1 March 2026
UK Government launches £50 million emergency fund
The UK Government launched a £50 million emergency fund in March 2026 for households reliant on heating oil, with separate access routes in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
UK Preparedness news
We cover news from public bodies and utility companies for UK households on power cuts, weather, water, health, safety and security. Each report includes the date and sources, with links to our guides.
March 2026
January 2026
9 January 2026
SGORR met to coordinate response to severe weather in northern Scotland
The Scottish Government's Resilience Room met on Friday afternoon to coordinate the response to severe weather in northern Scotland, as snow, ice and a coming thaw raised the risk of flooding.
December 2025
16 December 2025
GOV.UK publishes listing of 8 rapid evidence summaries on health during a national power outage
The UK Health Security Agency has published eight rapid evidence summaries, dated November 2025, on health topics relevant to a national power outage, covering water and sanitation, food and…
2 December 2025
Statutory guidance for Responsible Persons published
Statutory guidance for Responsible Persons on residential personal emergency evacuation plans was published on 2 December 2025, ahead of duties in England that came into force on 6 April 2026.
November 2025
18 November 2025
Government publishes response to NESO's North Hyde report with implementation plan
The government has published its response to NESO's review of the March 2025 North Hyde substation fire, setting out an implementation plan and a commitment to a Great Britain Energy Resilience…
4 November 2025
Major incident declared in west Wales after heavy rainfall flooding
Dyfed Powys police declared a major incident after very heavy rainfall on 4 November 2025 brought severe property flooding and rescues in west Wales, with Whitland, Carmarthen, Kidwelly and St Clears…
October 2025
29 October 2025
Resuscitation Council UK updates and rebrands AED guidance for communities
Resuscitation Council UK has updated and rebranded its guide to automated external defibrillators as Public Access Defibrillators: A Guide for Communities, covering installation, maintenance and…
16 October 2025
Main FloodReady report added to GOV.UK publication page
The Environment Agency has added the main FloodReady report, Professor Peter Bonfield's independent review of property flood resilience, to its GOV.UK publication page, with the front page amended to…
September 2025
7 September 2025
UK-wide test of the Emergency Alerts service
A test alert was sent to phones across England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales on Sunday 7 September 2025 as part of the UK government's Emergency Alerts service.
August 2025
12 August 2025
OPSS launches Small Hazards, Big Harm campaign on swallowed small items
The Office for Product Safety and Standards has launched a campaign and updated resources warning parents and carers about button batteries, magnets, imitation food, small toys and other small objects…
July 2025
8 July 2025
Government publishes resilience action plan, chronic risk analysis and biological security strategy update
The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster has published a resilience action plan, a chronic risk analysis and an update to the UK biological security strategy, including a nationwide emergency alert…
8 July 2025
Resilience Action Plan published
The government published its Resilience Action Plan on 8 July 2025, committing to an annual overview of UK resilience to Parliament, with the first such update given on 14 July 2026.
7 July 2025
National Emergency Alerts test announced alongside Resilience Action Plan
The government will test the national Emergency Alerts system on Sunday 7 September 2025 at 3:00pm, sending a test message to compatible 4G and 5G phones and tablets across the UK.
4 July 2025
Residential PEEP regulations introduce new fire safety duties for building owners
Regulations laid on 4 July 2025 place new duties on owners and managers of high-rise and higher risk residential buildings in England to plan for residents who cannot evacuate without help.
1 July 2025
New UK Drowning Prevention Strategy launched
The National Water Safety Forum has launched a new UK Drowning Prevention Strategy, backed by more than 130 organisations, alongside nation-specific strategies for England, Scotland, Wales and…
1 July 2025
Met Office launches July to December 2025 training prospectus for community responders
The Met Office has launched its July to December 2025 training prospectus for community responders and the voluntary sector, with three courses on climate change, winter weather hazards and Met Office…
June 2025
24 June 2025
National Security Strategy published
The government's National Security Strategy, published on 24 June, names domestic resilience as a fundamental element of national security, with a Resilience Action Plan setting out how households and…
1 June 2025
UK Emergency Alerts system tested again in summer 2025
The UK government carried out a second national test of the Emergency Alerts system on Sunday 7 September 2025 at 3pm, with messages clearly labelled as a test.
May 2025
2 May 2025
NFCC calls for national action to tackle drownings
The National Fire Chiefs Council has called on the UK Government to consult on a statutory duty for English fire and rescue services for inland water rescue and to appoint a lead minister for water…
April 2025
5 April 2025
Major wildfire declared a major incident at Sandbank Road, Hilltown
Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service declared a major incident after a significant wildfire at Sandbank Road, Hilltown, on Saturday 5 April, with 15 fire appliances and over 100 firefighters…