A new government list has outlined the key risks facing the UK, including a potential future pandemic and disruptions to global energy supplies.
The Cabinet Office has published the National Risk Register (NRR), a register aimed at keeping Britain prepared for "worst-case scenarios".
Assessments were made to determine the impact of each risk as well as how many lives could be lost via expert data modelling.
The chance of another pandemic now falls between 5 per cent and 25 per cent and would be "catastrophic". Meanwhile, impact assessments for weather events like heatwaves and storms range from a "significant" to a "moderate" risk with a likelihood between one per cent and 25 per cent. Try MEN Premium for FREE by clicking here for no ads, fun puzzles and brilliant new features Mr Dowden said: “This is the most comprehensive risk assessment we’ve ever published, so that Government and our partners can put robust plans in place and be ready for anything.