The Government is planning to carry out a massive UK-wide test its emergency alert system, which is designed to inform people about imminent danger and what to do next
Plans are in place for a national test of the UK-wide “Armageddon alert”.
Millions of phones will emit a siren and vibrate for up to 10 seconds to deliver the warning, in a simulation of what would happen in an emergency. The emergency alert system, which was first launched in 2023, is designed to inform people about what to do in a crisis.
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden told the Mirror: “Most countries that have this system test it quite regularly and so we don’t want it just to be once years ago and then everybody forgets it exists. This should be part of our armoury in warning people about major risks.”
Here’s what you need to know.
What is the emergency alert?
First piloted in 2023, the emergency alert is designed to notify people of serious nearby threats through a phone or device like an iPad. Similar alerts are used in countries like the US, Canada, the Netherlands and Japan, to warn of danger such as severe weather events.
In the UK, alerts are expected to be used to warn people of incidents such as wildfires or severe flooding. It has been used on a smaller scale recently during Storm Darragh, when over 3 million were warned about the threat to life from 90mph winds.
How does it work?
Your phone will vibrate and emit a loud siren for up to 10 seconds, while a message will appear on the home screen like a notification. You have to acknowledge it to unlock your device.
The message will explain the danger and provide advice, as well as extra information like websites or telephone numbers for you to call. You are advised to stop what you’re doing and follow the instructions.
Drivers are advised to pull over as soon as they can safely and legally to read the message. If this is difficult to do, tune into live radio to find out what is going on nearby.
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How will the test work?
Around 87million phones will get an alert when the system is tested this year. The message will say: “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.”
No date has been set for the test yet but it will be widely publicised in advance. When it was tested nationwide in 2023, there was a public information campaign in advance to prepare people for it.
How does the Government have my number?
They don’t. The alert is transmitted by mobile phone masts to all eligible phones nearby. It works on smartphones with 4G and 5G.
So the Government doesn’t have your phone number and it can’t access your personal data.
Can I opt out?
Yes you can, by switching it off in your phone settings. Search for ’emergency alerts’, and turn off ‘severe alerts’ and ‘extreme alerts’ to do this.
Officials hope people will keep it switched on as the alerts could potentially be life-saving – and won’t be used regularly. But there is an opt-out function in case people are put at risk by the alert itself. Domestic abuse campaigners said it could alert abusers to their victims’ hidden phones, so there is an option for people to turn it off.
What if I don’t have a smartphone?
The alert doesn’t work on non-smartphones. But there are other ways for the emergency services to communicate the danger, including through TV news and live radio.
