UK households told to stockpile food under new government resilience plan

Here's what the plan means

Why the government wants you to stockpile food

If most homes already hold tinned food, water and a basic idea of what to do when the lights go out, ministers can point emergency resources at the people who genuinely cannot cope alone.

In recent months, after a run of incidents at home and abroad, Whitehall planning for cyber-attacks, extreme heat and flooding has stepped up sharply.

These incidents also included wildfires in Spain and France to a major incident on Dunwich Heath in Suffolk.

The Financial Times first reported these plans, which also include an internal reassessment of how prepared the government is for a military attack on Britain.

Louise Haigh, the Cabinet Office minister and Andy Burnham's de facto deputy, is understood to be coordinating crisis planning across Whitehall departments so help can reach affected communities faster.

The aim will be to ensure most households have basic supplies and knowledge about how to cope in a crisis, in order to free up immediate government resources for the most vulnerable.

Burnham convened a Cobra meeting earlier this month to coordinate the response to the heatwave, with wildfires spreading and drought warnings in place.

The detail of what families are being asked to keep in the cupboard should land when the campaign formally launches.