emergency test message
At around 3pm on Sunday, 7 September Phones will vibrate and make a siren sound for roughly ten seconds as the emergency text is sent to you
Just like the fire alarm in your house, it’s important we test this system so that we know it will work if we need it. The alerts have the potential to save lives.
The message, which will be sent to all 4G and 5G phone networks in the UK, will make clear that this is a test and no further action is required. It also includes a sentence in Welsh, directing speakers to a full translated version of the text.
The message will say:
- “This is a test of Emergency Alerts, a UK government service that will warn you if there’s a life-threatening emergency nearby.
“You do not need to take any action. In a real emergency, follow the instructions in the alert to keep yourself and others safe.
“Visit gov.uk/alerts for more information or to view this message in Welsh. Ewch i gov.uk/alerts am ragor o wybodaeth neu i weld y neges hon yn y Gymraeg.”
The test will be the second of its kind, and follows a government commitment to test the system regularly to make sure it works optimally and familiarise the public with the alerts.
Ahead of the national test, the government is running a public information campaign to notify people it is taking place, including communications targeted at vulnerable groups such as victims of domestic abuse. The campaign has also featured the first national information video in British Sign Language.
Since the first national test of the Emergency Alerts system in April 2023, five alerts have been sent, including during major storms when lives were at risk.
The largest use of the system saw approximately 4.5 million people in Scotland and Northern Ireland receive an alert during Storm Éowyn in January 2025 after a red weather warning was issued, meaning there was a risk to life.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/full ... t-revealed
