UK-wide ‘Armageddon alert’ to be sent to millions of Brits phones causing loud alarm

Better not forget

The system was first launched in 2023, and has already seen action during recent emergencies such as Storm Darragh, when 3 million people were told to stay inside.

However, ministers now want to conduct a test of the system across the nation to make sure the entire population is ready for an emergency.

This means that every 4G and 5G connected phone within range will emit a siren and vibrate for up to 10 seconds to alert the public.

The test's exact date is yet to be confirmed, however will be some time later this year and will be widely publicised.

Some 87 million phones will get the alert.

Speaking to the Mirror, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden said: “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.”

These kind of alerts are fairly common in nations such as the US, Canada, the Netherlands and Japan to warn their populations of severe weather events.

The most common use in the UK is for wildfires and severe flooding.

Upon receiving the alert, there is nothing people need to do other than swipe the message away or click 'OK' on the message.

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.”

Those who don't want to receive alerts can choose to opt out in the device settings on their phone.

However, for best practice and safety, the government advises that people keep the function switched on.