Everything you need to know about the nationwide Emergency Alerts test on Sunday 7th September

The UK government will be conducting its second Emergency Alert test this Sunday at 3pm. Read on to find out everything you need to know about to the Emergency Alert test this weekend, including how to opt out if you need to. 

What is the Emergency Alerts test? 

Emergency Alerts is a UK government system that can send out warning messages and advice to UK phone numbers in the case of a life-threatening emergency. Emergency alerts are only sent out by the emergency services and the specific departments and public bodies in the government who deal with emergencies. This Sunday they will be testing the system for the second time.  

The government does not need to know your phone number in order to send you this alert, so it is likely that you will receive one this Sunday unless you change your settings to opt out of this. 

What happens when an emergency alert goes off? 

When the alert is issued at 3pm your phone or tablet may: 

• Read the alert out loud 

• Make a loud noise that sounds like a siren (this can happen even if your phone is set on silent or do not disturb) 

• Vibrate  

• The emergency alert will last for roughly 10 seconds. In the message that appears on your screen it will be made clear that this emergency alert is a test. In the message there will also be a link to the GOV.UK website or a phone number that will signpost you to more information.  

What are emergency alerts used for? 

Emergency alerts are used to inform the public about any kinds of life-threatening emergencies. For example, they may be issued if there are weather-based emergencies such as severe flooding, extreme storms or wildfires. 

Not safe for you to receive the emergency alert? How to opt out

You can opt out by changing your phone’s settings 

It’s not always safe for every person’s phone to receive emergency alerts. Domestic abuse survivors may have a concealed phone that they need to keep safe and hidden and an emergency alert test can make that difficult. You can opt out of emergency alerts by changing the settings in your phone. The process for switching this off will be different depending on the phone that you have.  

For iPhones

To opt out of emergency alerts on an iPhone: 

• Go to your settings and click on the ‘notifications’ option 

• Scroll to the bottom of the page 

• In the emergency alerts section turn off ‘extreme alerts’ and ‘severe alerts’ 

For Android phones

To opt out of emergency alerts on an Android: 

• Go into your settings and search for ‘emergency alerts’ in the search bar 

• Turn off ‘severe alerts’ and ‘extreme alerts’ 

Other mobile phones and tablets

Emergency alerts settings may have different names depending on the manufacturer and software version of your phone or tablet. They could be called ‘wireless emergency alerts’ or ‘emergency broadcasts’. There are a few ways to find these settings and it can vary between devices. You can find these settings by: 

• Clicking on or searching for ‘message’ then selecting ‘message settings’ then ‘wireless emergency alerts’, then ‘alert’ 

• Clicking on or searching for ‘settings’, then selecting ‘sounds’, then ‘advanced’, then ‘emergency broadcasts’ 

• Clicking on or searching for ‘settings’, then selecting ‘general settings’, then ‘emergency alerts’ 

You can then turn off ‘severe alerts’, ‘extreme alerts’ and ‘test alerts’. 

For more information about Emergency Alerts, including more details about opting out of Emergency Alerts, head to the GOV.UK website. 

Support for you

If domestic abuse is happening to you, it’s important to tell someone and remember you’re not alone. If you do not feel safe or believe there is an immediate threat, call 999.  

Other ways to get support:

• Women can call The Freephone National Domestic Abuse Helpline, run by Refuge on 0808 2000 247 for free at any time, day or night. The staff will offer confidential, non-judgemental information and support 

• Talk to a doctor, health visitor or midwife 

• Men can call Respect Men’s Advice Line on 0808 8010 327 (Monday to Friday 10am to 8pm), or visit the webchat at Men’s Advice Line (Wednesday 10am to 11:30am and 2pm to 4pm) for non-judgemental information and support. 

• LGBT+: if you identify as LGBT+ you can call Galop on 0800 999 5428 for emotional and practical support 

• Forced marriage and honour crimes: anyone can call Karma Nirvana on 0800 5999 247 (Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm) for forced marriage and honour crimes. You can also call 020 7008 0151 to speak to the GOV.UK Forced Marriage Unit