A nationwide test of the UK’s emergency alert service will take place at 3pm on Sunday 23 April. The alerts will warn you if there’s a danger to life nearby, such as flooding or fires.
However, we are concerned about the potential safety risks to 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’.
Refuge’s tech team have put together information for survivors with an iPhone or Android on how to opt-out of the system. You can also find out more at gov.uk/alerts and on the Q&A document.
