Emergency alert on all UK phones next week – What’s it all about?

At 3 pm on April 23, all phones in the UK will hear a loud alarm and then they will receive an emergency alert.

It is the first time the UK has tested the emergency alert system. The noise will be followed by a text message that will read:

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

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

“In a real emergency follow the instructions in the alert to keep yourself and others safe.” It then goes on to give the URL of the government webpage for further information on gov.uk/alerts.

All 4G and 5G phones will sound the alarm for up to ten seconds, even on phones that have been set to silent. You will need to click OK or swipe the message before you can continue to use your phone.

The new system has been designed to warn people in emergencies such as wildfires or flooding. But, Domestic Violence Campaigners are worried that the test could put people who have hidden phones in danger by revealing the location of those phones.

Officials have said people can opt out of the system if they have hidden phones by turning off emergency alerts in their settings or turning off the phone during the test.

Chief fire officer, Alex Woodman from the National Fire Chiefs’ Council said:

“For ten seconds, the national test may be inconvenient for some but it’s important because the next time you hear it, your life and the life-saving actions of our emergency services, could depend on it.”