Home & Kitchen Buying guide
First aid kits for home, car and walks: what to buy
What should you know before choosing?
A home kit should cover the basics on St John Ambulance's checklist: sterile dressings, plasters, a triangular bandage, latex-free gloves, cleansing wipes, adhesive tape and scissors. Restock it as you use it, and keep medicines separately and out of children's reach. BS 8599 kits are workplace and vehicle standards; you do not need one at home.
Options at a glance
Compare the options- For a small household
St John Ambulance Home First Aid Kit (F39015)
Find model on Amazon* - For a family home
St John Ambulance Universal Plus First Aid Kit (F39013)
Find model on Amazon* - For the car
St John Ambulance Medium Motor Vehicle First Aid Kit BS 8599-2 (F39011)
Find model on Amazon*
St John Ambulance Home First Aid Kit (F39015)
Amazon UK
A compact grab bag with sterile medium and large dressings, 20 plasters, a triangular bandage, nitrile gloves and cleansing wipes. It covers the core of St John Ambulance's checklist, but scissors and tape are not listed.
Check before buying: No scissors, tape or tweezers are listed, although the SJA checklist includes scissors and adhesive tape.
Why it's a good thing: Bamboo and wood-pulp plasters and plastic-free wipes. Restock used items rather than replacing the kit.
- It covers the core of St John Ambulance's checklist: sterile dressings, plasters, a triangular bandage, gloves and cleansing wipes.
- The nitrile gloves are latex-free, as the checklist advises.
- The compact grab bag is easy to store and take with you.
- No scissors, tape or tweezers are listed, although the SJA checklist includes scissors and adhesive tape.
- There is only one pair of gloves and four wipes, so you will need to restock after use.
St John Ambulance Universal Plus First Aid Kit (F39013)
Amazon UK
A fuller grab bag for homes and businesses, including a resuscitation face shield, a 250ml eye wash bottle, burn gel sachets, an instant ice pack, three pairs of nitrile gloves and scissors. It makes no BS 8599 claim.
Check before buying: It makes no BS 8599 claim, so it does not replace a workplace-standard kit where an employer specifies one.
Why it's a good thing: Covers the tools smaller kits often leave out, so you are less likely to need extra purchases.
- It includes the scissors, tweezers and microporous tape that smaller kits often leave out.
- It has a resuscitation face shield, which matches the protective items on SJA's checklist.
- Burn gel sachets, an instant ice pack and eye wash cover common household injuries.
- It makes no BS 8599 claim, so it does not replace a workplace-standard kit where an employer specifies one.
- The gloves are listed in size Large only.
St John Ambulance Medium Motor Vehicle First Aid Kit BS 8599-2 (F39011)
Amazon UK
A glovebox-sized kit designed for cars and vehicles carrying up to 8 passengers, with a foil blanket, a resuscitation aid, a burn dressing and shears. St John Ambulance states it conforms to BS 8599-2:2019; its page URL mentions 2014, so check the edition printed on the kit.
Check before buying: Tweezers are not listed, and there is one pack of 20 plasters.
Why it's a good thing: A set contents list makes it easy to see what to replace after use.
- It is built to the motor vehicle kit standard (BS 8599-2), so the contents list is set out in advance.
- It includes a foil blanket, a resuscitation aid and shears, which are useful at a roadside.
- At 16 x 6 x 13 cm it is compact enough for a glovebox or door pocket.
- Tweezers are not listed, and there is one pack of 20 plasters.
- The page title says BS 8599-2:2019 but the page URL says 2014, so check the edition printed on the kit.
St John Ambulance Travel and Motoring Workplace Kit BS 8599-1:2019 (F39007)
Amazon UK
A travel-category workplace kit for solo travellers, with a medium trauma dressing, two burn dressings, a foil blanket and a resuscitation aid. St John Ambulance states it complies with BS 8599-1:2019.
Check before buying: It is designed for solo travellers, not groups or families.
Why it's a good thing: Useful where an employer specifies a BS 8599-1 kit; HSE says buying one is not a legal requirement.
- It complies with BS 8599-1:2019, the workplace standard that HSE refers to.
- It includes a trauma dressing with an attached bandage for heavier bleeding, plus two burn dressings.
- It has a foil blanket and resuscitation aid for roadside use.
- It is designed for solo travellers, not groups or families.
- Tweezers and adhesive tape are not listed.
Lifesystems Pocket First Aid Kit
Amazon UK
A 180 g pocket kit with a belt or rucksack loop, blister plasters, a burn gel sachet and a crêpe bandage. No gloves are listed, so add a pair of nitrile gloves.
Check before buying: No disposable gloves are listed, even though SJA's checklist includes them, so add a pair.
Why it's a good thing: Small enough to carry every day, which matters more than a bigger kit left at home.
- It is light (180 g) and small enough for a pocket or belt.
- Blister plasters and a crêpe bandage cover typical walking injuries.
- The loop attaches to a belt or rucksack, so the kit stays reachable.
- No disposable gloves are listed, even though SJA's checklist includes them, so add a pair.
- There is no triangular bandage, foil blanket or face shield.
Lifesystems Adventurer First Aid Kit
Amazon UK
A 330 g organised kit with a triangular bandage, two pairs of nitrile gloves, sterile saline wipes and a disposable thermometer. No foil blanket or face shield is listed, and the maker states no standard.
Check before buying: No foil blanket or face shield is listed.
Why it's a good thing: Organised compartments make items quicker to find and easier to restock.
- It includes nitrile gloves and a triangular bandage, both on SJA's checklist.
- A disposable thermometer is included, which TravelHealthPro lists for travel kits.
- The organised compartments make items quicker to find.
- No foil blanket or face shield is listed.
- The page states no standard and does not list medicines. Lifesystems states 29 items, but the listed lines add up to more, so check the contents card.
What should a home first aid kit contain?
St John Ambulance’s checklist covers sterile dressing pads and roller bandages, triangular bandages, latex-free gloves, cleansing wipes, gauze pads, adhesive tape, scissors, pins and clips, a face shield or pocket mask and a foil blanket. The NHS Hertfordshire and West Essex list also includes plasters in a range of sizes, sterile gauze dressings and sterile eye dressings.
Keep medicines separately. HSE recommends not keeping tablets and medicines in a first aid box, and NHS guidance says to check medicines regularly against their use-by dates.
Do you need a BS 8599 kit?
BS 8599-1 specifies the contents of workplace first aid kits, and BS 8599-2 covers motor vehicle kits. HSE says buying BS 8599-1 kits is not a legal requirement even for workplaces. You do not need either standard at home, but a standard kit gives you a known contents list.
How to choose
- Check the contents list against St John Ambulance’s checklist: sterile dressings, plasters, a triangular bandage, gloves, cleansing wipes, tape and scissors. Ready-made kits often leave out scissors, tape or tweezers.
- Gloves should be latex-free (nitrile or vinyl). Count how many pairs come in the kit and check the size.
- Match the kit to where it will be used: a grab bag for home, a compact kit with a foil blanket and face shield for the car, and a light pack with blister plasters for walking.
- Standards: BS 8599-1 is for workplace kits and BS 8599-2 for motor vehicle kits. Neither is needed at home, but a BS 8599-2 kit gives you a known contents list for a car.
- Medicines: most ready-made kits contain none. Keep household medicines separately, locked away from children, and check use-by dates. Abroad, carry regular medicines in hand luggage.
- Make sure refills or individual items are easy to buy, so you can restock what you use instead of replacing the whole kit.
Before you buy anything
If you already have a kit, check it against St John Ambulance’s checklist and replace only the used or missing items rather than buying a new one. Many basics, such as cling film or a clean freezer bag for burns, a clean tea towel for pressure on bleeding and frozen peas wrapped in a tea towel for bumps, are already in most homes (British Red Cross guidance). The British Red Cross also runs a free first aid workshop for adults aged 19 and over, which may be more useful than a bigger kit. Employers are responsible for workplace first aid provision, including for staff who work away from base (HSE), so you do not need to buy your own kit for work.
Kits at a glance
Contents and sizes are quoted from each maker’s page, checked on 23 October 2026. Contents change, so check the list printed on the kit you receive.
| Kit | Best for | Size | Gloves | Standard stated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St John Ambulance Home First Aid Kit (F39015) | A small household | 15 × 8.5 × 20 cm | 1 pair nitrile | None stated |
| St John Ambulance Universal Plus First Aid Kit (F39013) | A family home | 19 × 9 × 25 cm | 3 pairs nitrile | None stated |
| St John Ambulance Medium Motor Vehicle First Aid Kit BS 8599-2 (F39011) | The car | 16 × 6 × 13 cm | 2 pairs nitrile | BS 8599-2:2019 |
| St John Ambulance Travel and Motoring Workplace Kit BS 8599-1:2019 (F39007) | Lone workers who drive | 15 × 9 × 20 cm | Check the contents card | BS 8599-1:2019 |
| Lifesystems Pocket First Aid Kit | Day walks and bags | 125 × 80 × 45 mm, 180 g | None listed | None stated |
| Lifesystems Adventurer First Aid Kit | Hiking and camping | 150 × 130 × 80 mm, 330 g | 2 pairs nitrile | None stated |
Sources behind this guide
These sources support the comparison; they are separate from the shopping links. Manufacturer statements have not been independently tested by us.
- St John Ambulance: What to put in a First Aid Kit (the former nhs.uk 'What should I keep in my first aid kit?' page now redirects here)
- NHS Hertfordshire and West Essex Healthier Together: What to keep in your medicine cabinet
- HSE: First aid at work – frequently asked questions
- BSI Knowledge: BS 8599-1:2019 Workplace first aid kits – specification
- TravelHealthPro (NaTHNaC): First aid kits factsheet
- British Red Cross: No first aid kit? No problem
- British Red Cross: Prepare an emergency kit
- St John Ambulance — Home First Aid Kit (F39015)
- St John Ambulance — Universal Plus First Aid Kit (F39013)
- St John Ambulance — Medium Motor Vehicle First Aid Kit BS 8599-2 (F39011)
- St John Ambulance — Travel and Motoring Workplace Kit BS 8599-1:2019 (F39007)
- Lifesystems — Pocket First Aid Kit
- Lifesystems — Adventurer First Aid Kit
How we choose
Manufacturer contents lists and guidance from St John Ambulance, the NHS, HSE, BSI, TravelHealthPro and the British Red Cross checked on 23 October 2026. We compare listed contents; we have not opened or tested these kits or verified current Amazon listings, sellers, stock or prices. This is a research-based review, not a hands-on lab test.
Our values filter: We favour lifetime warranties, spare-parts availability, and materials that outlast cheaper versions.
Prices change — check the retailer for today's price.
Common questions
- What should a basic home first aid kit contain?
- St John Ambulance's checklist covers sterile wound dressings and an eye pad, fabric or waterproof plasters, roller and triangular bandages, latex-free disposable gloves, a face shield, cleansing wipes, gauze pads, adhesive tape, scissors, pins or clips and a foil blanket. An NHS list adds tweezers, crêpe bandages, at least two sterile eye dressings and a digital thermometer.
- Should I keep painkillers in my first aid kit?
- HSE recommends not keeping tablets and medicines in a workplace first-aid box. At home, NHS guidance treats medicines as part of a medicine cabinet: keep them locked or out of children's reach, check use-by dates regularly, and do not give aspirin to under-16s unless a doctor prescribes it.
- Do I need a BS 8599 kit at home?
- No. BS 8599-1 specifies kits for use in workplace environments, and HSE says even workplaces are not legally required to buy BS 8599-1 kits, as long as the contents match their first-aid needs assessment. BS 8599-2 covers motor vehicle kits. A home kit just needs to cover the basics on a recognised checklist.
- What should I pack for travel abroad?
- TravelHealthPro says to tailor the kit to you, your destination and your plans. Carry extra supplies of regular medicines in hand luggage in case of delays or lost baggage, and avoid buying medicines overseas, because quality cannot be assured. Sterile needle and syringe kits are for a doctor or nurse to use on you, not for self-treatment.
- What if I don't have a first aid kit to hand?
- The British Red Cross suggests household substitutes: a clean plastic carrier bag, sandwich bag or freezer bag to cover a burn if there is no cling film; a t-shirt or tea towel to press on bleeding; and a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a tea towel for a head bump.
