Why have we been told to 'stockpile' and what for?

The whys don't really matter, what the government is saying is be prepared to look after yourselves because you can't rely on them to do it for you. And by government I mean central government and Local Authorities.

And that is fair enough, if its the grid going down, actions from internal or external hostiles or bad weather or whatever, I would rather they used their resources and energy sorting that out first.

If you can feed yourself for a few days, and better still, look out for your vulnerable neighbours as well, then that frees up the limited help available for those that are really helpless.

This is something that occurred to me as well. I'm retired and we have about 3 months supply of canned goods, a gas cooker, a coal fire, a shed full of coal (we are rural), 30 litres of water and most importantly tea, coffee and wine.
Im always mindful of our local food bank. When I shop I throw in half a dozen canned meals, which at a stretch could be eaten cold.
At times of crisis, we must stand up to help each other. I worry most about medications.
But I thank God each day that not only do we have enough, we have spare.

Ive been told to stockpile for 6 decades. The 70s and 80s were full of it.
There will always be wars, blackouts and water shortages. I live next to a spring. I have enough candles to last the rest of my life.
Quite frankly Im too old to give a shit anymore.
Also there are plenty of people who don't have the spare cash to prepare and just live from hand to mouth every day. What about them?

“Also there are plenty of people who don't have the spare cash to prepare and just live from hand to mouth every day. What about them?”

If people are living from hand to mouth, they are prioritising non essential items.

Close to 70,000 homes were without power last night due to the storm and there’s another storm about to hit. Thousands of cyber hits monthly on our infrastructures. Iran threatening to take out internet cables. Trump cosying up to Putin the humanitarian, whilst alienating the USA’s allies, including the UK, Europe, and one of the friendliest nations on earth (Canada) . . . What could possibly go wrong 🤔

That's a big assumption.

Do you know how much money a single person on UC has per month to keep themselves fed, clothed, warm and probably pay 20% Council Tax?

On cost, it's a fair point. The cheapest version is mostly free: fill a few clean bottles with tap water, keep a phone charged, know where the torch is and write key numbers down. After that, a tin or two extra a week adds up without a big outlay. It doesn't need to be a shopping trip.

The people who are living hand to mouth now and can't prepare at all will be reliant on eventual help from the local authority or the community in general in an emergency.

Anyone who could easily have got some things prepared for their own household, but who chose not to, and who ends up queuing up with those people for that limited emergency help, will unfortunately look a bit selfish or incompetent (or both).

You don't need that much to give yourself a window of three days in which you won't need to get help from anyone else and can stay safe at home.

No, DH and I are probably not worth saving: I am 70 so no longer fertile, and we are retired, so spending the accumulations of a life's work. My child who propagates plants commercially would be in the life boat!

What utter ignorance.

No, it’s not. People don’t know how to budget and spend wisely. I see it time and time again. So many people don’t prioritise on essential things like (healthy) food.

Many people don’t know how to budget and often spend money on non essential stuff.

I am not saying that cohort does not exist.

I am saying that putting anybody who is literally living hand to mouth in that cohort is ignorant nonsense.

You get £424 a month and your ill health means that you are unable to work. Universal Credit acknowledges that you have limited capability to work, but thinks you can do courses.

You rent the cheapest flat you can find in the cheapest part of Northern England, but the cheapest is still £500pm. Your benefits only cover £348 of the £500, and your tax have to pay £152.

Your gas and electric is £120pm.

Your Council Tax is £40pm.

You need internet access to do the courses that UC insist you do, or you’ll be sanctioned. That’s £50pm.

You’ve got £50pm to spend on food if you don’t have a television licence, never need to get a bus, never need to buy a birthday or Christmas present etc.

You are utterly ignorant and clueless.

If someone is living from hand to
mouth they are spending their money on things they don’t need. I don’t have my heating on all day as it would increase my energy bill.

.You have to make choices on how you spend your money. EVERYONE in the UK has the money to buy food. The fact they don’t do so isn’t because they lack money. They are spending it on other things.

People who are living hand to mouth with no spare money at all (despite wasting none of it) exist.

People who spend unwisely and end up with no spare money at all (but could find a bit more by changing some spending habits) also exist.

The second group might be the group it's more satisfying to get all judgmental over but that shouldn't distract from the fact that the first group exists too.

The second group might be able to do some prepping if the messaging reaches them but the first won't. They might both end up queuing together for limited help from the local council in an emergency.

As somebody who spent a chunk of their working life in Welfare Rights I disagree with the proposition in your first paragraph and the idea that EVERONE in the UK has enough money to by enough food.

There's plenty of evidence to support my point.

But you have you view and you're entitled to it. Neither of us is going to have our minds changed by post ping pong on Mumsnet!!

I remember reading about some UK-US wargames that were ran a few years ago and there were several scenarios where the Russians detonated a small tactical nuclear weapon over a major European city. The emphasis here is not generating nuclear fallout, which I think would be minimal at altitude, but on the resulting electromagnetic pulse. An EMP would destroy all electrical equipment in a certain radius from the blast.

Obviously, a worse case scenario.

Im not sure of the specifics of why and ive never really "stockpiled" , also laughed at preppers etc but Storm Goretti taught me a salient lesson. We live i a rural area and power was out for 5 days ,a tree down over my driveway and burst water mains. I now do have a preppers cupboard with bottled water,non perishables,tins etc, gas cannister for barbeque, candles, power banks,head torches,batteries and battery operated lights.medicines,disinfectant,first aid supplies,log store.

Yep. See Raymond Briggs ( The Snowman) cartoon book in the same style as The Snowman called When the Wind Blows - it's pretty grim. I read it when I was a kid.

Yes, this truly would be a worst case scenario, but in an all out war a far more likely nuclear option. It leaves the buildings intact, doesn't cause radiation , but will leave the population in chaos.

Yes, but handy to know, I suppose, that you should really focus on emergency preparedness in the event that there is no electricity. I think too many people focus on filling freezers etc.

I suppose the point is that if the power is cut off perhaps for days , the food in your fridge and a freezer will not last .

Re how safe to eat food .
Just checked and it says 4 hours for a fridge and 24-48 hours for a freezer . Lots of variables , perhaps age and efficiency of the appliances , how often you open the doors , how full etc, type of food .

If you have raw meat etc in them , you may not be able to cook this if you don’t have another means of heating / cooking up food .

I think there will be serious preppers , read about a man who has supplies for 6 months . I think he got caught out before and felt guilty that he hadn’t prepared enough to feed his family .
I still think if you can , keep some extra supplies / non perishables .

Do you really want to be caught short and have to go out and source food / water if there is really awful weather / trees down / flooding ? Even if you don’t accept cyber risks etc , the weather is a major issue .

You would be putting yourself and others at risk . I would rather hunker down and keep my family safe if I can .The resources / help then can be directed towards those who are more vulnerable . This would happen anyway regardless .

They won't be much good if there is no gas to cook it with!!

Sounds like you need to read the government leaflet!