Emergency Alerts system to be tested nationally on 23 April

Monday, 17 April 2023

A phone showing a warning. Text to the left reads "We are testing Emergency Alerts on mobile phones across the UK 23 April. On our way to warn you when lives are in danger"
A phone showing a warning. Text to the left reads "We are testing Emergency Alerts on mobile phones across the UK 23 April. On our way to warn you when lives are in danger"

The UK government’s new Emergency Alerts system is now live, and will be tested nationally on Sunday 23 April at 3pm.

The system will enable people to be contacted via their mobile phone when lives are in danger.

It will be used to warn you in the event of emergencies, such as severe flooding.

Emergency Alerts are sent to all compatible mobile phones within an area of risk. They don’t track your location, need your phone number, or collect personal data. Only the government and the emergency services will be able to send them. If you don’t have a mobile phone, you’ll still be kept informed through other channels.

If you get an Emergency Alert on your phone, you’ll hear a loud, siren-like sound. A message on your screen will tell you about the emergency and how best to respond. You’ll be able to check an alert is genuine at gov.uk/alerts

If you receive an alert, read the alert carefully and follow the
instructions.

The test alert, which will take place at 3pm on Sunday 23 April, will see people receive a message on the home screen of their mobile phone, along with a sound and vibration for up to ten seconds. The message will say:

Information:

"This is a test of Emergency Alerts, a new UK government service that will warn you if there’s a life-threatening emergency nearby.

"In a real emergency, follow the instructions in the alert to keep yourself and others safe.

"Visit gov.uk/alerts for more information.

"This is a test. You do not need to take any action."

To find out more about Emergency Alerts, including how to opt-out, visit gov.uk/alerts