Largest ever national pandemic response exercise to strengthen against future threats
Source: gov.uk (2025-01-16)

The government's pandemic planning has been stepped up in response to recommendations from the Covid-19 Inquiry Module 1 report.

- Pandemic planning stepped up with unprecedented exercise between government, emergency services and nations and regions.
- Over 4,000 resilience and emergency workers to be trained every year through the UK Resilience Academy.
- New tool built by the Cabinet Office and Office for National Statistics will help identify vulnerable groups who need targeted support.
- National test of the Emergency Alert System to take place.
The country’s preparation for future pandemics will be stepped up by the largest ever national response exercise due to be held in the Autumn.

Ministers have also set out plans to better support vulnerable groups - such as the elderly or those receiving care - and train thousands of public servants to handle a range of crises, including pandemics.

These measures come in response to the Covid-19 Inquiry’s Module 1 report, which examined the resilience and preparedness of the UK prior to the pandemic.

Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, The Rt Hon. Pat McFadden MP, said:

We must learn lessons from the Covid pandemic as we cannot afford to make the same mistakes again. But we will plan in a way that recognises the next crisis may not be the same as the last.

We agree with the Inquiry that more needs to be done and are announcing measures to make sure that we are as prepared as possible for future pandemics.

These changes will improve our resilience and preparedness and help to safeguard our citizens.

The national pandemic exercise is the first of its kind in nearly a decade and is set to be the biggest in UK history. It will test the country’s capabilities, plans, protocols and procedures in the event of another major pandemic.

It will be led by senior ministers, involve thousands of participants, and run across all regions and nations of the UK. All government departments, local resilience forums, and the devolved governments have been invited to participate, and the government is encouraging the most significant involvement ever at a local level.

The exercise is due to take place on different days over several months in the Autumn. The government will communicate findings and lessons from this exercise as recommended by the Covid-19 Inquiry.

The government has also committed to providing more support for vulnerable groups, many of whom were disproportionately impacted during the Covid-19 pandemic.

To support this, the Cabinet Office has created a Risk Vulnerability Tool with the Office for National Statistics. The tool creates a map of the UK for different risks that we face, and shows where there are vulnerable groups who might be disproportionately impacted. Vulnerable groups are identified by data including age, disability, or whether someone is receiving care.

It is a government tool, which can be instantly shared across departments and with devolved governments. It will improve the government’s understanding of where disproportionately impacted groups are ahead of and during crises, and enable targeted local support where required.

A third measure the Government is taking is to train over 4,000 people in resilience and emergency roles every year through the UK Resilience Academy. The training, which begins in April, will help practitioners plan for and manage a range of crises, including pandemics. It will be based on revised National Occupational Standards to ensure that people have the knowledge and skills they need to support them in their roles.

The Government will also carry out a national test of the Emergency Alert System later in 2025. While the system has been deployed successfully four times since launching in 2023, the national test will ensure the system is functioning correctly, should it need to be deployed in an emergency. Regular testing will ensure the UK remains in line with other countries that test similar systems on a regular basis.

The national test will provide valuable operational lessons for both central government and telecommunication partners, giving an opportunity to solve any issues prior to a potential emergency activation.

The exact date of the test will be announced in due course and will see every phone in the country - approximately 87 million devices - receive a test message similar to the previous test in April 2023. The test will be advertised widely in advance.

The Covid-19 Inquiry published its Module 1 report in July last year. The government agrees with what the Inquiry is seeking to achieve through its recommendations and the response published today sets out where progress has been made, and where further action will be taken.

Delivering on our country’s Missions, including building a National Health Service fit for the future, will help us prepare for the range of risks we face. These Missions also rely on a strong, foundational system of resilience that must be maintained and improved.

ENDS