The government is set to launch a national public awareness campaign later this year to guide citizens on preparing for emergencies and disruptions. Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Darren Jones announced the initiative, which aims to inform the public about small but crucial steps they can take to be ready for events such as severe weather, cyber attacks, or other catastrophes that could lead to outages of power, water, or internet services.
The campaign will also address how to prepare for situations that might affect access to food supplies or communication channels. Jones stated that the initiative would help people prepare for crises that could impact essential services and local amenities.
This effort echoes advice previously given by ministers in the former government. In December 2023, then-deputy prime minister Oliver Dowden urged households to consider stocking up on items like candles and battery-powered radios, suggesting a potential return to an 'analogue' era if digital systems were to fail. He emphasized the public's growing reliance on the internet and mobile phones, which could leave them without information during a widespread disaster.
Guidance on emergency preparedness has been available on the government website prepare.campaign.gov.uk, launched in 2024. The site offers advice for natural disasters, pandemics, and malicious acts including cyber attacks and terrorism. Specific recommendations include writing down important phone numbers on paper and keeping them accessible during a power outage. It also advises creating an emergency kit containing items such as a battery or wind-up radio, a portable power bank, a first aid kit, water, and non-perishable food.