On Sunday April 23rd at 3pm there will be a test of the new UK emergency alerts system.

Emergency Alerts is a UK government service that will warn you if there’s a danger to life nearby.

In an emergency, your smartphone or tablet will receive an alert with advice about how to stay safe.

The government does not need to know your phone number or location to send you an alert.

The alert on Sunday is just a test and so you do not need to do anything, in a real emergency you should follow the instructions that come with the alert.

It will only go to smartphones or tablets that work on 4g or 5g networks, so if you have an older phone it may not receive it.

When the test happens your device is likely to make a loud siren like sound, even if it’s set on silent and maybe vibrate. The sound and vibration will last for about 10 seconds.

If, for any reason, you do not want to receive the test alert please make sure your phone is switched off at 3pm on Sunday – you will not get the alert when it is switched back on.

The message that you will get (in England) is:

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 an actual 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.

You WON’T be asked for your phone number, location or other details – beware scammers trying to take advantage

The alerts are sent by mobile phone masts, which can broadcast them to compatible devices in the surrounding area during an emergency.

This means the Government does NOT need your phone number, location or any other personal details to send you an emergency alert, and you DON’T need to download an app or sign up to receive them.

Scammers often exploit Government initiatives and other news items as a way to target people so be wary of suspicious texts, emails or other messages asking you to hand over your details.