Half of UK households feel unprepared for an emergency, government survey finds

Half of UK adults say their household is either slightly prepared or not prepared at all for an emergency, according to new government research.

The Cabinet Office’s 2026 UK Public Survey of Risk Perception, Resilience and Preparedness questioned 10,791 adults between February and May, with the findings published on 19 August.

Only 13% considered their household largely or totally prepared, while 33% felt moderately prepared.

The research also found that 68% expected the number of emergencies and disasters affecting the UK to increase over the next decade.

What emergencies concern people most?

Severe storms were among the most commonly anticipated risks. Some 51% of respondents believed their local area was likely to experience a disruptive storm within the next two years.

Other concerns included extreme cold weather, cyberattacks affecting essential infrastructure, extreme heat and disruption to food supplies.

Many households had already taken some precautions, although the extent of their preparations varied.

Almost half of mobile phone owners had recorded emergency contacts or medical information on their devices, while 29% of all respondents kept important telephone numbers or other information on paper.

However, only 19% had prepared a grab bag containing essential items they could take if they needed to leave home at short notice.

Awareness of government advice remains low

Just 14% of respondents said they had visited the Government’s Prepare website.

Of those who had used it, 74% reported acting on the information provided.

Overall, the findings were broadly similar to those recorded in 2025, suggesting there has been little change in how prepared people feel.