New non-statutory guidance aimed at strengthening resilience in the UK has been published today by the UK Resilience Academy.

The National Occupational Standards have a dedicated focus on strategic resilience leadership, and are designed to help incorporate resilience competencies into recruitment, assessment and leadership development for senior roles.

Government departments, agencies and the devolved administrations are understood to be exploring how the standards could be adopted within leadership frameworks.

Roger Hargreaves, COBR director at the Cabinet Office, commented: “Senior leaders are increasingly being asked to navigate complex and fast-moving challenges, often with significant consequences for communities and critical services.

“These standards provide a practical framework for developing the leadership capabilities required to plan ahead, make informed decisions under pressure and coordinate effective responses across organisational boundaries."

John Barradell, chair of the National Emergencies Trust, added: “We welcome the publication of these standards and their recognition that effective emergency preparedness depends on strong leadership and partnership working across sectors.

“Senior leaders play a crucial role in bringing together organisations, communities and volunteers before, during and after a crisis. These standards help define the capabilities needed to lead that collective effort effectively."

The UK Resilience Academy was launched in April 2025 as the successor to the former Emergency Planning College. It is operated by Serco on behalf of the Cabinet Office.

Its new resilience and emergencies guidance may be accessed here: https://www.wdtrust.org.uk/nos-resilience-emergencies/

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