Households warned 'don't miss' 5 easily overlooked essentials in home emergency kit

Households warned 'don't miss' 5 easily overlooked essentials in home emergency kit The government has advised families to be prepared for an emergency with stores of food and other essentials - but one expert says there are some key items that might be missed Politicians have warned households to make sure they are ready for an emergency which could leave outages of power and the internet. The government has updated its advice urging households to prepare for three days of potential disruption to essential services. Under its latest Be Ready guidance, this includes making sure you have food, water and torches at hand that can get you through at least three days of disruption. It also specifically recommends keeping emergency cash and copies of important documents at home, alongside essentials such as food, water and torches. Now, Anthony Neary, security expert at Safe.co.uk, has shared five simple security measures households should consider to ensure they're prepared without putting their valuables at unnecessary risk. He says, “Most of us rely on our phones, bank cards and electricity for everyday tasks, but if there's a power cut or disruption to essential services, things we normally take for granted could suddenly become much more difficult. “While it's sensible to have emergency supplies ready, it's equally important to think about how you're storing them. Keeping cash, important documents and other essentials secure, but easy to access when needed, could make a real difference in an unexpected situation.” Keep emergency cash somewhere secure but accessible The expert says: "With so many of us relying on contactless payments, it's easy to forget that card machines and cashpoints may not work during a power cut. I'd recommend keeping a small amount of cash at home, including a mixture of notes and coins, so you've got a backup if electronic payments become unavailable. “However, avoid leaving cash in obvious places like kitchen drawers or bedside tables. A small lockable cash box or secure compartment can help protect it, while still allowing you to access it quickly if needed.” Invest in a fire-resistant safe Anthony warns: "Passports, birth certificates, insurance paperwork and other important documents can be difficult to replace, so it's worth investing in a fire-resistant safe to keep them protected Look for a safe with a tested fire-resistance rating suitable for paper documents, and consider keeping secure digital copies as a backup. "If you ever need to evacuate your home, though, don't delay leaving to retrieve documents or valuables." Don't rely entirely on your phone The expert advises: "We store everything from emergency contacts to insurance information on our phones, but this information could become inaccessible if your battery dies or mobile networks are disrupted. Keep a physical copy of important phone numbers, insurance details and other essential information in a waterproof folder, somewhere everyone in your household knows about.” Keep your emergency bag out of sight Anthony does have a word or warning about where to leave a bag which contains a lot of key items. He says: "Having a bag ready with essentials like a torch, power bank and medication is a sensible precaution, but I'd avoid leaving it in plain sight by your front door. "If it contains cash or important documents, it could attract opportunistic thieves. Instead, store it somewhere discreet but easy to reach, and make sure everyone in the household knows where to find it." Check your home security works during a power cut There are also some checks to make, says Anthony. He explains: "If you have smart locks, electric gates or other connected security systems, take a few minutes to check what happens when the power goes out. "Some systems have battery backups or manual overrides, but it's important to understand how yours works before an emergency happens. Make sure you've got a secure backup method of accessing your property if needed, rather than relying entirely on electricity or an internet connection."