Pandemic Preparedness: Exercise Pegasus

Tuesday 16th September 2025 Written Statements

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Ashley Dalton)]

I am today confirming that, on 18 September, Exercise Pegasus, the national tier 1 pandemic preparedness exercise set to assess the UK’s ability to respond to a pandemic, will commence.

A pandemic remains the top risk of the UK’s national risk register, and experts are clear that it is a case of when, not if, the UK will experience another pandemic. We cannot be prepared if we do not actively look for opportunities to test the country’s capabilities, plans, protocols and procedures in the event of another major pandemic. Exercise Pegasus is a prime opportunity to do just that.

Exercise Pegasus will be the largest ever simulation of a pandemic in UK history and will involve participation from every Department, the devolved Governments and representation from arm’s length bodies and local resilience fora.

The exercise is due to take place from September to November 2025, led by the Department of Health and Social Care and delivered with the UK Health Security Agency. Core exercise days have been confirmed for 18 September, 9 October and 30 October, simulating the first phases of a pandemic: emergence, containment, and mitigation. A fourth phase—recovery—is also planned for 2026. The UK Government have committed to communicating the findings and lessons of the exercise as recommended by the covid-19 inquiry and a post-exercise report will be delivered in due course.

[HCWS926]