UK’s Emergency Alerts system to be tested on Sunday 7 September at 3pm
Emergency Alerts is a UK government system that provides warning and advice in a life threatening emergency.
The government will be running a national test of the Emergency Alerts system on Sunday 7 September 2025.
Reasons you might get an alert
You may get alerts about any type of life threatening emergency, such as:
- wildfires
- severe flooding
- extreme storms
There are simple and effective steps you can take to be more prepared for an emergency in your area. Visit gov.uk/prepare for more information.
Emergency alerts will only be sent by:
- the emergency services
- government departments, agencies and public bodies that deal with emergencies
What happens when you get an emergency alert
Your mobile phone or tablet may:
- make a loud siren-like sound, even if it’s set on silent
- vibrate
- read out the alert
The sound and vibration will last for about 10 seconds.
An alert will include a phone number or a link to the GOV.UK website for more information.
You’ll get alerts based on your current location – not where you live or work. You do not need to turn on location services to receive alerts.
What you need to do
When you get an alert, stop what you’re doing and follow the instructions in the alert.
If you’re driving or riding when you get an alert
Do not read or respond to an emergency alert while driving or riding.
Find somewhere safe and legal to stop before reading the message. If there’s nowhere safe and legal to stop, and nobody else is in the vehicle to read the alert, you can listen to news on live radio to find out about the emergency.
If you cannot receive emergency alerts
If you do not have a compatible device, you’ll still be informed about an emergency. The emergency services have other ways to warn you when there is a threat to life.
If you’re deaf, hard of hearing, blind or partially sighted
If you have a vision or hearing impairment, audio and vibration attention signals will let you know you have an emergency alert if accessibility notifications have been enabled on your mobile phone or tablet.
Alert languages
Emergency alerts will be sent in English. In Wales, they may also be sent in Welsh.
New independent café and bakery planned for Bath city centre
Plans have been submitted for a new independent café and bakery in the heart of Bath. Jocelin is looking to open in Shires Yard, taking over the premises previously occupied by independent wine merchant and wine bar Le Vignoble. The site sits between Milsom Street and...
Dorothy House to mark 50 years with spectacular light installation
A large-scale light installation will illuminate the grounds of Dorothy House near Bath this autumn and winter, as the hospice marks its 50th anniversary. Moments of Light will run at Dorothy House in Winsley from 1 October until 31 December, offering visitors a place...
Five new padel courts approved for Bathampton
Padel players in and around Bath are set to have a new place to play after plans for five courts in Bathampton were given the go-ahead. Bath and North East Somerset Council has approved plans from Smash Padel to develop the courts at the former railway station site in...