Home Resilience Checklist: A Practical Whole-House Audit

This home resilience checklist is a practical audit of how well your household can prevent problems, continue through disruption and recover afterwards. It covers everyday weaknesses such as heat loss, small leaks and missing records as well as power, water, communications and severe-weather risks.

Mark each item ready, action or not applicable. Do not total the ticks into a score. One unresolved fire, electrical, medical or water-supply risk matters more than several minor improvements. Move every action item into the planner near the end of the page.

This is a prevention and continuity audit, not an incident-response plan. If anyone is in immediate danger, call 999 or 112 and follow instructions from the emergency services. Do not attempt gas, electrical, structural, roofing or combustion-appliance work unless you are competent and permitted to do it.

Home resilience checklist: check these first

• ☐ Smoke alarms work and are tested at least monthly. Heat and carbon monoxide alarms are present where required or recommended and are checked in accordance with their instructions.
• ☐ Exits, stairs and communal escape routes are clear, and everyone knows the correct fire procedure for the property.
• ☐ The internal water stop tap, electricity main switch and any gas isolation valve have been identified and can be reached safely.
• ☐ Active leaks, unsafe wiring, persistent damp, loose roof materials, blocked drainage and heating faults have been reported or booked for repair.
• ☐ Anyone dependent on powered medical, mobility, communication, access or telecare equipment has a documented power-loss plan.
• ☐ The household can receive information without relying on one phone, one internet connection or mains electricity.
• ☐ A torch, charged power bank, correct cables and a battery or wind-up radio can be found in the dark.
• ☐ Drinking water, no-cook food, necessary medicines and household-specific supplies cover disruption lasting several days.
• ☐ The home’s long-term flood, storm, cold and heat risks have been checked using official local information.
• ☐ Energy, water, telecoms and insurance provider details are available on paper as well as online.
• ☐ Buildings and contents insurance, where held, reflect the property, possessions and relevant local risks.
• ☐ A trusted person could help children, dependants, pets or anyone receiving care if the usual household member were unavailable.
• ☐ The household has agreed its three highest-priority improvements and given each one an owner and target date.

Energy use and electricity resilience

Reduce avoidable dependence

• ☐ Record electricity use from bills or meter data and investigate unexplained increases rather than treating them as normal.
• ☐ Identify the appliances responsible for the largest regular loads and check their schedules, settings and condition.
• ☐ Replace failed lamps with suitable efficient alternatives and avoid leaving unnecessary equipment running or on standby.
• ☐ Keep the consumer unit accessible and label circuits accurately. Do not remove covers or enter electrical enclosures.
• ☐ Use fixed sockets safely and avoid treating overloaded extension leads or daisy-chained adapters as permanent wiring.
• ☐ Keep installation, inspection, solar, battery and appliance documents together so that faults and warranties are easier to resolve.
• ☐ For rented or leasehold homes, record which electrical systems are the responsibility of the landlord, freeholder or managing agent and how faults should be reported.

Plan for a power cut

• ☐ List the functions that genuinely need power: lighting, communication, refrigeration, medical equipment, pumps, access systems or limited work equipment.
• ☐ Record each priority device’s rated watts, starting demand where relevant, required hours and suitable backup connection.
• ☐ Check which heating, hot-water, cooking, broadband, landline, door-entry, lift, gate, garage-door and security systems stop working without mains power.
• ☐ Ask the relevant provider or installer about safe manual releases and backup arrangements for fixed or communal systems.
• ☐ Keep portable backup batteries charged, use the correct leads and test them with the intended equipment.
• ☐ Confirm that any backup supply has enough output, capacity and compatible connections before relying on it.
• ☐ Do not connect a portable power source or generator to household wiring unless a competent professional has installed an approved connection arrangement.
• ☐ Run petrol or diesel generators only where the manufacturer permits, outdoors and away from doors, windows and vents. Never run one in a home, garage or other enclosed space.
• ☐ Write down the power-cut reporting number: 105 in England, Scotland and Wales, or 03457 643643 in Northern Ireland.
• ☐ Check the current UK Prepare power-cut guidance, including arrangements for telecare and powered medical equipment.

Only choose backup equipment after defining the loads above. UK Prepared’s guides to power banks for power cuts and portable power stations for home backup can help when a small or medium portable system is genuinely appropriate.

For a simple constant load, estimated energy is watts multiplied by hours. Two 5 W lights used for 6 hours require about 60 Wh before conversion losses and the backup system’s own limits are considered. Add the watts of equipment used at the same time to estimate continuous output, then check any starting surge and the manufacturer’s limits.

Function	Equipment and watts	Required time	Backup and last test
Emergency lighting	Example: two 5 W lamps	6 hours	Power bank and USB lights / date: ______
________________	________________	________________	________________
________________	________________	________________	________________
________________	________________	________________	________________

Heating, heat retention and indoor conditions

• ☐ Heating and hot-water systems are maintained in accordance with the manufacturer, installer and any applicable legal requirements.
• ☐ Controls, programmers, thermostats and radiator valves work, are understood and match the way the household uses the home.
• ☐ Loft, wall, floor, cylinder and pipe insulation have been identified, with gaps or defects added to the improvement plan.
• ☐ Unwanted draughts around doors, windows, floors and unused openings have been located without blocking designed ventilation, air bricks or combustion-air supplies.
• ☐ Curtains, blinds and furniture do not obstruct heaters, thermostats or necessary ventilation.
• ☐ Persistent condensation, mould, staining or musty smells are investigated for their underlying moisture, ventilation or building cause.
• ☐ Exposed pipework and water tanks in vulnerable unheated spaces are appropriately insulated against freezing.
• ☐ Warm layers, bedding and blankets are accessible, clean and suitable for each household member.
• ☐ The household knows which room is most practical to occupy during a heating failure, while keeping safe ventilation and exit routes available.
• ☐ No indoor contingency depends on a barbecue, camping stove, patio heater or other appliance not approved for indoor use.
• ☐ Before major retrofit work, the whole building is considered so that insulation, ventilation, moisture and heating changes work together.

The Energy Saving Trust’s heat-loss guidance covers insulation, draught-proofing, windows, doors, tanks and pipes. Owners of older, listed or traditionally built homes should obtain appropriate advice before altering walls, floors or ventilation.

Water, leaks and plumbing

• ☐ Label the internal stop tap and record its location: ________________________________________________
• ☐ Check the stop tap gently and periodically. Never force a stiff valve; arrange repair if it cannot be operated safely.
• ☐ Record the water supplier’s leak or emergency number on paper: ________________________________________________
• ☐ Inspect accessible taps, toilets, flexible hoses, valves, overflows and pipe joints for drips, corrosion or unexplained moisture.
• ☐ Investigate unexplained meter movement or consumption increases, allowing for appliances and legitimate household use.
• ☐ Repair leaks promptly and reduce unnecessary hot-water use. The Energy Saving Trust’s water-saving guidance explains how reducing water waste can also reduce energy use.
• ☐ Insulate vulnerable pipework appropriately and know what to do if a pipe freezes. Do not use a naked flame to thaw it.
• ☐ Store a proportionate drinking-water supply for each person, with extra for pets, infant feeding and medical needs.
• ☐ Use containers intended for drinking water, follow their cleaning and storage instructions, protect them from contamination and rotate water as required.
• ☐ Record the household’s stored-water target, amount and location: __________ litres at ________________________________________________
• ☐ Plan how basic washing and toilet needs would be managed during a water outage, particularly for babies, caring needs and continence support.
• ☐ Renters know how to report an internal leak urgently; flat residents know how to contact the managing agent if communal pipework or another property is involved.

Food, cooking and household supplies

• ☐ Cupboard food is rotated into normal meals so that the household stores food it will actually eat.
• ☐ There is enough ready-to-eat or no-cook food for disruption lasting several days, including suitable choices for allergies, medical diets, babies and pets.
• ☐ A manual tin opener is available if stored food requires one.
• ☐ A fridge thermometer is present and the household knows where to find current food-safety advice during a prolonged power cut.
• ☐ The oldest refrigerated and frozen food can be identified quickly so it can be used in a sensible order if power is lost.
• ☐ Any backup cooking method is legal and suitable for its intended location, fuel and ventilation requirements.
• ☐ Camping stoves and barbecues will only be used outdoors. They must never be used indoors because of the risk of fatal carbon monoxide poisoning.
• ☐ Matches, lighters, fuel and sharp tools are stored safely away from children and incompatible materials.
• ☐ First aid, hygiene, period, nappy, continence and cleaning supplies reflect actual household needs and are checked for deterioration or expiry.
• ☐ Supplies are distributed sensibly rather than all being stored in a place vulnerable to flood, damp, heat, pests or blocked access.

Communications, records and digital resilience

• ☐ Compatible phones have current software and UK Emergency Alerts enabled.
• ☐ Weather, flood and other relevant local warnings have been selected for the household’s location and routes.
• ☐ A battery or wind-up radio works, and useful national and local stations or frequencies are written down.
• ☐ Provider, insurer, landlord, managing agent, school, care, veterinary and trusted-neighbour contacts are available on paper.
• ☐ The household has a communication plan that does not rely entirely on broadband, a cordless landline or a single mobile network.
• ☐ Important documents and household records are organised, protected from foreseeable physical damage and accessible to an authorised person.
• ☐ Important digital files are backed up to a separate safe location, following the National Cyber Security Centre’s backup guidance.
• ☐ A recent backup has been checked to confirm that the necessary files can actually be found and restored.
• ☐ Email and other critical accounts use strong, separate authentication and two-step verification where available.
• ☐ Account-recovery arrangements will still work if the main phone is lost, damaged or unavailable. Do not leave exposed passwords or financial credentials in the household plan.

Property, weather, fire and local risks

• ☐ Check the official risk services for your UK nation, including long-term flood information relevant to the home and regular travel routes.
• ☐ Sign up for flood warnings if the property or an important route is eligible and at risk.
• ☐ Roof coverings, flashing, gutters, downpipes, drains and external seals are inspected from a safe position and faults are addressed before severe weather.
• ☐ High-level, structural, tree and roof work is left to an appropriately competent person rather than attempted from an unsafe ladder or in poor weather.
• ☐ Garden furniture, bins, trampolines, tools and other loose items can be secured before high winds.
• ☐ Water is directed away from the building without blocking, diverting or altering drainage unlawfully.
• ☐ Doors, windows, locks and any manual access arrangements work, with spare keys controlled and available to authorised people.
• ☐ Smoke, heat and carbon monoxide alarms are correctly located for the property and equipment, within their replacement dates and tested as instructed.
• ☐ Fire doors, closers and seals have not been disabled, and escape routes are not used for storage.
• ☐ Extinguishers, fire blankets or other safety equipment, if kept, are appropriate, accessible and maintained, and no one is expected to fight a fire instead of escaping.
• ☐ Flat residents have read the building-specific fire, evacuation, lift and communal-utility procedures rather than assuming a generic plan applies.
• ☐ Renters have reported repair, damp, alarm, security and safety concerns in writing and retained the correspondence.

The Met Office’s property winter-readiness guidance highlights roof, gutter, pipe, flood, insurance and loose-item checks. Adapt the timing to local exposure rather than waiting for winter if a fault already exists.

People, health, access and pets

• ☐ Necessary medicines are managed through the normal repeat-prescription process and stored in accordance with their instructions.
• ☐ A paper list records medicines, allergies, relevant conditions, equipment details and clinical or care contacts where this would help.
• ☐ Powered medical, mobility, sensory, communication and telecare equipment has a written outage plan agreed with the relevant care team, provider or manufacturer.
• ☐ Backup batteries are compatible, charged, safely stored and checked against the required runtime.
• ☐ Spare glasses, hearing-aid batteries, mobility aids and communication tools are accessible.
• ☐ Alerts and household instructions are available in a form each person can receive and understand.
• ☐ The household has checked the Ofgem Priority Services Register guidance and equivalent water or telecoms support. Northern Ireland utilities use Customer Care Registers.
• ☐ Registration is kept current after a move, supplier change or change in household circumstances. It is treated as additional support, not a guarantee of uninterrupted supply.
• ☐ Children know their home address, how and when to call 999, and which trusted adult or meeting point is part of the household plan.
• ☐ A trusted person can check on or assist anyone who may be isolated, dependent on care or unable to manage part of the plan alone.
• ☐ Pet or assistance-animal food, water, medication, identification, lead or carrier and veterinary details are included.
• ☐ The plan is realistic for everyone in the home rather than assigning unsafe lifting, repair, evacuation or caring tasks to someone unable to do them.

Insurance, money and recovery

• ☐ Buildings, contents, landlord or tenant cover has been checked for current sums, exclusions, excesses, flood or escape-of-water terms and temporary accommodation.
• ☐ Policy numbers and claims contacts are stored securely on paper and digitally.
• ☐ A dated photo or video inventory records the home and higher-value possessions without exposing it publicly.
• ☐ Receipts, guarantees, installation certificates and serial numbers for significant systems or possessions can be retrieved.
• ☐ The household has decided what repair or disruption costs it wants to hold in an accessible reserve, based on its own housing, insurance and income position.
• ☐ More than one safe payment method is available, recognising that electronic payment or cash access may sometimes be disrupted.
• ☐ Contact details are available for the landlord or managing agent and a small number of relevant, verified trades rather than an unfiltered list of emergency call-out firms.
• ☐ The household knows where it could stay temporarily and whether that arrangement works for children, access needs and pets.
• ☐ After a fault or disruption, photographs, dates, readings, receipts and communications will be recorded before damaged items are discarded, where it is safe to do so.

Turn the audit into a resilience plan

Put action items in this order: immediate safety and health; faults that could cause major damage or loss of a critical service; low-cost measures that reduce regular bills or prevent deterioration; then larger upgrades. Do not begin with expensive backup equipment if alarms, leaks, heat loss or basic maintenance remain unresolved.

Priority and problem	Action	Owner	Target date
1. ________________________	________________________	____________	____________
2. ________________________	________________________	____________	____________
3. ________________________	________________________	____________	____________
4. ________________________	________________________	____________	____________
5. ________________________	________________________	____________	____________

Review schedule

• ☐ Monthly: test smoke alarms and check that exits remain clear.
• ☐ Seasonally: inspect accessible gutters, drains, seals, visible pipework, outdoor items and heating or cooling arrangements before the relevant weather arrives.
• ☐ Every six months: UK Prepared recommends repeating this audit, testing torches, radios and backup power, rotating supplies and verifying contacts.
• ☐ Annually: review insurance, household records, the property inventory and planned maintenance.
• ☐ After a move, supplier switch, building alteration or material household change: update controls, contacts, support registrations, risks and backup assumptions immediately.
• ☐ After any real disruption: record what failed, what was useful and which plan or item should change.

Home resilience resources and official guidance

• UK Prepare household guidance covers home safety, utility controls, emergency supplies, contacts, children and neighbourhood support.
• UK Prepare power-cut guidance explains reporting arrangements, communication backup, telecare, medical equipment and outage precautions.
• UK Prepare local-risk directory links to flood and resilience information for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
• Met Office WeatherReady brings together seasonal advice for protecting households and property from severe weather.
• Energy Saving Trust heat-loss guidance explains insulation, draught-proofing and measures for windows, doors, tanks and pipes.
• Energy Saving Trust water-saving guidance covers leaks, fittings and everyday actions that reduce both water and energy use.
• Ofgem Priority Services Register guidance explains eligibility, available support and how to register in Great Britain.
• National Cyber Security Centre backup guidance explains separate cloud and removable-media backups and how to check that data can be recovered.
• UK Chief Medical Officers’ food and nutrition advice includes power-outage food priorities and the warning never to use camping stoves or barbecues indoors.