# Millions can’t afford to follow government’s stockpiling advice, research finds

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/millions-cant-afford-to-follow-governments-stockpiling-advice-research-finds/
- Published: 2026-11-06T18:07:10+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-06T18:22:30+00:00
- Original publisher: The Independent (publisher lean: Left)
- Original article: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/be-ready-stockpile-campaign-government-advice-cost-b3080686.html
- Topics: Government, Politics

## Key points

- 3.1 million households cannot afford the recommended emergency supplies.
- A basic three-day reserve costs at least £12.
- Verdant says a one-off payment could cost £70 million.

## Summary

Research by the Verdant think tank finds that 3.1 million UK households cannot afford the government’s recommended three-day emergency stockpile. The findings raise concerns that advice to prepare for crises such as extreme weather, cyberattacks and blackouts may leave poorer families exposed if they lack the means to follow it.

The checklist requires bottled water and non-perishable food, with a bare minimum cost of £12 and typical costs nearing £20 per adult; ready-to-feed baby formula adds £12 per infant. The estimate covers 6.4 million people, including 2.1 million children, and excludes items such as torches and radios. Affordability is lower among renters and benefit recipients: one in three council tenants and a quarter of housing association tenants cannot pay, and seven in ten affected households receive Universal Credit. Verdant suggests a one-off payment for those households would cost the government £70 million.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.