Over a quarter of Brits think there'll be a war in the UK within 2 years, survey shows

Over a quarter of Brits think there'll be a war in the UK within 2 years, survey shows Results of a government survey show 28% of people in the UK believe a war will affect their local area by 2028 as the government urges people to seek out advice on how to prepare for emergencies More than a quarter of people living in the UK believe a war is likely to affect their local area within the next two years, new figures show. A government survey reveals 28% think a conflict will impact them by 2028 - a sharp rise from 19% a year ago. And over two thirds believe the number of emergencies and disasters would increase over the next decade. Fears over the risk of terror attacks have gone up in the past year, with 25% of respondents saying they think this could happen in their area within two years - up from 20%. And more than four in 10 believe a cyber attack affecting critical infrastructure is likely in that time. According to the UK Public Survey of Risk Perception, Resilience and Preparedness, large storms, extreme cold weather, cyber attacks and threats to the food supply are the disasters people think are most probable. Half believe a severe storm is likely to affect them - slightly ahead of a dangerous big freeze. The figures, released on Wednesday, show 7% think a war is very likely to impact their neighbourhood, while 21% think it is likely. And 44% believe a cyber attack on critical infrastructure is likely. Government sources said much of the research was carried out shortly after the outbreak of the Iran war, which may have reflected results. Although 69% said it was important to be prepared, just 14% are confident the country is totally ready for the dangers it faces. Nearly half of those who responded thought their own households were at least moderately prepared for an emergency or disaster. The government has urged people to take a number of steps - including learning first aid, planning escape routes from their home and adding medical details on their phone that 999 services can access. Last summer the government's National Security Strategy stated: "For the first time in many years, we have to actively prepare for the possibility of the UK homeland coming under direct threat, potentially in a wartime scenario." More than 80% thought it was important for the government to share information about how they can prepare for large-scale emergencies. And three quarters thought there are effective actions people can take. Nearly seven out of ten said they agreed or strongly agreed that people should prepare for disasters that are unlikely to happen, to be on the safe side. The findings of the survey are used to help emergency services and councils plan for emergencies. The National Preparedness Commission launched a website - preparecampaign.gov.uk in 2024 to give safety tips in the event of a disaster. A government spokesman said: “We run this survey to give emergency services and other partners the data and insights they need to plan for potential emergencies. This year’s results show the overwhelming majority of the public want the government to share information about preparedness and resilience. "That’s why we already publish simple steps people can take to make their households more resilient on prepare.campaign.gov.uk and will be working to raise awareness of the guidance in the year ahead.” The results were based on responses from 7,082 people in England, 1,049 in Wales, 1,578 in Scotland and 1,082 in Northern Ireland.