DDC-National test of the UK’s Emergency Alerts system

Published: 11 August 2025

National test of the UK’s Emergency Alerts system

The UK government is testing the Emergency Alerts system on Sunday 7 September 2025 at 3pm.

The test will be sent to all compatible 4G and 5G mobile phones and tablets across the UK.

You will hear a loud siren-like sound, vibration, and a message will appear on the screen confirming that this is a test. The sound and vibration will last for about 10 seconds. You will not need to take any further action.

Depending on your phone’s features, the alert will work with screen magnification and may read the message out for you having also overridden volume settings. The unique noise emitted by the phone should also be audible for those who use a hearing aid.

You can opt out of the Emergency Alerts, including the national test, but the advice is that you should keep them switched on for your own safety. However, if you need to turn off these off, visit www.gov.uk/alerts/opting-out for step-by-step instructions.

About the Emergency Alerts

The Emergency Alerts system is an important tool for reaching the public in emergency situations. Regular testing ensures the system is functioning correctly, should it need to be used in a life-threatening emergency. Find out more at www.gov.uk/alerts

Only the government and the emergency services are able to send them. You’ll be able to check that an alert is genuine at www.gov.uk/alerts. Emergency Alerts will be just one of the ways the government communicates with the public about emergency situations. So, if you don’t have a mobile phone, don’t worry – you’ll still be made aware through the media and local emergency services.

There are simple and effective steps we can all take to be more prepared for an emergency. Visit www.gov.uk/prepare for advice on how you can prepare or visit the local Kent and Medway Resilience Forum’s website at www.kentprepared.org.uk