Emergency alert to be sent to millions of UK phones in government test

Alerts may be sounded because of severe flooding, fires and extreme weather, according to the government’s website

An "emergency alert" test that sounds a siren for ten seconds will be sent to millions of phones across the UK this year.

In line with recommendations from the Covid inquiry, ministers will test the emergency alert system set up in the wake of the pandemic, causing a loud noise to sound on millions of mobile phones across the UK.

It was first launched in 2023 to alert Britons of emergencies.

Alerts may be sounded because of severe flooding, fires and extreme weather, the government’s website says.

It can only be sent by the emergency services and government departments, agencies and public bodies that deal with emergencies.

Mobile phone users will receive an alert on the home screen of their device, which will vibrate and emit a series of siren-like beeps for up to ten seconds, even if their phones are in silent mode.

Users will have to acknowledge the alert, which will include telephone numbers or links to government websites with further information, before they can access any other features on their phones.

Mobile phone users will receive an emergency alert on the home screen of their device (Getty)

The alerts will not work if phones are switched off or in flight mode, or if people opt out of the scheme, and it is estimated that they will reach about 90 per cent of mobile phones in a given area, via 4G and 5G phone networks.

Previous alerts have read: "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.”

The date of the alert is not yet confirmed, but it is understood that it will be the last one of 2025. After that, the system will be tested every two years.

The government said it would set out more information in due course.

Around three million people in parts of Wales and south-west England were sent the emergency alert as Storm Darragh approached the UK in December.

It said Storm Darragh was expected to cause "significant disruption", warning that strong winds can cause flying debris, falling trees and large waves, "all of which can present a danger to life".

Alert systems have been used successfully in a number of other countries, including the US, Canada, the Netherlands and Japan, during incidents such as severe weather events.

It is easy to turn the feature off, but the system to do so depends on the device that is being used.

On an iPhone, open the Settings app and type “emergency alerts” in the search bar. This should bring up the option to turn off “severe alerts” and “emergency alerts”.

On an Android device, go to the settings app and search for emergency alerts. The wording might depend a little on what version you are using, but it will usually be something like “emergency alerts”, and have the option to turn it off.

Devices that are switched off, connected to WiFi only, or using a 2G or 3G network will not receive the alert.