Civil Contingencies Act 2004

The Civil Contingencies Act 2004, chapter 36, is the statute behind civil protection in the United Kingdom. Cabinet Office guidance describes it, with its accompanying non-legislative measures, as delivering a single framework for civil protection in the UK. This page summarises its three Parts and three Schedules from the text on legislation.gov.uk as it stood on 29 October 2026.

Part 1: local arrangements for civil protection (sections 1 to 18)

Section 1 defines an emergency as an event or situation which threatens serious damage to human welfare or the environment in a place in the United Kingdom, or war or terrorism which threatens serious damage to the security of the United Kingdom. The what counts as an emergency page sets this out.

Section 2 places the core duties on the bodies listed in Parts 1, 2 and 2A of Schedule 1: to assess the risk of an emergency, to maintain plans to continue their own functions and to prevent or reduce the effects of an emergency, to publish assessments and plans where that helps, and to maintain arrangements to warn, inform and advise the public. Section 2(2) limits the duties to emergencies that would seriously obstruct the body or need resources it does not have. Section 3(4) and (5) give the names Category 1 responder and Category 2 responder.

Section 4 requires local authorities to advise businesses and voluntary organisations on continuing their activities in an emergency. Sections 5 to 9 allow ministers to direct responders, to make regulations on disclosing information and to require information. Sections 10 to 11A allow enforcement in the High Court or Court of Session. Section 13 allows Schedule 1 to be amended by order, and sections 14 to 18 cover the devolved administrations and interpretation. The duties are explained on the seven duties page.

Part 2: emergency powers (sections 19 to 31)

Section 19 defines emergency for Part 2 on the scale of the United Kingdom or a Part or region of it. Section 20 allows emergency regulations to be made by Order in Council or, where there would be serious delay, by a senior Minister. Section 21 sets three conditions: an emergency has occurred, is occurring or is about to occur; provision is necessary to prevent, control or mitigate it; and the need is urgent. Section 22 allows regulations to make any provision an Act of Parliament could make, and section 23 limits them. Section 26 makes regulations lapse after 30 days, and section 27 after seven days unless both Houses of Parliament approve them. The emergency powers page covers Part 2 in detail.

Part 3: general (sections 32 to 36)

Part 3 contains section 32 on minor and consequential amendments and repeals, section 33 on money, section 34 on commencement, section 35 on extent and section 36 on the short title.

The Schedules

Schedule 1 lists the responders. Part 1 lists Category 1 responders for England, Part 2 for Scotland and Part 2A for Wales. Part 3 lists Category 2 responders in general, Part 4 for Scotland and Part 5 for Wales. Schedules 2 and 3 contain consequential amendments and repeals, including of the Emergency Powers Act 1920.

Commencement and later changes

Cabinet Office guidance records that Part 2 was brought into force in December 2004, that the bulk of Part 1 was brought into force in November 2005, and that the duty on local authorities to advise business and voluntary organisations commenced in May 2006.

The Welsh Ministers (Transfer of Functions) Order 2018 inserted Parts 2A and 5 of Schedule 1 and the Welsh Ministers' powers in Part 1.

Secondary legislation, guidance and review

The main regulations under Part 1 are the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 (Contingency Planning) Regulations 2005. The statutory guidance is Emergency Preparedness, and the companion non-statutory guidance is Emergency Response and Recovery.

The UK Government Resilience Action Plan 2026 Implementation Report records that the Act is the subject of a post-implementation review, due to report in March 2027, with a public call for views to gather evidence from the resilience community.