Launch of life-saving public emergency alerts

A new system that gives the Government and emergency services the capability to send emergency alerts has been launched. A UK-wide alerts test will take place in the early evening of Sunday 23 April.

The system is designed to bolster the UK’s resilience and provides the capability to send alerts direct to mobile phones when there is a risk to life, such as severe flooding, fires, extreme weather. 

Working with mobile broadcasting technology, the Emergency Alerts system will transform the UK’s warning and informing capability, providing a means to get urgent messages quickly to nearly 90 percent of mobile phones in a defined area.

They don’t track your location, need your phone number, or collect personal data, and only the emergency services can send them. 
You can check an alert is genuine at gov.uk/alerts. An Emergency Alert is a loud, siren-like sound with a message on your screen.

What happens when you get an alert

Your mobile phone or tablet may:

• make a loud siren-like sound, even if it’s set on silent
• vibrate
• read out the alert

The sound and vibration will last for about 10 seconds.

An alert will include a phone number or a link to the GOV.UK website for more information.

If have a vision or hearing impairment

Audio and vibration attention signals will let you know you have an emergency alert. 

Turning alerts off - a guide for survivors of domestic abuse

Survivors of domestic abuse may use a second phone that they hide from their partner. As alerts are accompanied by a loud sound, even when the phone is on silent, they may need to turn the alerts off to stay safe. 

Refuge has put together a really helpful video to explain how to manage the alerts on androids and iPhones: watch the video on turning off alerts.

Find out more about emergency alerts at gov.uk/alerts