Advice and assistance to the public
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Local authorities and responders must provide business continuity advice Local authority
UK Act of Parliament
2004
United Kingdom
Civil Contingencies Act 2004
At a glance
Enforced by
What's here
10 compliance obligations
Penalty landscape
1 of 10 obligations carry imprisonment (3 months). 9 have no criminal penalty — flagged in the list below.
Who this Act binds
Business-side actors with duties under this Act, ranked by how often they appear.
- Any Person 1
Plus 9 non-business duties on Crown ministers, regulators, local authorities or tribunals — shown collapsed under each section below.
Other Acts binding the same actors
For each actor bound by this Act, the other UK Acts that bind them most often. Useful for understanding the full compliance landscape facing each role.
Any Person also bound by 2338 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- Human Medicines Regulations 2012 2012 169 duties
- Merchant Shipping Act 1995 1995 144 duties
- Insolvency (England and Wales) Rules 2016 2016 101 duties
- Road Traffic Act 1988 1988 95 duties
- Air Navigation Order 2016 2016 95 duties
What this Act requires
Sections that create concrete duties on businesses or carry penalties. Procedural and definitional sections are folded into the “Browse other sections” expander at the bottom of each group. Click any section title to read the source text on legislation.gov.uk.
Part 1 — Local Arrangements for Civil Protection
Monitoring by Government
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Ministers may require information on emergency planning compliance Crown / Minister / Government department
Scotland: consultation
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Ministers must consult Scottish Ministers on emergency regulations Crown / Minister / Government department
Northern Ireland: consultation
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Ministers must consult Northern Ireland authorities on PSNI regulations Crown / Minister / Government department
Wales: consultation
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- UK and Welsh Ministers must consult each other on emergency regulations Crown / Minister / Government department
Northern Ireland: cross-border collaboration
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Public bodies must cooperate and share information with PSNI during emergencies Crown / Minister / Government department
Browse 19 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Meaning of “emergency”
Duty to assess, plan and advise
Section 2: supplemental
General measures
Disclosure of information
Urgency
Urgency: Scotland
Urgency: Wales
Enforcement
Enforcement: Scotland
Enforcement: Wales
Provision of information
Northern Ireland: provision or disclosure of national security information
Amendment of lists of responders
Scotland: cross-border collaboration
Wales: cross-border collaboration
National Assembly for Wales
Regulations and orders
Interpretation, &c.
Part 2 — Emergency powers
Limitations of emergency regulations
3 months imprisonment- Breach of emergency regulations Any Person
Regional and Emergency Coordinators
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Government must appoint Emergency Coordinators during emergencies Crown / Minister / Government department
Parliamentary scrutiny
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Government must submit emergency regulations to Parliament for approval Crown / Minister / Government department
Consultation with devolved administrations
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Government must consult devolved administrations on emergency regulations Crown / Minister / Government department
Browse 9 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Meaning of “emergency”
Power to make emergency regulations
Conditions for making emergency regulations
Scope of emergency regulations
Establishment of tribunal
Duration
Parliamentary scrutiny: prorogation and adjournment
Procedure
Interpretation
Part 3 — General
Browse 5 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Minor and consequential amendments and repeals
Money
Commencement
Extent
Short title
Schedules
Browse 79 other Schedules — structural / supplementary
Category 1 and 2 Responders
In relation to England— (a) a county council,
A port health authority in England constituted under section 2(4)...
The Environment Agency.
The Secretary of State, in so far as his functions...
The Natural Resources Body for Wales.
A council constituted under section 2 of the Local Government...
The chief constable of the Police Service of Scotland.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.
The Scottish Ambulance Service Board.
A Health Board constituted under section 2 of the National...
An integration authority within the meaning of section 59 of...
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency.
(1) A county council in Wales. (2) A county borough...
A fire and rescue authority in Wales within the meaning...
A National Health Service trust established under section 18 of...
A Local Health Board established under section 11 of the...
The Natural Resources Body for Wales.
A port health authority in Wales constituted under section 2(4)...
(1) A person holding a licence of a kind specified...
The Greater London Authority.
In relation to Wales— (a) a county council, and
(1) A person holding a licence of a kind specified...
A water undertaker or sewerage undertaker for an area wholly...
(1) A person who provides a public electronic communications network...
A person who holds a licence under section 8 of...
A person who provides services in connection with railways in...
(1) Transport for London. (2) London Underground Limited (being a...
An airport operator, within the meaning of section 82(1) of...
A person who, for the purposes of Part 1 of...
A harbour authority, within the meaning of section 46(1) of...
(1) The Secretary of State, in so far as his...
The Health and Safety Executive.
Schedule 1 para.29A
The Office for Nuclear Regulation.
The Coal Authority.
The Secretary of State, in so far as the functions...
A clinical commissioning group established under section 14D of the...
(1) A chief officer of police within the meaning of...
(1) A person holding a licence of a kind specified...
(1) A person holding a licence of a kind specified...
Scottish Water, established by section 20 of, and Schedule 3...
(1) A person who provides a public electronic communications network...
A person who holds a licence to operate railway assets...
A person who provides services in connection with railways, in...
An airport operator within the meaning of section 82(1) of...
A person who, for the purposes of Part 1 of...
A harbour authority, within the meaning of section 46(1) of...
The Common Services Agency established by section 10 of the...
Public Health Scotland constituted by the Public Health Scotland Order...
A water undertaker or sewerage undertaker appointed under section 6...
A fire and rescue authority in England, within the meaning...
The Welsh Ministers, in so far as their functions relate...
NHS England .
An integrated care board established under section 14Z25 of the...
A National Health Service trust established under section 25 of...
An NHS foundation trust within the meaning of section 30...
A Primary Care Trust established under section 18 of the...
A Local Health Board established under section 11 of the...
The Secretary of State, in so far as the functions...
Minor and Consequential Amendments and Repeals
The Civil Defence Act 1939 shall cease to have effect....
(1) The bodies established by section 26 of the Local...
The Emergency Powers Act 1920 shall cease to have effect....
The Emergency Powers Act (Northern Ireland) 1926 shall cease to...
In paragraph 14 of Schedule 3 to the Northern Ireland...
After sections 1 to 4 of the Energy Act 1976...
15 (1) At the end of section 90H(2) of the...
(1) The Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 shall be amended...
(1) After section 39B of the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984...
The Civil Defence Act (Northern Ireland) 1939 shall cease to...
The Civil Defence Act 1948 shall cease to have effect....
The Civil Defence Act (Northern Ireland) 1950 shall cease to...
In section 6(1) of the Defence Contracts Act 1958 (interpretation,...
Section 4 of the Public Expenditure and Receipts Act 1968...
In section 138 of the Local Government Act 1972 (emergency...
The Civil Protection in Peacetime Act 1986 shall cease to...
In section 65A(5) of the Road Traffic Act 1988 (light...
Repeals and Revocations
Official guidance
Authoritative sources published by regulators or government explaining this legislation.
- Natural Resources Wales / Regulatory statement 012.1: Use of end of life vehicles (ELVs) and other wastes within training exercises, teaching activities and public awareness displays (opens in a new tab) from NRW Detailed Guidance
- Rescue and firefighting services | UK Civil Aviation Authority (opens in a new tab) from CAA Detailed Guidance
- Regulation 12: Safe care and treatment - Care Quality Commission (opens in a new tab) from CQC Detailed Guidance
- Core services: NHS trusts - Care Quality Commission (opens in a new tab) from CQC Detailed Guidance
- Service inspections: independent ambulance services - Care Quality Commission (opens in a new tab) from CQC Detailed Guidance
- GP mythbuster 69: Business continuity - arrangements for emergencies and major incidents - Care Quality Commission (opens in a new tab) from CQC Detailed Guidance
- SEPA flood maps (Scotland) (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- National Flood Forum - support and advice (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- Prepare your property for flooding (opens in a new tab) from Environment Agency Detailed Guidance
- Sign up for flood warnings (England and Wales) (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- ... and 10 more
Enforcement and responsible bodies
The regulators that administer or enforce this legislation.
Cabinet Office (Civil Contingencies Secretariat)
Lead government department for civil-contingencies and emergency preparedness policy under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004. Issues statutory guidance to Category 1 and …
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Regulators
Learn more about the bodies that enforce this legislation.