Scotland: 2026-27 El Niño preparation
In an emergency, or if life is at risk, call 999 (or 112). Follow the advice of your local council, the emergency services and official flood and weather warnings. They override this checklist.
Download the printable checklist (PDF)
Top 10 actions
- NHS inform: your water supply may be cut off or contaminated; contact Scottish Water for public supplies or your local authority for private supplies; wash hands with warm water and soap after contact with floodwater
- Maps show long-term risk by area, not live flooding or a specific property; SEPA's page also gives the Floodline information line 0345 988 1188; sign up for warnings in the comms_alerts rows; use live flood updates for current warnings
- Flood Warnings are targeted where SEPA monitors; elsewhere wider Flood Alerts by council area
- Ready Scotland recommends both methods for keeping up to date with warnings in your area
- Listed on Ready Scotland
- Typical GB dual-fuel bill £1,723 a year (up 4%) for 1 Oct-31 Dec 2026, with VAT removed from electricity.Key date: Ofgem announces the January to March 2027 price cap on 25 Nov 2026. source
- If you heat with oil or LPG, the Scottish Government's Emergency Heating Oil Scheme can give £300. You must have bought fuel since 1 April 2026 or be about to order, and nobody at your address can have had an award in the last 3 months. There is no fixed end date, so apply soon.
- Council flooding page lists contacts, warnings, grants
- If affected by flooding; vulnerable residents prioritised
- The charity supports individuals and communities at risk of flooding or affected by it
Official live tools and local help
- Register for free SEPA Floodline flood warnings (email required online; or call 0345 988 1188, option 2 Scotland, option 3 for an adviser)
- Get Met Office weather warnings through its app or weather-warning emails
- Check SEPA live flood updates before travelling or in heavy rain
- Save emergency numbers on paper and phone: 999, police 101, NHS 24 111, gas 0800 111 999, Scottish Water 0800 077 8778, Floodline 0345 988 1188, power cut 105
- Perth & Kinross Council flooding: 24/7 flood emergencies 01738 476476; Flooding Team 01738 475000
- Check Dumfries and Galloway Council's flood pod, emergency equipment loans and sandbag arrangements at Stranraer, Newton Stewart, Castle Douglas, Dumfries and Lockerbie
- Aberdeenshire Council flood preparation and sandbag advice
- Highland Council flood contacts: 01349 886601 (Mon-Fri 9-5), 01349 886690 (out of hours); Flood Risk Management 01349 868800
- Save the Scottish Flood Forum enquiry line 0131 563 9392 (weekdays 9am to 5pm per its page) for flood-preparation and recovery support
- British Red Cross preparedness guides (emergency kit, floods, storms and power cuts, snow and winter weather)
- Breathing Space 0800 83 85 87 (free, confidential, age 16+, Scotland) for stress after a flood or storm
- Learn what Met Office warning colours mean: yellow = read the warning to see which weather it covers; amber = possible travel delays, road and rail closures, power cuts and risk to life and property; red = dangerous weather, risk to life, take action now
- Use Ready Scotland to build a practical emergency plan for you and your community
- Before driving in snow or ice, check Traffic Scotland and the Met Office, and keep a winter kit in the car (de-icer, scraper, torch, hi-vis jacket, warm clothes, blanket)
- Check your phone can get UK Emergency Alerts (iPhone iOS 14.5 or later, Android 11 or later, on 4G or 5G); no sign-up needed
Water and food
- Storms, floods and power cuts can interrupt supply; Ready Scotland and British Red Cross both specify 3 days (neither gives a litres-per-person figure)
- Cooking and boiling may be impossible in a power cut
- Closed fridge stays cold up to ~4 h; full freezer ~48 h (24 h if half full); 'when in doubt, throw it out'
- Registered customers can be offered extra help in a water interruption (eligibility incl. under-5s, over-60s, medical needs); sign-up via the PSR Scotland site
- GOV.UK (citing the Food Standards Agency): do not eat any food that has been touched or covered by floodwater or sewage; lettuce or strawberries that were in the garden when it flooded should be thrown away. Scottish advice is in the Food Standards Scotland flooding row.
- NHS inform: your water supply may be cut off or contaminated; contact Scottish Water for public supplies or your local authority for private supplies; wash hands with warm water and soap after contact with floodwater
- Food Standards Scotland warns that floodwater can contain harmful microbes and chemicals; if unsure whether food is safe, discard it
- Ready Scotland's kit list includes a first aid kit, toiletries and hand sanitiser
Power, heat and light
- Red Cross power-cut page: use battery-powered or wind-up torches and avoid candles (fire risk); Ready Scotland emergency-plan page: a radio keeps you informed when phones fail (try digital and FM)
- Ready Scotland advises charging phones and power banks in case of a power cut
- More gas heater/boiler use in winter raises carbon monoxide risk
- GOV.UK flood-recovery guidance warns that indoor use of outdoor fuel-burning equipment can cause fatal carbon monoxide poisoning
- Cold-related health risk is higher for over-65s, under-5s and people with heart/lung conditions
- Home Energy Scotland: simple draught-proofing around windows and doors could save about £25 a year, and its page links to pipe and tank insulation guides; free impartial advice on 0808 808 2282. Frozen or burst pipes are a cold-snap risk
- NHS: symptoms may come and go and can ease when you leave the affected area. Stop using the suspect appliance if you can, get outside and get medical advice quickly; call 999 or go to A&E for trouble breathing, sudden confusion, loss of consciousness, weakness, or chest or muscle pain; do not drive yourself
- Red Cross power-cut page: report damaged power lines that are down to your network operator and call 999 if there is a significant risk to the public; Ready Scotland: call 105 (free) to report a power problem
Flood and storm protection
- Loose objects become projectiles in high winds
- Ready Scotland lists these as places to avoid in a storm; storms can bring down trees and coastal storm surge adds flood risk on the coast
- Dumfries and Galloway Council says its free sandbag service has limited stocks and should not be relied upon; sandbags provide only short-term protection
- Sandbags protect only briefly; permanent products work better; Dumfries & Galloway also runs a subsidised flood products scheme
- Maps show long-term risk by area, not live flooding or a specific property; SEPA's page also gives the Floodline information line 0345 988 1188; sign up for warnings in the comms_alerts rows; use live flood updates for current warnings
- City of Edinburgh Council page covers Edinburgh only; it provides a limited number of filled sandbags and does not deliver to individual homes
- Ready Scotland: do not walk or cycle through standing or flowing flood water, even shallow fast-flowing water can knock you over or move a vehicle, do not drive through flood water, and evacuate if asked; NHS inform: do not walk, swim or drive in flood water
Home preparation
- Evidence for insurance claims
- Reduces damage and danger in a flood or burst pipe
- Ready Scotland recommends a written plan with a fillable PDF template and says to keep a printed or handwritten copy handy
- Most things can be replaced; photos cannot
- Aberdeenshire Council (page dated 17 September 2025) advises a flood kit or plan stored in a waterproof box up high; also works as a grab bag if evacuated
- GOV.UK says potentially wet gas and electrical systems or appliances must be checked by a qualified gas engineer or electrician before use
Documents
- Ready Scotland and Red Cross both list copies of key documents; originals may be lost or soaked
- Phones and networks may fail
- Ready Scotland kit lists essential medication, medical information and prescriptions
- Scottish Flood Forum includes keeping computer data and photographs safe in its flood action plan
Children
- Ready Scotland's kit list includes these supplies; tailor the kit to your household
- Ready Scotland's kit list includes these supplies; tailor the kit to your household
- Scottish Flood Forum asks households to consider children's and babies' needs, including toys and nappies
- Red Cross: agree a meeting place clear of hazards; teach children what to do and how to call for help
- British Red Cross teaching resource: if a child was involved and may be experiencing trauma, local Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) might be able to help
- Floodwater can hide hazards and be contaminated
- NHS permits bottled water in these exceptional circumstances but warns it is not sterile and may contain excessive sodium or sulphate; follow its preparation steps and additional FSA or UKHSA advice
Older, disabled and medical needs
- Free; eligible groups incl. over 60s, under-5s, medical-equipment users, disabled people
- If you rely on powered medical equipment, keep spare chargers or batteries and its instructions in your kit. Ask your supplier or clinician what to do in a power cut. Join your network's Priority Services Register.
- NHS inform: check you have enough food, medicines and heating fuel in case it becomes harder to leave the house; if unsure which medicines to keep at home, ask your pharmacist
- Ready Scotland: check on people who need extra help if it is safe, and keep in touch by phone or in person. Higher cold-weather risk for people 65 and over, children (especially 5 and under) and people with underlying health conditions
- Red Cross: a closed fridge will usually stay cold for up to four hours; NHS inform advises asking your pharmacist what to keep at home. No official page opened gives a safe time out of the fridge for specific medicines, so ask your pharmacist or prescriber
- London Fire Brigade (England): food or medicines that have been contaminated should be disposed of safely, and you can take medicines to a pharmacy for disposal; no Scottish official page found
Pets
- Ready Scotland includes pet and assistance-animal supplies
- Red Cross five-tips page advises including pets in your plan (it does not mention pet medication)
- Red Cross emergency kit page lists emergency supplies for pets
Alerts and communication
- Flood Warnings are targeted where SEPA monitors; elsewhere wider Flood Alerts by council area
- Ready Scotland recommends both methods for keeping up to date with warnings in your area
- Current warnings and alerts for Scotland
- Listed on Ready Scotland
- Met Office: yellow warnings cover a range of situations so read the content; amber means increased likelihood of impacts that could disrupt plans; red means dangerous weather is expected and you should act now
- Ready Scotland: practical steps to prepare for emergencies and protect yourself and your community
- Ready Scotland points to Traffic Scotland for live traffic and gritted roads; stopping distances are much longer on ice
- GOV.UK: alerts work on all UK 4G and 5G networks; phones that are off, or on 2G/3G or wifi only, will not get them
Money and insurance
- Ready Scotland advises checking both types of flood cover before flooding happens
- Flood Re can help some homes get affordable flood cover. Whether yours qualifies depends on the policy, the building and who lives there. Tenants can qualify too. Ask your insurer.
- Cards and cash machines may fail in a power cut; shops may only accept cash
- Typical GB dual-fuel bill £1,723 a year (up 4%) for 1 Oct-31 Dec 2026, with VAT removed from electricity.Key date: Ofgem announces the January to March 2027 price cap on 25 Nov 2026. source
- If you heat with oil or LPG, the Scottish Government's Emergency Heating Oil Scheme can give £300. You must have bought fuel since 1 April 2026 or be about to order, and nobody at your address can have had an award in the last 3 months. There is no fixed end date, so apply soon.
- Free, impartial; can look for funding
Local help
- Council flooding page lists contacts, warnings, grants
- The council lists limited sandbag stocks during extreme weather, depot hours Monday-Thursday 9am-3pm and Friday 9am-noon excluding public holidays, plus a subsidised products scheme
- Page dated 17 September 2025: advises signing up to SEPA Floodline, a flood kit or plan in a waterproof box up high, checking insurance; sandbags from local builders' merchants
- If affected by flooding; vulnerable residents prioritised
- The charity supports individuals and communities at risk of flooding or affected by it
- National charity guidance; not Scotland-specific
- NHS inform lists Breathing Space for flood-related stress; phone 111 if unwell after flooding
- Ready Scotland lists 105 for reporting power problems and checking when supply will be restored; SSEN also offers its Power Track service for reporting and tracking faults
- Ready Scotland lists 0800 111 999 for gas emergencies