Told to stay indoors or stay at home
Independent guide. UK Be Ready is an independent website. We are not part of the Government's Be Ready campaign (launched 22 October 2026), and we are not affiliated with or endorsed by the UK Government or GOV.UK. For official advice visit beready.campaign.gov.uk.
"Stay at home" means two quite different things in the UK. One lasts a few hours. The other, as we all remember, can last for months. The same handful of preparations helps with both.
1. Short-term: "Go in, stay in, tune in"
If there's a big fire with heavy smoke, a chemical leak or a similar local incident, the emergency services may ask people nearby to shelter where they are. The official advice is simple:
- Go in: get indoors, and bring pets in.
- Stay in: shut windows and doors, and turn off ventilation and extractor fans.
- Tune in: follow local radio, official websites and social channels, and any Emergency Alert on your phone.
If your children are at school, leave them there. Schools have their own plans, and the roads need to stay clear for emergency vehicles.
2. Emergency Alerts
The UK's Emergency Alerts system sends a loud siren-style message to phones in a danger area. The national test was on 7 September 2025. If you get a real one, read it carefully and do what it says. It's worth keeping alerts switched on. They're only used when lives may be at risk.
3. Longer-term: stay-at-home orders
On 23 March 2020 the Prime Minister told the country to stay at home, and the rules became law a few days later. In the Government's current risk planning, another pandemic is rated one of the most serious risks the UK faces. That isn't a prediction. It's a sensible reason to have a few basics sorted, because they're useful for a flu bug or a broken ankle too.
Before
- Keep about three days of food and water, and simple medicines: paracetamol, rehydration sachets, a thermometer.
- Order repeat prescriptions in good time. The official advice is to allow up to five working days. Ask your GP about the NHS App or electronic repeat dispensing.
- Keep a battery or wind-up radio and a power bank.
- Swap numbers with neighbours, and agree who'll check on whom.
- Think about entertainment and routine, especially for children. Boredom is the bit nobody packs for.
During
- Follow official instructions from GOV.UK, your devolved government, the NHS or the police. Ignore rumours.
- Use delivery slots fairly and buy normally. That keeps shelves full for everyone.
- Keep in touch: a daily phone call with someone living alone makes a real difference.
- Look after your mood. Open a window (unless you've been told not to), get daylight, and keep a rhythm to the day.
After
Restock what you used, and jot down what you wished you'd had. That list is your plan for next time.
Sources
- GOV.UK Be Ready checklist. beready.campaign.gov.uk/be-ready-for-emergencies
- Be Ready: Infectious disease outbreaks. beready.campaign.gov.uk/be-informed-about-hazards/infectious-disease-outbreaks
- GOV.UK, Emergency Alerts. www.gov.uk/alerts
- GOV.UK, National emergency alert test to be held on 7th September, 2025. www.gov.uk/government/news/national-emergency-alert-test-to-be-held-on-7th-september
- Prime Minister's address to the nation on coronavirus, 23 Mar 2020. www.gov.uk/government/speeches/pm-address-to-the-nation-on-coronavirus-23-march-2020
- Crown Prosecution Service, coronavirus restrictions regulations guidance. www.cps.gov.uk/prosecution-guidance/coronavirus-health-protection-coronavirus-restrictions-england-regulations
- Cabinet Office, National Risk Register 2025 (pandemic). www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-risk-register-2025
- British Red Cross, prepare for emergencies. www.redcross.org.uk/get-help/prepare-for-emergencies
- Ready Scotland. ready.scot
Last checked 2026-11-01. Facts and figures are linked to their original sources above.