The next emergency alert test will happen on September 7, the Government has confirmed – with a loud siren coming from phones for around 10 seconds
Millions of people across the UK will hear a loud alarm from their mobile phones in a national drill of the emergency alert.
The system will be tested for the second time at 3pm on Sunday, September 7, with Brits receiving a message warning of danger to life nearby. Mobile phones will vibrate and emit a loud siren for around 10 seconds – even if they are set on silent.
A message will also pop up to make clear that this is only a test. There is no need to do anything when the test alert happens, just swipe the message away or click ‘OK’ on the phone home screen.
Pat McFadden, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, said: “Emergency alerts have the potential to save lives, allowing us to share essential information rapidly in emergency situations including extreme storms.
“Just like the fire alarm in your house, it’s important we test the system so that we know it will work if we need it.” The “Armageddon alert” was first trialled across the country in 2023 and five localised alerts have been sent since then to warn of extreme weather.
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The largest use was during Storm Eowyn in January, when 4.5million people in Scotland and Northern Ireland got the alert after a red weather warning was issued over risk to life. Some 3.5million people in Wales and the South West of England received an alert during Storm Darragh in 2024, and it has also been used during flash flooding in Cumbria and Leicestershire.
It was also rolled out when an unexploded World War II bomb was discovered in Plymouth in February 2024. Tracey Lee, chief executive of Plymouth City Council, said: “This was the first time the system had been used in a real emergency, and it played a vital role in helping us safely evacuate over 10,000 people and coordinate a complex, multi-agency response.”
Similar emergency systems exist in countries like Japan and the US. In Finland, a nationwide test is done every month, while other countries like Germany trial it annually.
A public information campaign will be rolled out ahead of the test, including communications targeted at vulnerable groups, such as victims of domestic abuse. Everyone is urged to keep the life-saving alert switched on but it is possible to opt out if it would put someone at risk.
Domestic abuse campaigners had warned that the siren could alert abusive partners to someone’s secret phone. It comes as the Government published a new blueprint today(TUES) on improving preparation and response to emergencies.
Ministers will also publish an update on how they are implementing the 2023 Biological Security Strategy, aimed at preparing for future pandemics.
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