National emergency alert test on Sunday 23rd April and information for domestic abuse survivors with hidden phones

On Sunday 23^rd April at 3pm, the UK Government will test its new emergency alert system. The system will contact people via mobile phone if there is a severe threat or their lives are in danger. 

The alert will be a loud siren like sound. This will last for about 10 seconds. Mobiles will also vibrate and show a message on screen. The siren will still be heard if your phone is set to silent. It will not be heard on mobiles that are switched off or in aeroplane mode. 

The siren may be distressing to patients on our wards. It may also impact on those who are vulnerable or survivors of domestic violence who may have a secondary phone. The charity Women’s Aid has highlighted the potential safety risks to domestic abuse survivors who may be keeping their phones hidden from an abuser, as the alert is a loud, siren-like sound with a screen message and vibration.

Survivors can opt out from receiving emergency alerts to avoid their device from being detected. Emergency Alerts will be sent to compatible mobile phones within an area of risk. Emergency alerts work on: 

• iPhones running iOS 14.5 or later 
• Android phones and tablets running Android 11 or later

The alert may still be received on earlier versions of Android. To check, search your device settings for ‘emergency alerts’.

  ​​​How to opt out 

For iPhone
To opt out, search your settings for ‘emergency alerts’ and turn off ‘Severe alerts’ and ‘Emergency alerts.’ If this does not work, contact your device manufacturer.

For Android 
To opt out, search your settings for ‘emergency alerts’ and turn off ‘Severe alerts’ and ‘Emergency alerts’. On some devices, search your settings for ‘emergency alerts’ and turn off ‘Extreme threats’, ‘Severe threats’ and ‘Show amber alerts’.

The charity has put together information for survivors with an iPhone or Android on how to opt-out of the system. Refuge has created a helpful video that shows how the alert can be turned off on android and iPhone - New Emergency Alerts system - a safety update for survivors - YouTube. 

You can also find out more at gov.uk/alerts and on the Q&A document. 

What is the emergency alert system? 

It will be used to warn people in the event of emergencies, such as severe flooding or extreme weather. An alert will appear on your mobile along with information on what to do. 

Emergency alerts are sent to all compatible mobile phones within the area of risk. They don’t track your location, need your phone number or collect personal information. Alerts can only be sent by the Government and emergency services. Those without a mobile phone will still be informed in other ways. 

To find out more about Emergency Alerts, visit gov.uk/alerts