The British government is preparing a major campaign to bolster the population's ability to cope with a prolonged crisis. Households will be encouraged to store reserves of drinking water and non-perishable food at home. The aim is to enable Britons to remain self-sufficient during a period of disruption to essential services, as London now identifies a wider range of risks that could affect the country.
This policy is not solely concerned with the possibility of military conflict. The authorities also take into account cyberattacks against strategic infrastructure, climate disasters, and attempts to interfere with the country's democratic processes. The national risk register has thus been updated to include several new threats, notably those targeting data centers, water networks, and police systems.
Britain's updated crisis plans
This preparation is part of the Home Defence Programme, which notably includes a revision of the War Books, the confidential plans used by government departments to organize the state's response in a major crisis. This update, presented as the first of such scope since 2004, comes as British authorities are increasing their vigilance against geopolitical risks and attacks that could directly affect the country's infrastructure.
Russia features prominently in this new preparedness doctrine. British Defence Secretary Louise Sandher-Jones recently stated that Moscow poses a direct threat to British territory, while tensions with Russia remain high against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine. Climate risks further complicate matters: following several record-breaking temperatures this year, London also plans to hold its largest national defence exercise in decades in 2027 to test the country's ability to respond to a large-scale crisis.
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