Emergency Alert Test

The UK government will be testing its emergency alert system again on Sunday 7 September at 15:00 BST.

If you have a smartphone connected to 4G or 5G, expect a loud siren and vibration lasting about 10 seconds.

This is just a test – no action is needed. In a real emergency, alerts like these will help keep you safe by providing critical instructions.

What to know:

• Alerts will go to most smartphones, even if not connected to mobile data or Wi-Fi.
• Phones on 2G/3G, switched off, or in airplane mode won’t receive it.
• You can opt out via your phone’s settings by turning off “severe” and “extreme” alerts.
• Victims of domestic abuse are advised to turn off hidden phones during the test to stay safe.

Learn more and get emergency preparedness tips at gov.uk/prepare and gov.uk/alerts