Health and Safety Executive
• Priority Services Register