How much should you be stockpiling? Interactive tool reveals exactly what your family needs to survive the apocalypse

Many anxious Britons have been stocking up on essentials to help them survive a national disaster.

However, prepping for the apocalypse requires a lot more planning than your weekly shop – and a few old tins of beans aren't going to cut it.

Luckily, a new interactive tool reveals exactly what your family needs to survive.

The Buy to Survive tool uses government guidelines and climate information to work out the perfect doomsday shopping list.

All you need to do is enter the size of your family, how long you want the stockpile to last, and what kind of weather conditions you expect to encounter.

The tool will then generate a list of everything you need, from food and water to essential tools and electronics.

And the results suggest that most people could be dangerously underprepared for a serious catastrophe.

Mark Riley, an army veteran and founder of Mathison AI, who created the tool, says: 'Most people are aware they need three days of food, but I doubt many have two weeks of food, water, power sources and other gear, including medical and sanitary goods.'

While stockpiling for the apocalypse used to be about building a bunker in the garden to wait out the nuclear winter, 'prepping' has now gone mainstream.

'Prepping is no longer a niche activity for a few offbeat eccentrics,' says Mr Riley.

Britain is currently in the midst of its own prepping obsession, after the Prime Minister advised people to keep three days of supplies on hand.

The government suggests Brits should stock up on bottled water and food in preparation for a natural disaster, cyberattack, or the outbreak of war.

Although Mr Riley says that people are now 'more aware' of the need to be prepared, most still don't know what they should be buying.

However, thanks to the new Buy to Survive tool, figuring out what your family needs is as easy as pressing a few buttons.

According to the tool, a family of four with no pets who live in a cold climate and want supplies to last three days would need to spend £510 to get their stockpile together.

That includes £227 worth of consumables, including food, water, batteries and gas for cooking.

Mr Riley recommends that this family should have three kilograms of rice, 1.5kg of pasta, 18 tins of fish or other proteins, 19 tins of vegetables and seven high–calorie energy bars.

A family of four with no pets who live in a cold climate and want supplies to last three days would need to spend £510 to get their stockpile together

Anxious Britons have been stocking up on essentials to help them survive a national disaster, but most have no idea how to buy the right things  

How much does it cost to stockpile? 

Family size: Two adults, two children

Climate: Cold/winter

Intended time: Three days

• Total: £511
• One–off gear: £284
• Consumables: £227 

Family size: Two adults, one pet

Climate: Cold/winter

Intended time: Two weeks

• Total: £731
• One–off gear: £275
• Consumables: £456

Family size: Two adults, one child

Climate: Cold/winter

Intended time: Four weeks

• Total: £1,251
• One–off gear: £284
• Consumables: £967

Source: Buy to Survive 

That's not to mention the recommended 'no–cook food', which includes £69 of treats like peanut butter, powdered milk, breakfast cereals, tea, coffee and salt.

Mr Riley points out that people often overlook the importance of luxuries like chocolate or tasty food to help keep morale high during a disaster.

However, people are also very likely to overlook the 'one–off purchases' that include various tools and supplies.

Mr Riley says that simple things, such as a manual can opener and matches, are the most commonly forgotten items, and could make all the difference once disaster strikes.

Likewise, although people know they should be storing water in case the mains fail, the fact that the toilet won't work either is generally ignored – which is why the Buy to Survive tool always recommends a camping toilet and waste bags.

But the bigger issue is that preparing supplies to last for three days might not be enough to make it through the worst–case scenario.

Mr Riley says that his biggest concern is the possibility of a cyberattack by a rogue AI or from a swarm of AIs controlled by a malicious foreign actor.

As the recent wave of attacks on supermarket fridges has shown, cyber warfare is capable of causing widespread disruption, and experts have warned that Britain's critical infrastructure could become a target.

In order to last two weeks, a couple with a pet will need to splash out £731 to buy food and one–off gear 

While most people know they should be storing food and water, people often forget to store sanitary supplies and tools 

'As AI capabilities grow, cyberattacks are becoming easier and faster, making criminal or recreational cyberattacks more likely,' says Mr Riley.

'This could lead to at least three days without power and water, but could be more like two or three weeks.

'Three days is a government buffer to help in a short–term emergency. I think two weeks is a more realistic goal.'

This 14–day target is one that has already been endorsed by multiple experts and government agencies, including the American Red Cross, the government of New South Wales and the Washington State Emergency Management Division.

Experts point out that storing up to two weeks of food could allow us to help those around us in a disaster, even if we don't need everything for ourselves.

Professor Ilan Kelman, a disaster and climate expert at University College London, previously told the Daily Mail: 'Stockpiling at least two weeks of supplies, for those who can afford it, is much better than three days to get through many more types of crises, including helping those around us.'

'Many scenarios exist with electricity, water and transport routes unavailable for longer than 72 hours.'

However, building a stash of food and fuel to last two weeks in the UK's cold climate is a much more serious endeavour.

Two shoppers were seen stocking up on bottled water at Costco in Manchester after the Government advised households to keep three days' worth of supplies on hand

The same family of four would need to splash out £900 if they wanted to make their stockpiles last for a fortnight.

They would also need to find room to stash 200 litres of water, 17kg of dried goods and almost 200 tins of food.

Even a childless couple with a pet cat would still need to spend £731 to get themselves prepared for two weeks of chaos.

If you do want to get your own stockpile started, there are a few key things to keep in mind.

The first is to try and keep the cost down and within a budget you can actually afford.

Mr Riley recommends shopping at UK supermarkets for the cheapest dry goods and using the 'Subscribe & Save' service on Amazon to cut costs on consumables.

Water then needs to be stored in a cool, dark place, away from warmth and sunlight that would degrade plastic and promote bacterial growth, but not so cold that it freezes.

Additionally, although most tinned food has a three to five year shelf life, Mr Riley recommends rotating your provisions every two to three years.

That way you won't get caught with mouldy beans a month into the apocalypse.

What should you stockpile?

Family size: Two adults, two children

Climate: Cold/winter

Intended time: Two weeks

Food and water

• Rice: 10kg
• Pasta: 7kg
• Tinned protein: 83 tins
• Tinned vegetables: 87 tins
• Energy bars: 29 bars
• Peanut butter: 4 jars
• Crackers: 6 packs
• Powered milk: 12l equivalent
• Breakfast cereal: 5 packs
• Tinned fruit: 10 tins
• Tinned soups or stews: 12 tins
• Ready–to–eat pouches: 7 pouches
• Chocolates and treats: 4 packs
• Multivitamins: 4–month supply
• Salt, sugar, coffee, and tea: 2–week supply
• 200 litres of water 

Cooking and fuel

• Portable camping stove
• Backup stove
• Butane gas cartridges 227g: 14 cans
• Storm kettle (wood burning)
• Large pot with lid
• Camping kettle 
• Waterproof matches: 2 boxes
• Manual can opener
• Heatproof gloves 
• Fire extinguisher
• Fire blanket
• Battery CO alarm

Lighting

• LED head torch: 4 torches
• AA batteries (16 pack): 3 packs
• Long–burn candles: 1 pack
• Solar LED Lantern

Sanitation

• Portable camping toilet
• Toilet waste bags (20 pack): 2 packs
• Hand sanitiser: 300ml
• Bar soap: 4 bars
• Toilet rolls: 8 rolls
• Refuse sacks (20 pack): 2 rolls