Overview

• At around 3 p.m. on 7 September, compatible 4G/5G phones and tablets will emit a siren and vibrate for about 10 seconds, with an on-screen message stating it is a test and linking to gov.uk/prepare.
• Drivers are urged not to touch their phones during the alert, with the AA and RAC advising checks only when parked and reminding that using a hand-held device while driving can mean a £200 fine and six penalty points.
• Domestic abuse charities including Refuge and Solace warn the drill could reveal concealed devices and direct at-risk people to switch off “severe” and “extreme” alerts in phone settings.
• Public-facing preparations include theatres adding pre-show reminders to turn phones off completely, National Highways posting motorway signs, and O2 texting customers about the test.
• Officials say the system has already been used five times in real incidents, including major storms and a WWII bomb in Plymouth, with Pat McFadden citing more than eight million recipients to date.