The UK Government has announced that it will send a test Emergency Alert to mobile phones across the UK at around 3.00pm on 7 September 2025.
The system is used to warn the population of the UK in cases of extreme weather and allows vital information to be sent in the case of an emergency to as many people as possible.
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.
“This test is part of our action plan to build resilience across the whole country and secure the nation under the Plan for Change – from the £1 billion we’re investing in a new network of National Biosecurity Centres to the £4.2 billion we’re investing to build a new generation of flood defences to protect local communities.”
It has been trialled before in 2023 and on another four occasions since when there were major storms. In January 2025 during Storm Éowyn when a red weather warning was issued people in Scotland were sent an alert this way.
During the test, mobile phones will vibrate and make a loud siren sound for roughly ten seconds, even if they are set to silent. A message will also appear on phone screens, making it clear the alert is only a test. There are approximately 87 million mobile phones in the UK.
The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Pat McFadden, unveiled a new Resilience Action Plan to improve the way the government prepares for and responds to emergencies. The Resilience Action Plan, published on Tuesday, sets out:
- The government will raise awareness of GOV.UK/PREPARE, which gives information on simple and effective steps people can take to be more prepared for an emergency.
- The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology is investing £370 million to better secure the UK’s telecommunications networks through research and investment in new technology and infrastructure.
- The National Situation Centre and the Devolved Governments are going to sign a data sharing MoU to ensure that every nation in the UK has the best available data to prepare and respond to crises.
