An emergency alert is set to be broadcast to millions of mobile phones today by the government as part of a trial of an early warning system that will produce a loud alarm through compatible devices.
The alert is designed to notify individuals in the UK about imminent and ongoing crises such as severe weather events or potential terrorist attacks. At 3pm today, a siren-like sound will be emitted to signal the test alert.
Individuals with 4G and 5G capable mobile phones will also receive a notification informing them that the alert is a test event. They have been advised to remain calm and composed when the alarm is triggered.
Concerns have been raised by domestic abuse charities regarding the potential risk posed by the emergency alert system in alerting abusers to concealed phones. The National Centre for Domestic Violence has recommended that individuals with hidden phones ensure they are switched off prior to the test at 3pm.
While emergency alerts have been predominantly conducted as tests, they have proven valuable during real emergency situations in the past. In 2024, the system was activated multiple times, including in January to caution Leicestershire residents about severe weather, in February to aid in the evacuation of 10,000 Plymouth residents due to an unexploded World War Two bomb, and in Cumbria in May to warn residents of dangerous flooding.
The government has confirmed that this year’s emergency alert will include accessibility features. Cabinet minister Abena Oppong-Asare stated, “We have ensured that the Emergency Alerts system is compatible with voice reader software. This ensures that individuals who have this feature and other accessibility settings enabled on their phones will have the alert read aloud to them.”
Today’s emergency alert will impact millions of mobile phones with a distinct siren sound and will be accompanied by a message explaining the test nature of the alert. The message will state: “This is a test of Emergency Alerts, a UK government service that will notify you in the event of a life-threatening emergency nearby. You are not required to take any action. In a real emergency, follow the instructions in the alert to ensure your safety and that of others.”
This test alert marks the second time that individuals in the UK will experience the mobile phone alarm, following a previous occurrence in April 2023. During the previous test, it was discovered that some phones did not receive the alert, highlighting the critical importance of ensuring all devices are capable of receiving emergency notifications.