Millions of Brits will receive an emergency alert on their phones when the Government carries out a nationwide test.
The “Armageddon alert” system, first launched in 2023, has been deployed in emergencies, such as during the recent Storm Darragh when over 3 million people were told to stay indoors to avoid 90mph winds. But ministers want to test the system by sending it to the nation to ensure it’s ready for emergencies.
All 4G and 5G phones within range will emit a siren and vibrate, for up to 10 seconds, to deliver the warning. The exact date of the test will be announced later this year – and will be widely publicised. Around 87 million devices will be pinged with the test message.
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden told the Mirror : “Most countries that have this system test it quite regularly and so we don’t want it just to be once years ago and then everybody forgets it exists. This should be part of our armoury in warning people about major risks.”
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AFP via Getty Images)
Similar alerts are used in countries like the US, Canada, the Netherlands and Japan, to warn of danger such as severe weather events. In the UK, alerts are used in incidents such as wildfires or severe flooding.
People don’t need to do anything when the alert happens, simply swipe the message away or click ‘OK’ on their phone’s home screen.
The test message previously said: “This is a test of Emergency Alerts, a new UK government service that will warn you if there’s a life-threatening emergency nearby.
“In a real emergency, follow the instructions in the alert to keep yourself and others safe. Visit gov.uk/alerts for more information. This is a test. You do not need to take any action.”
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People who don’t want to get the alerts can opt out in their device settings, but the Government advises users to keep them turned on to keep themselves safe. It is sent by mobile phone masts to every eligible phone within range – so it doesn’t mean the Government has your phone number.
Officials want to use the test to iron out issues with the system. Domestic violence campaigners raised concerns when it was first trialled that it could alert abusers to their victims’ hidden mobile phones, so work was done to inform people how to turn it off if it could be a risk their safety.