When to expect the next UK emergency alert test – and what went wrong last time

The British Government has announced when the next test of its emergency alert system will be – after it failed to work properly last time.

The system sends a notification and 10 second siren to all compatible UK phones, and is designed to alert the public of an imminent threat to life.

When it was first tested back in 2023, some phones – in particular those on the Three mobile network – did not receive the message.

A date and time for the next test has now been set for 7th September at 3pm.

Cabinet minister and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Pat MacFadden, 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.”

More than eight million people have so far received a genuine alert to danger from the system, including for the discovery of an unexploded World War II bomb in Plymouth last February. It has also been used for extreme weather events such as storms and local flash floods.

So, will I receive the alert?

via Unsplash

If you have a smartphone on a 4G or 5G network then, yes, you should receive the alert.

Of approximately 87 million mobile phones in the UK, only much older devices or those on 2G or 3G networks will not receive it.

You can also opt out of emergency alerts, but it is not advisable to do this as you may then not be alerted to a real-life threat.

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However, to disable the alert on an iPhone, head to Settings > Notifications > scroll down to extreme and severe alerts and switch off both options.

On an Android phone, head to settings > navigate to “sounds” or “general settings” > locate “emergency broadcasts” or “emergency alerts” > and again toggle off both extreme and severe alerts.

What will happen during the test?

If your phone is able to receive the alert, it will vibrate and play a siren sound for 10 seconds. It will also display a notification.

In 2023, this read: “Severe Alert. 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. This is a test. You do not need to take any action,”

So, when will the UK’s next emergency alert test be? According to the government, it’s expected to be in 2027.

Featured image from Pexels