How we research our guides

Where our information comes from

We start with official and regulated sources, including:

• the UK Government’s Be Ready campaign, and its equivalents Ready Scotland and NI Direct;
• the NHS and the UK Health Security Agency for health advice;
• the Met Office for weather warnings;
• the Environment Agency, SEPA, Natural Resources Wales and the Department for Infrastructure (NI) for flooding;
• Ofgem, the Energy Networks Association, Ofwat and the water companies for energy and water;
• the Food Standards Agency for food safety.

How we write and check

1. We read the current official guidance and save a copy of what it said on the day.
2. We write the guide in plain English, keeping close to the official wording on anything to do with safety.
3. We check every number (phone numbers, litres, temperatures, times) against the source.
4. We list the sources at the bottom of each guide, with the date we last checked them.
5. We review guides regularly and after major changes to official advice.

If we can’t find an official source for a claim, we leave it out. We don’t publish invented statistics, ratings or prices.

Differences across the UK

Emergency planning, flooding and some services work differently in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Where it matters, we give the right number or link for each nation.

Safety lines we always include

• Carbon monoxide: whenever a guide mentions stoves, barbecues, heaters or generators, we include a carbon monoxide warning.
• Light: we recommend torches, not candles, in line with Be Ready.
• Medicines: we don’t give medical advice; we point you to your pharmacist, GP or the NHS.

The tools

Our calculators use simple, stated assumptions. The water calculator uses Be Ready’s 3 litres of drinking water per person per day. The power bank calculator assumes 85% of the stored energy reaches your device, which you can change. The maths behind both is tested automatically each time we build the site.

Licensing and credit

Where we quote or adapt official text, such as the Be Ready checklist, it contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. The Open Government Licence does not cover logos or crests, and we don’t use them. Quoting official guidance does not mean the government endorses this site.

Use of AI

We may use software tools, including AI tools, to help draft and check pages. Every guide is checked against the official sources listed on it before publication.