Explore the UK resilience ecosystem and our role within it

What do we mean by the term ‘resilience’? In a national context, being resilient means having the capabilities, plans and tools in place to successfully prepare for, mitigate against and respond to key risks facing the UK.

There are currently 89 risks outlined in the National Risk Register (opens in a new tab), ranging from pandemics to cyber-attacks, which would significantly impact the UK’s safety, security and/or critical systems at a national level. By building resilience to these risks, the UK can be better equipped to deal with, and prepare, for future disasters. The UK has a robust and multifaceted resilience system that’s designed to respond effectively to major disasters. This system comprises a network of government agencies, local authorities, emergency services, and voluntary organisations, like the National Emergencies Trust, all working together to prepare for, respond to, and help people recover from national emergencies.

The Civil Contingencies Act

The far-reaching impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic led the Government to adapt our approaches to resilience. In 2021 it called for a review of the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 (CCA) and the National Emergencies Trust convened the charity sector for their collective input and contributed, among other organisations, to the public consultation. The CCA provides a legislative framework for emergency management and response in the UK. It establishes a clear set of roles and responsibilities for the many types of organisations involved in emergency planning and response. This framework is divided into two parts: Local Arrangements for Civil Protection and Emergency Powers.

UK Government Resilience Framework

First published in December 2022 following a public consultation review of the Civil Contingencies Act in September 2021, the UK Government Resilience Framework (opens in a new tab) sets out the government’s plan to strengthen its approach to resilience. It is based on three core principles which include: the importance of a shared understanding of the risks we face, the value of preparation and prevention; and having a ‘whole of society' approach to resilience, making resilience everyone’s business.

Local Resilience Forums (LRFs)

Local Resilience Forums (LRFs) are established under the first part of the CCA (Local Arrangements for Civil Protection). They operate in England and Wales and bring together relevant organisations to coordinate planning and response at the local level. Their equivalent in Scotland are called Regional Resilience Forums (RRFs) and Emergency Planning Groups (EPGs) in Northern Ireland. They’re pivotal to the UK’s resilience system and are partnerships of many local agencies, like emergency services (police, fire and ambulance), local councils, health agencies, environmental agencies and voluntary groups. Each of these conducts regular risk assessments, emergency simulation exercises and develops emergency plans tailored to local needs.

The National Emergencies Trust regularly presents to LRFs, RRFs, EPGs and other relevant forums (e.g., NHS emergency planners) where we share insights gained from our work with emergency survivors. This includes ongoing feedback from our regular Survivors Advisory Forum meetings, as well as insights from our dedicated research projects with survivors, such as Bee The Difference, which partnered with young people affected by the 2017 Manchester Arena terror attack. We also regularly present to new Family Liaison Officers (FLOs) who have a key role in supporting emergency survivors when the worst happens.

National agencies and steering groups

As a national disaster-response charity, we are active members of many national resilience agencies and steering groups. We participate in forums such as the UK Resilience Forum (UKRF), Cabinet Office VCS advisory group, Victims of Terrorism Unit (VTU), National Exercising Programme (NEP), UK Resilience Academy (UKRA), Local Resilience Forums, Regional Resilience Forums, Emergency Planning Groups, Voluntary and Community Sector Emergencies Partnership (VCSEP) and more.

These forums are a platform for us to give a voice to current and past issues facing survivors of disasters. They also offer opportunities to share our knowledge and shape plans and processes. For instance, collaborating with the Government to develop the “Community” section of its new Prepare website: gov.uk/prepare (opens in a new tab). This online resource offers accessible and actionable advice for individuals, households and communities when disasters arise.

The UKRF was established in 2021 to improve cross-sector communication and collaboration on risk, emergency preparedness, crisis response and recovery between national and regional government, private sector and voluntary sector organisations. Discussions this year have focussed on the updated National Risk Register, including the rise of cyber-attacks and climate change-related risks, all of which helps to inform our own planning.

Here to improve outcomes for emergency survivors

So what is the National Emergencies Trust’s role in the UK resilience ecosystem? In short, we are here for emergency survivors. For the people who are directly impacted by UK disasters, and for their loved ones.

In the aftermath of national emergencies, we act fast to raise and distribute vital funds to support their immediate and longer-term needs. We launch a nationwide fundraising appeal with the support of our Royal Patron, HRH The Prince of Wales, and our corporate patrons, based all over the UK. We partner with the UK Community Foundations network (UKCF) to distribute funds to individuals and to local groups in the area affected, and with national charitable partners to fund any unmet needs.

Our Coronavirus Appeal, which launched in March 2020, raised £100million for those affected by the pandemic, with the first £1million raised distributed to Community Foundations across the UK within one week.

Between emergencies we work closely with those affected by disasters to listen to their experiences and advise on how we, government and wider society can all make changes to improve outcomes for future emergency survivors. By doing so, we can contribute valuable knowledge and ideas to the UK resilience ecosystem.

The UK resilience system is not static. It is always evolving in response to lessons learned from past incidents and ongoing risk assessments. Regular training exercises, reviews of emergency plans, and updates to legislation and guidance ensure that the system remains effective. By raising funds for those affected by disasters, and by raising awareness of what we can learn from their experiences, the National Emergencies Trust is proud to play an integral part in ensuring a ‘whole of society’ effort is applied to national resilience.

From corporate patronage, to becoming a charitable partner, find out how you can get involved in our work.