On Sunday 23 April 2023, there will be a national test of the UK Emergency Alerts service.
What is it?
Emergency Alerts is a UK government service that will warn you if there’s a danger to life nearby. In an emergency, your mobile phone or tablet will receive an alert with advice about how to stay safe.
What will it sound like?
A siren-like bleep that will go for approx 10-15 seconds even if the phone is set to silent. If you are hard of hearing or visually impaired your phone may vibrate or give an audio message.
What to I do when I see or hear it?
You will not need to do anything during the test, just observe the message. If you see a similar message in the future, STOP what you are doing, take note of any instructions and FACT CHECK!
Am I being monitored?
Your phone number has not been given to the government and it does not need to know your location to send an alert.
It is being transmitted across all 4G and 5G networks.
How do I know if it is genuine?
After the test, be mindful of future alerts as it is possible that scammers could use this to trick you.
FACT CHECK before doing anything and DO NOT automatically click a link or answer a call if it looks like its from the Government or the Police.
The alert will not replace other sources of news or information such as the radio or TV. If you are unable to check with a friend of family member then try to FACT CHECK for yourself when you see the alert.
Can I turn it off completely?
You can turn this off completely within your “Settings”. Look for “Emergency Alerts” or within your notifications.
Further info can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/alerts or search Google for ’emergency alert uk’
