Local authorities have been warned to prepare for up to three months of disruption in the event of a no-deal Brexit.
Organisations involved in local resilience forums (LRF) have been told to plan to have their multi-agency tactical co-ordination groups on stand-by to determine, co-ordinate and deliver the response if the UK crashes out of the EU without a deal in March.
LRFs have been informed they are likely to have to report to the Government every eight hours and holiday arrangements may have to be suspended over Easter, an indication of how seriously Whitehall is considering the risks.
Resilience forums have been asked to prepare for ‘reasonable, worst case scenarios’ - which could include runs on banks, petrol and food – ‘without setting panic’.