The UK government's call for households to stock emergency supplies has drawn criticism from families and charities who say the advice ignores the reality of poverty affecting millions of people. Last week, Wes Streeting said people should have water, tinned goods, baby food, torches and mobile phone charging packs ready in case of emergency such as war, an online attack or a natural disaster. The government has drawn up recommendations for households to have three days' worth of bottled water and tinned food, and said people did not need to buy everything at once.
Samantha Richards, a single mother who works full-time and relies on Universal Credit and her son's disability allowance, said following the advice would mean sacrificing her childcare budget for the school holidays. Her 12-year-old son is autistic and requires specific foods that need refrigeration. She said the advice reminded her of the "survival of the fittest". Ruth Patrick, a professor at University of Glasgow leading the Changing Realities project, said the guidance "will appear at best tone deaf and at worst almost insulting" to households facing poverty. According to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation's cost of living tracker published in July 2026, there are 7.4 million low income families in the UK who were unable to afford essential items in the last six months and 1.5 million households who have used a food bank in the past six months.
Yasmin Ibison, a senior policy adviser at the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, questioned how millions of people already unable to afford essentials like food, heating and basic toiletries could afford to buy additional items for stockpiling. Donna Lloyd, a 60-year-old supply teacher in Denbighshire, said "in all honesty, no, it is not realistic" for everyone to be able to afford emergency supplies, though she believes the government should use television to explain how to prepare and teach skills including first aid and water purification.
Some people already preparing for emergencies offered practical alternatives. Ana, a 42-year-old from Swansea and founder of UK Preppers Club on Facebook, suggested people pick up an extra tin or pack of crackers every time they shop to slowly build up supplies. She said her Facebook group increased by 300 members in just under three days. Ana said the government announcement was disappointing because it did not give practical advice about what to do in an actual emergency, such as how to manage without running water. She also suggested families should have basic plans such as knowing who would pick up children from school if power went out.
For low-income households already struggling with bills and food costs, emergency stockpiling becomes another unaffordable expense on top of rising living expenses and falling temperatures. The UK government responded that the campaign was about providing simple steps to ensure households are properly prepared and that people should build readiness gradually over time by picking up an extra item or two when they can.