The Government announced on 14 July 2026 that it will launch a national resilience public awareness campaign later this year, alongside an annual statement on national resilience and the publication of the National Risk Register. The announcement was made in a written statement to Parliament by Darren Jones, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, and repeated in a Commons debate the same day1.
The statement said the campaign is intended "to inform the public of the small but important steps they can take to be prepared in case of emergencies and disruption, be that severe weather or a cyber-attack which can impact access to power, water, phone signal or local shops to get food"1. The same wording appears in the written statement, which refers to "a cyber attack"2. No launch date, budget, delivery body or advertising channels for the campaign have been reported1.
"Today, I can announce that the Government will launch a national resilience public awareness campaign later this year, in order to inform the public of the small but important steps they can take to be prepared in case of emergencies and disruption, be that severe weather or a cyber-attack which can impact access to power, water, phone signal or local shops to get food."
The statement set out other work published or promised alongside the campaign:
| Item | Detail | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| National Risk Register | Published version summarising all but the most sensitive classified risks; 95 risks listed in total | Published 14 July 20261 |
| Resilience Action Plan: 2026 Implementation Report | Annual update on the resilience action plan | Published 14 July 20261 |
| Biological Security Strategy: 2026 Implementation Report | Annual update; commitments to 2030 | Published 14 July 20261 |
| Call for Views on the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 | Implementation review to gather evidence on where the Act may need updating | Launched 14 July 20261 |
| Energy Resilience Strategy | To strengthen resilience of the UK energy system | Later this year1 |
| Transport Resilience Strategy | Secure and resilient transport systems for the UK public | Later this year1 |
| Home defence exercise | Described as the largest UK home defence exercise in several decades | 20271 |
The statement also cited recent events as context for the campaign. It said temperatures across the UK broke records in May and were exceeded again in June, and that storms earlier this year showed extreme weather can cause significant and prolonged disruption to essential services1. It named conflict in the Middle East and Russia's war in Ukraine as exposing vulnerabilities in global energy supply chains, and said increasingly sophisticated artificial intelligence could be weaponised by criminals for hostile cyber attacks against businesses and critical infrastructure1.
On biological security, the statement listed Exercise Pegasus, described as the largest tier 1 pandemic scenario simulation in UK history; a network of national biosecurity centres backed by £1.83 billion; Moderna's new mRNA vaccine manufacturing centre; a new pandemic preparedness strategy supported by an additional £1 billion in health protection measures; and a biothreats radar providing real-time data on biological incidents1. It said defence spending will rise to almost £80 billion a year by 20291.
Why it matters for households
The campaign is aimed at households across the UK, with the Government saying the public can "play our part" alongside government action1. The statement names the services a severe weather event or cyber attack can affect: power, water, phone signal and local shops to get food1. The campaign itself has not yet launched and its content has not been published, so what specific steps it will promote has not been reported. The National Risk Register, published the same day with 95 risks listed, is the Government's public summary of the most serious risks facing the UK, excluding the most sensitive classified ones1. The Call for Views on the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 concerns the legal framework for emergency preparedness and response across the UK, which the Government says "must keep pace to meet future challenges"1. Further background is in the guide to Be Ready: The National Resilience Campaign, the UK Government Resilience Framework and Action Plan and the UK preparedness hub.
What happens next
The campaign is due later in 2026; no date has been given1. The Energy Resilience Strategy and Transport Resilience Strategy are also due later this year1. The Call for Views on the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 is open, with the Government seeking evidence from across the resilience community1. The largest UK home defence exercise in several decades is planned for 20271.
Sources (2)
- National Resilience: Annual Statement - Hansard - UK Parliament, hansard.parliament.uk
- Written statements - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament, questions-statements.parliament.uk
