National Emergency Alert test planned for September
Mobile phones across the UK will receive a test Emergency Alert at around 3pm on Sunday 7 September 2025, the UK government has confirmed.
This will be the second nationwide test of the system, which warns the public of life-threatening emergencies such as extreme weather.
During the test, phones will vibrate and play a loud siren for approximately ten seconds, even if set to silent.
A message will also appear on phone screens, clearly stating that the alert is only a test. There are around 87 million mobile phones in the UK.
The Emergency Alerts system works on all 4G and 5G mobile networks but will not reach devices that are switched off, connected only to 2G or 3G networks, or devices that use only wifi, such as some tablets.
The government will run a public information campaign ahead of the test, including British Sign Language materials and targeted communications for vulnerable groups, such as victims of domestic abuse.
Pat McFadden, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, 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.”
Since the first national test in April 2023, the system has been activated five times during real emergencies, including major storms and local incidents.
For example, around 4.5 million people in Scotland and Northern Ireland received an alert during Storm Éowyn in January 2025, when a red weather warning was in place.
The government is also publishing a new Resilience Action Plan to improve emergency preparedness across the UK. Measures include investing £370 million to secure telecoms networks, creating National Biosecurity Centres, and expanding flood defences with £4.2 billion funding.
Further steps will focus on biological security and pandemic preparedness, including the largest pandemic exercise in the UK’s history planned for this autumn.
The government emphasises that no personal data or phone numbers are collected when sending alerts. Drivers are advised to pull over safely before reading messages, as using hand-held devices while driving is illegal.
For those with concealed phones, such as some victims of domestic abuse, the government is providing advice on how to opt out of alerts. Instructions are available on the GOV.UK website.
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