It will be the second test of the system – after the first test in 2023
18:00, 26 Aug 2025Updated 18:20, 26 Aug 2025
Millions of mobile phones are set to emit a siren in September (Image: Pixabay)
A nationwide emergency alert drill is set to send a test message to mobile phones across the UK next weekend. This will be the second test of the national emergency alert system, following the first in 2023.
On Sunday, September 7, around 3pm, mobile phones connected to 4G and 5G networks will vibrate and emit a siren sound for up to 10 seconds.
Mobile phone users will also receive a message clarifying that the alert is a drill.
The Government has used the system to issue real warnings five times, including in January during Storm Eowyn to alert people in Scotland and Northern Ireland about severe weather conditions.
Approximately 3.5 million individuals across Wales and south-west England received an alert during Storm Darragh last December.
An unexploded 500kg WWII bomb discovered in a Plymouth back garden triggered a warning to some 50,000 phones in February last year.
Messages can be targeted to relatively small areas to pinpoint those at risk.
Around 15,000 phones were alerted during flooding in Cumbria in May 2024.
Around 10,000 people received a warning during flooding in Leicestershire in January this year.
The system is designed for use during the most likely emergencies to affect the UK.
Warnings will also be transmitted on television, radio and locally by knocking on doors.
Pat McFadden, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, stated: “On Sunday September 7, we will hold a UK-wide test of the Emergency Alerts system to ensure it works when we need it most.
“It is a vital tool for keeping the nation safe when lives are on the line – and every minute matters.
“During Storm Darragh and Storm Eowyn, as millions faced dangerous extreme weather, I saw first-hand how effective it was at getting life-saving advice to at-risk communities in an instant.
“We do not use the system often, but like the fire alarm in your home, it is always on standby should we need to act.”