How is Resilience managed in the UK?

How the UK is organised in terms of resilience

The 2022 UK Government Resilience Framework sets out that resilience is a ‘whole of society’ endeavour. The UK Government provides leadership and takes action to help build the nation’s resilience, whilst also relying on a wide range of partners.

Most emergencies in the UK are handled at the local level by the emergency services, local authorities and other relevant organisations such as utility companies and transport operators. However, because of scale or complexity, some emergencies need a degree of central government coordination or support, with the UK Government, Scottish Government, Welsh Government and Northern Ireland Executive taking the lead where appropriate in accordance with devolution agreements.

UK Government

In September 2022, the Cabinet Office reorganised its existing resilience functions into two units: The Resilience Directorate, which is responsible for preparedness and risk reduction and the Cabinet Office Briefing (COBR) Unit, which is responsible for crisis response. This reorganisation means the UK Government is able to coordinate and support emergencies while continuing to deliver long-term capability building and risk reduction.

The UK Government uses a Lead Government Department model to cover all phases of emergency planning, response, recovery and risk assessment. Lead Government Departments are responsible for leading work to identify serious risks and ensure that the right planning, response and recovery arrangements are in place.

Opposite - Map of UK Police Forces - Most LRF boundaries follow the UK Polivce Force areas.

         

 

Local Resilience Forums (LRF)

Although the UK Government has an important role to play in assessing and planning for risks, the local level is critical to the UK’s resilience. The 38 Local Resilience Forums in England, the four Local Resilience Forums in Wales, three Regional Resilience Partnerships in Scotland and Emergency Preparedness Groups in Northern Ireland play a critical role in bringing local responders, such as the emergency services, together to plan for risks. Local resilience partners produce Community Risk Registers, which focus on the highest priority risks in each local area.

A Local Resilience Forum (LRF) in the UK is a multi-agency partnership that brings together Category 1 and Category 2 responders under the Civil Contingencies Act (CCA) 2004 to coordinate planning, preparation, and response for emergencies and major incidents within a specific geographical area. The primary role of an LRF is to enhance the resilience of local communities by ensuring that all relevant agencies collaborate effectively to mitigate risks, prepare for emergencies, and support recovery efforts.

   

Key Roles and Responsibilities of a Local Resilience Forums (LRF's):

   Risk Assessment and Planning:

• LRFs are responsible for conducting Community Risk Assessments and developing a Community Risk Register (CRR). This register identifies potential risks and hazards (e.g., floods, industrial accidents, pandemics) that could impact the local area.
• Based on these assessments, the LRF helps develop joint emergency plans and contingency plans that outline how different agencies will respond to specific types of incidents.

   Facilitating Multi-Agency Collaboration:

• LRFs provide a platform for Category 1 responders (like emergency services, local authorities, and NHS bodies) and Category 2 responders (like utility companies and transport operators) to collaborate, share information, and coordinate their planning efforts.
• They ensure that all agencies understand their roles, responsibilities, and capabilities during an emergency, promoting a coordinated and integrated approach to response and recovery.

   Coordinating Emergency Preparedness:

• LRFs play a key role in organising training exercises and testing emergency plans to ensure that agencies are well-prepared for potential incidents.
• These exercises help identify gaps in the response plans, provide training opportunities for personnel, and ensure that responders are familiar with joint protocols and procedures.

   Information Sharing and Communication:

• LRFs facilitate information sharing among partners to ensure that agencies have a common understanding of risks and are aware of any changes in the local risk landscape.
• During an incident, the LRF helps ensure that accurate and timely information is communicated between responders and to the public, supporting effective decision-making and coordination.

   Supporting Response and Recovery Operations:

• While LRFs are primarily focused on preparedness, they also support the coordination of response and recovery efforts during and after an incident.
• The LRF can activate Strategic Coordinating Groups (SCG), which bring together strategic leaders from different agencies to oversee the high-level coordination of the response.
• After an incident, LRFs help facilitate recovery efforts, working with partners to restore normality, support affected communities, and learn lessons from the response.

   Community Engagement and Public Awareness:

• LRFs play a role in raising public awareness about potential risks and encouraging community resilience. This includes providing information to the public on how to prepare for emergencies and what actions to take during specific incidents.
• They may work with local community groups, voluntary organizations, and businesses to ensure that a broader range of stakeholders are involved in emergency planning.

In Summary:

The Local Resilience Forum (LRF) serves as the backbone of emergency planning and response coordination at the local level in the UK. Its role is to bring together all key partners to prepare for potential emergencies, ensure a cohesive response, and support recovery, ultimately aiming to enhance the resilience of the community. Through their work, LRFs help ensure that local areas are better prepared for and able to recover from a wide range of risks and incidents