Mobile phone ‘Armageddon alert’ date: here’s when Edinburgh can expect to hear new public warning test

The emergency test will be sent to phones across Edinburgh and the whole of the UK

Millions of people across the UK, including Edinburgh, are to receive an emergency alert on their mobile phones from the government.

The alert will be a loud siren and a message will be seen and heard on devices. The test alert will be an example of what will be used for emergency situations in the future, the situations include the likes of severe flooding, fires or extreme weather.

When an emergency alert is issued people won’t be able to use their phone without acknowledging the message, ensuring people are well-informed.

The full message is set to read: "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."

According to the Government’s National Resilience Framework, which was published in December, the system is expected to launch across the UK in ‘early 2023’ but as of yet, it is still in its testing phase.

The programme has cross-party support but the government has been criticised for not rolling it out quick enough. Fleur Anderson, Labour’s Shadow Paymaster General, said: "While Britain faces increasing global threats, not least from Putin’s Russia, this saga has dragged on far too long and left our country lagging far behind on keeping the public safe.”

So, when will the ‘Armageddon alert’ be issued? Here’s everything you need to know.

When will the UK emergency alert be issued?

The first ‘Armageddon alert’ test will be issued on Sunday April 23, 2023.

Mobile phone ‘Armageddon alert’ date set: UK primed for new public warning system siren test

How can I opt out of the emergency alert?

For IOS devices, you will be able to locate the Emergency Alerts through the Notifications section of settings.  You will find the Emergency Alerts options located at the bottom of the page, including extreme and severe alerts. If they are turned on, the toggle to the left should appear green. To turn them off, you simply tap the toggle, which should then go grey.

For those with Android devices, you can locate emergency alerts through the Apps & Notifications section in your settings. Emergency alerts should be listed at the bottom of the page. Once selected, it will take you to a new page which you can then toggle off extreme threats and severe threats as well as amber alerts.