Seven new risks added to National Risk Register

The government has updated the National Risk Register with seven new risks that reflect the changing world with more than half of them focused on cyber and digital and says it will launch a national resilience awareness campaign later this year.

As part of its annual review of resilience, the Cabinet Office has updated the National Risk Register (NRR), with Security Minister, Dame Angela Eagle noting in the foreword that “the risks the UK faces are more volatile, varied and interconnected than any time in living memory.”

The NRR is the external version of the National Security Risk Assessment (NSRA), which is the government’s assessment of the most serious risks facing the UK. It sets out a likelihood and impact assessment for – originally 89 risks – and includes a ‘reasonable worst‑case scenario’ for each risk. These are acute risks that require an immediate emergency response with chronic risks set out in a different assessment by the government.

With 95 risks now in the NRR (because one has been removed, see below) the addition of digital resilience failure, cyber attack or disruption on data infrastructure and more specific one setting out a cyber attack on water infrastructure, the NRR is reflecting experiences from the Crowdstrike IT outage in July, a sharper focus on Critical National Infrastructure targeted attacks on the water sector.

The criminal justice system is also highlighted with risks of cyber attacks on police systems now set out as a risk in the NRR. The experience of overcrowding after the response to the Southport murders in 2024 is also recognised as a risk with significant disruption of the whole system of criminal justice.

Threats to democracy resulting from interference are set out in a scenario that includes attacks on election infrastructure, harassment and intimidation towards candidates or voters, and any
element of foreign interference in the process.

The final addition of a risk about accidental damage on the National Gas Transmission Network
as a result of agricultural digging comes as the disruption of Russian gas supplies to Europe risk has been removed – the NRR says that this is because reliance on Russian gas imports has significantly reduced.

Pandemic remains the risk with the highest likelihood and impact but is joined by the risk of water infrastructure failure or loss of drinking water.

In a written statement to Parliament on 14 July, the Chief Secretary to the Resilience Minister, Darren Jones confirmed that the government will launch a national resilience public awareness campaign later this year. It is intended to inform the public o”f the small but important steps they can take to be prepared in case of emergencies and disruption—be that severe weather or a cyber-attack which can impact access to power, water, phone signal or local shops to get food.”

This came on the same day that the government published its 2026 implementation report on the Resilience Action Plan setting out the achievements under its three objectives, one of which is strengthening the public sector resilience system. It highlights the Stronger LRF Trailblazer Programme and upgrades to the system supporting Resilience Direct and the JESIP organisational learning facility.

Read the full NRR – National Risk Register 2026.

You can listen to more conversations about national resilience at The Emergency Services Show with the launch of Resilience 360. The show takes place on 16 and 17 September at the NEC in Birmingham. Register to attend here.