Civil Resilience

Overseas emergencies

What to check and arrange before a trip, how the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office helps British people in a crisis abroad, and the returning-nationals scenario the government plans for.

  • Security

What it is

Emergencies happen to people travelling or living overseas. Be Ready lists terrorist attacks, extreme weather, natural hazards and civil unrest. The difficulty is being in a place you do not know. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office provides advice to help British people prepare for emergencies overseas and runs a 24-hour line for anyone affected by one.

What it does to a home

The preparation happens at home before departure. Be Ready's list is short: check the travel advice, sign up for alerts, know who to call (the FCDO and the local emergency number), get the right insurance, including medical evacuation, and write down the policy number and the insurer's contacts. Keep passports and documents up to date and secure, because having them to hand in an emergency helps you respond quickly.

Two other pages carry overseas elements. The terrorism page covers reducing your risk abroad and the support available to British nationals returning from an attack. The infectious disease outbreaks page covers travel vaccinations and TravelHealthPro.

Who warns you

The FCDO, through gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice and its email alerts. Its guidance covers how to prepare for and what to do in extreme weather and natural hazards such as tropical cyclones and earthquakes, how to reduce your risk from terrorism while abroad, and how to deal with a crisis overseas. The government's Travel Aware campaign at travelaware.campaign.gov.uk carries general advice on staying safe while travelling, with updates on the FCDO Travel Aware accounts on X, Facebook and Instagram.

How the government assesses it

The National Risk Register 2025 carries several overseas risks. An international terrorist attack involving a significant number of British nationals, with the 2015 Tunisia attack and its 30 British victims as the example, would call for resilient communications, humanitarian assistance, victim support and consular access to UK services, and the health service at home would support returning casualties. A humanitarian crisis overseas from a natural hazard, with the February 2023 Turkey and Syria earthquakes as the example and a major earthquake and tsunami in the Bay of Bengal as the reasonable worst case, would draw on UK international search and rescue and humanitarian assistance. A radiation release from an overseas nuclear site would likely mean British nationals there needing consular assistance.

The register also plans for nationals arriving from overseas. About 5.5 million British nationals are estimated to live abroad, and an adverse event could bring a sudden influx home over three to four weeks, some destitute or vulnerable with no accommodation of their own. Local authorities would lead reception and support, and a long-term integration package covering housing, welfare, employment, education and health might follow.

Where to look

  • FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice and its email sign-up.
  • FCDO guidance on dealing with a crisis overseas, extreme weather and natural hazards, and terrorism abroad, on gov.uk.
  • Travel Aware at travelaware.campaign.gov.uk.
  • Related pages: terrorism, infectious disease outbreaks.

Before

  • Check the FCDO travel advice for the country, covering risks, entry requirements and local laws.
  • Sign up for email alerts for each destination so you know if the advice changes before or during the trip.
  • Note the local emergency numbers, the equivalent of 999, from the Getting help section of the country's travel advice page.
  • Get travel insurance that covers everyone travelling, including medical evacuation, and note the insurer's contact details and your policy number.
  • Check passports and other important documents, including identity and medical information, are up to date, and keep them secure.
  • Read the FCDO advice on extreme weather and natural hazards overseas and on reducing your risk from terrorism abroad.

During

  • Call the FCDO's 24-hour line, listed on the Be Ready page, if you are affected by an emergency abroad.
  • Call the local emergency number you noted before you left.
  • Follow the FCDO guidance on how to deal with a crisis overseas at gov.uk.
  • Watch the FCDO Travel Aware channels for updates.
  • Keep your passport and valuables in a secure place such as a zipped inside pocket when on the move.

After

  • The National Risk Register says local authorities, with other agencies and the voluntary sector, would lead support for British nationals arriving back vulnerable or destitute, including help at airports and temporary accommodation.
  • The register says returning casualties would need domestic health service support, including mental health care and treatment for long-term injuries.
  • British nationals returning from a terrorist attack abroad can use the Support Hub at terrorismsurvivorhub.org.uk.

Related pages

Sources

Last updated 6 November 2026. Reviewed 29 October 2026