The National Preparedness Commission (NPC) is an independent, not-for-profit, non-political organisation in the United Kingdom. The Commission was set up to promote better preparedness against national crises, threats and incidents. Its work focuses on how the UK can better prevent, mitigate, respond to and recover from disruptive events affecting society, the economy and critical national infrastructure.

Established in 2020, the Commission produces research and policy papers on national preparedness, resilience, and responses to major risks and crises. The Commission also submits written evidence to Parliament, and its members have given oral evidence to several Parliamentary Committees.Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy. “The National Security Strategy: Oral Evidence” UK Parliament Committees, October 13, 2025 https://committees.parliament.uk/oralevidence/16487/html/Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy. “The National Security Strategy: Fourth Report of Session 2024–26.” UK Parliament, HC 1045 / HL 281. March 27, 2026. https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/jt5901/jtselect/jtnatsec/1045/report.htmlNational Preparedness Commission, “National Resilience Inquiry: Written Evidence” National Resilience Committee, UK Parliament (Reference 144771).” 29 July 2025. https://committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/144771/pdf/

The Commission is chaired by Lord Toby Harris of Haringey.National Preparedness Commission. “Our Team.” https://nationalpreparednesscommission.uk/about/our-team/ The Commission depends on support from sponsors, some of whom work with the Commission as partners.National Preparedness Commission. “About.”

https://nationalpreparednesscommission.uk/about/.

Governance The Chair of the Commission is Lord Toby Harris of Haringey. The Vice Chairs are Sir Ian Andrews, CBE TD, Sir Ken Olisa OBE CStJ FRSA FBCS and Professor Brian Collins CB FREng.National Preparedness Commission “Commissioners” Accessed May 4, 2026.

https://nationalpreparednesscommission.uk/about/commissioners/

The Commission is made up of around 50 Commissioners drawn from public life, academia, business and civil society. These Commissioners oversee and guide the Commission’s work.National Preparedness Commission. “How We Work.” Accessed April 28, 2026. https://nationalpreparednesscommission.uk/about/how-we-work/.

Commissioners include:

Rebecca Lawrence John Armitt CBE FrEngNational Preparedness Commission “Commissioners” https://nationalpreparednesscommission.uk/about/commissioners/ Victor Adebowale, The Lord Adebowale CBE James Arbuthnot, The Lord Arbuthnot of Edrom PC Elisabeth Braw John Barradell OBECumberland Council. “Resilience and Local Government Leader John Barradell Proposed as Interim Chief Executive for Cumbria.” 2026. https://www.cumberland.gov.uk/news/2026/resilience-and-local-government-leader-john-barradell-proposed-interim-chief-executive-cumbria. Sir David Omand GCBZ/Yen Group. “Preparation for a Dangerous Uncertain Future: Combining Policy Foresight and Experience.” Z/Yen Events, accessed April 28, 2026. https://www.zyen.com/events/all-events/preparation-for-a-dangerous-uncertain-future-combining-policy-foresight-and-experience/ Gisela Abbam FRSA Ingrid Stephanie Boyce CBE FKC DL Sir Ian Trevelyan Chapman FREng FRS FInstP Dame Jo da Silva DBE FREng FICE RDI Dame Cressida Dick Ruth Kelly Sir David Lidington KCB CBE Michael Mainelli KStJ OMRI Bruce Mann CB Professor Ciaran Martin CB Dame Sarah Mullally DBENational Preparedness Commission “Commissioners” https://nationalpreparednesscommission.uk/about/commissioners/ Martin Rees, The Lord Rees of Ludlow, OM FRS HonFREng FMedSci FRAS HonFInstP John Reid PC Basil Scarsella Admiral Rt Hon Lord Alan West of Spithead GCB DSC PC

Objectives The Commission promotes policies and actions to help the UK be better prepared to avoid, mitigate, respond to, and recover from major shocks, threats and challenges.National Preparedness Commission. “About.” https://nationalpreparednesscommission.uk/about/Inside Croydon. “Council Fails to Spend £4m Grant on Climate Change in 9 Years.” October 9, 2025. https://insidecroydon.com/2025/10/09/council-fails-to-spend-4m-grant-on-climate-change-in-9-years/. It advocates a whole-of-society, threat agnostic, and ‘systems thinking’ approach to national preparedness.National Preparedness Commission. “About.” https://nationalpreparednesscommission.uk/about/.National Preparedness Commission. “Inquiry on Drought Preparedness in England: Written Evidence to the House Commons Select Committee for Environment and Climate Change.” Committee for Environment and Climate Change, UK Parliament Committees, February 3, 2026. https://committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/162258/pdf/.

The ‘Whole of Society’ approach, advocated by the Commission, stresses that every level of society, including government, organisations, and communities, should be enabled to contribute to the better preparedness of the country as a whole.National Preparedness Commission. “Inquiry on Drought Preparedness in England: Written Evidence to the House Commons Select Committee for Environment and Climate Change.” Committee for Environment and Climate Change, UK Parliament Committees, February 3, 2026. https://committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/162258/pdf/National Preparedness Commission, “Written Evidence: NLR0004.” National Resilience Committee 16 March 2026. https://committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/164015/pdf/‘Systems Thinking’ considers that all systems, such as critical national infrastructure, are linked and that a threat and crisis in one can cascade and affect others.

Publications The Commission publishes reports and reviews on national emergency preparedness and systemic risks affecting the United Kingdom. Reports have been cited in newspapers, magazines, journals, as well as used as part of evidence to Parliament and featured in Government policy papers.UK Government. “A UK Government Food Strategy for England: Considering the Wider UK Food System.” GOV.UK. Accessed April 28, 2026. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/a-uk-government-food-strategy-for-england/a-uk-government-food-strategy-for-england-considering-the-wider-uk-food-system.

The reports published by the National Preparedness Commission cover topics such as:

Health and healthcare. Geopolitical impacts on food and supply chain security. Cyber and technology risk, including malicious AI and ML. Critical infrastructure, utilities and their interconnectedness. National resilience and the Civil Contingencies Act.

In December 2021, the National Preparedness Commission published a report written by Dr Carina Fearnley and Professor Ilan Kelman entitled “Enhanced Warnings”. The report assessed the national alert system used by the UK Government during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

In March 2022, the commission published an independent review of the UK Civil Contingencies Act 2004. The review was led by Bruce Mann, former Director of Civil Contingencies Secretariat.

In February 2024, the commission published a report on food security, specifically civil resilience in protecting the UK food supply. The lead author of the report was Tim Lang, Professor Emeritus of Food Policy at City St George's, University of London.

In July 2025, the UK Government published its Resilience Action Plan, which cited several of the National Preparedness Commission’s reports as evidence.

In August 2025, the commission published a report on energy security and infrastructure, entitled “Assessing Energy Resilience in the UK 2050”.

In 2025, the National Preparedness Commission updated its “Strategic Issues” paper, originally published in 2020.National Preparedness Commission. “Strategic Issues.” Accessed April 28, 2026. https://nationalpreparednesscommission.uk/publications/strategic-issues/National Preparedness Commission. National Preparedness: The New Strategic Issues. February 2026. https://nationalpreparednesscommission.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/National-Preparedness_the-new-Strategic-Issues_Final.pdf The original report was written in October 2020 by Professor Brian Collins, a Vice-Chair of the Commission. The updated version, “The New Strategic Issues”, was cited by the House of Lords Library, which highlighted its analysis of emerging risks.UK Parliament, House of Lords Library. “UK Civil Preparedness for War: Government Strategy.” House of Lords Library. 2026. https://lordslibrary.parliament.uk/uk-civil-preparedness-for-war-government-strategy/

In 2025, the Society of Chemical Industry and National Preparedness Commission published a report which explored the resilience of the UK Industrial Base.Cullen, John. “Why Cyber Resilience Is Industrial Resilience.” SecurityBrief UK. November 25, 2025. https://securitybrief.co.uk/story/why-cyber-resilience-is-industrial-resilience

In 2026, the National Preparedness Commission published a report written by Elisabeth Braw titled “The Reserve Potential: What the UK Can Learn from Top-Performing Allies”.Laydon, Rosie. “While the Military Might Be Ready, Is Britain as a Whole Prepared for a War?” Forces News. April 9, 2026. https://www.forcesnews.com/explainers/while-military-might-be-ready-britain-whole-prepared-war

Engagement with Parliament The National Preparedness Commission draws on the work of its commissioners to submit written and oral evidenceNational Resilience Commission, “National Resilience- Oral Evidence.” National Resilience Committee, 26 March 2026. https://committees.parliament.uk/oralevidence/17446/pdf/ on national resilience to Parliament.

Contributions from the National Preparedness Commissions have typically recognised the world as being “turbulent, uncertain, novel and ambiguous” and stressed the need for greater wholesale resilience. In evidence to committees, Commissioners from the have emphasised the need for greater ambition in the Government’s approach to national preparedness, the need for wider and more proactive public engagement and called for resilience and preparedness to be a “fundamental organising principle of all government activity”.Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy. “The National Security Strategy: Oral Evidence” UK Parliament Committees, October 13, 2025. https://committees.parliament.uk/oralevidence/16487/pdf/

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