A doomsday prepper who built an “extreme” home bunker stocked with £315,000 worth of emergency supplies says a family of four should have at least £5,000 available in cash and essentials if the UK enters a war.
Estate agent Rowan MacKenzie, from Missouri in the US, estimates that sum would cover a month’s worth of food, water and other necessities, as well as a portable emergency kit, often called a bug-out bag.
Research by Finder in 2026 found that the average UK adult has £19,214 in savings, although the figures vary sharply between age groups. People under 55 have an average of £9,888, while 39 per cent have £1,000 or less set aside.
Rowan was once mocked for taking preparedness to such an intense level. Now, as global tensions continue to rise, she is regularly asked for advice on how families can protect themselves.
“I ask myself: ‘If something happened tomorrow and I couldn’t buy anything for seven days, how comfortable would my household be?’ You don’t need an expensive bunker to begin preparing. You need a plan.”
Her recommended checklist includes emergency cash, several sources of power such as torches, non-perishable food, medicines and a battery-powered radio.
She also highlighted errors that could prove costly, including telling people where a stockpile is kept or what it contains. Rowan warned: “It’s ‘one man for themselves’ in an emergency.”
A doomsday prepper who built an “extreme” home bunker with £315,000 worth of emergency supplies says a family of four will need at least £5,000 in starter cash if the UK goes to war
A closer look at Rowan’s bunker, featuring kitchen appliances, cereal, water, utensils and sources of light
Explaining how she arrived at the £5,000 figure, Rowan said the amount should always reflect a household’s income and must not cause financial strain.
“It really does depend on the household income, so only get what you can afford without breaking the bank,” she said. “But I would say it should roughly cost no more than £1,000 per person for food and supplies, and that should last around three weeks if rationing is done correctly.”
She said the estimate also covers the materials needed for a bug-out bag, a portable emergency kit designed to last for three days during a sudden evacuation.
However, preparedness is not simply a matter of having money in the bank. Rowan believes households need a practical plan that can be put into action without delay.
“Is anybody actually ready? Don’t prepare for one disaster; prepare for the consequences disasters have,” she said.
Rowan is now encouraging others to protect themselves and their families by building a supply of essential goods before an emergency occurs.
Her recommendations include multiple power sources, such as torches, lanterns and power banks, along with a backup method for cooking.
She also advises keeping shelf-stable foods, including preserved beans and rice, with at least seven days’ worth available for each person and supplies rotated regularly.
A printed list of important contacts, a battery-powered radio, emergency cash and vital documents should also form part of every household’s preparations.
Some of the supplies in Rowan’s bunker, including applesauce, spoons and Skittles
Rowan’s list of household essentials includes emergency cash, torches, shelf-stable food, medicines and a battery-powered radio
Basic medicines, water purifiers, extra fuel and blankets should be taken into account too.
Although her advice seems like common knowledge, Rowan said there are mistakes people should be aware of – ones that even she makes.
She said: ‘Stockpiling food you never eat is a no-go. In an emergency, discovering your family hates half your food store will be a problem.
‘Always make sure to rotate your stockpile; all supplies will have an expiration date or can degrade.
‘Another mistake is buying food but forgetting water, and so is having gear you’ve never used before.
‘An unopened water filter, camp stove, radio or generator won’t be much help if you don’t know how to operate it.
‘You also can’t rely entirely on electricity. So have ways to get around during a prolonged outage.’
The mum also notes preppers often forget sanitation products, such as soap, prescription medications, and necessities for non-human household members.
Rowan’s advice follows Wes Streeting’s comments that the UK is at ‘greater risk of war’ as he urged Brits to stockpile tinned food, bottled water and cash.
But Rowan warned against keeping everything in one place in case of fire, flooding, theft or structural damage that can ‘wipe out a beautifully prepared stockpile.’
‘Also, don’t ever plan for one specific apocalypse,’ she advised. ‘A flexible setup is much more useful than preparing exclusively for one scenario, and don’t ever tell anyone what you’ve got.
‘There’s little benefit to broadcasting the location and extent of your supplies – as it’s “one man for themselves” in an emergency.’
Don’t forget to test out your plan, she added. ‘Turn off the power for an evening, cook using your backup method, use stored water, test communications and see what you’re missing.
‘We know a day is coming soon that we need to be as prepared as possible. It’s not paranoia – it’s being ready.’
