Emergency alert could 'pose a serious risk' for abuse victims

Women's Aid NI say an abuser finding a hidden phone "could pose a serious risk"

An emergency alert test could cause "distress and fear" to women suffering from domestic abuse, Women's Aid NI has said.

The national system for sending emergency alerts to mobile phones was tested for the second time at 15:00 BST on Sunday.

The alerts are designed for situations where there is an imminent danger to life, such as during extreme weather events or a terror attack.

In a statement, Women's Aid NI, said: "For women in a coercively controlling relationship, the fear of their abuser discovering this phone can be overwhelming and could pose a serious risk to their safety."

"Victims and survivors of domestic abuse often tell Women's Aid that their abuser seeks to control every aspect of their lives – including who they are allowed to speak to," the charity said.

"Perpetrators frequently pressure victims to cut off meaningful contact with friends, family, colleagues, and support services, in an attempt to isolate and dominate them.

"In some cases, this leads to victims keeping a hidden phone."

'The alarm could reveal the device'

Women's Aid NI warns if you have a hidden phone to disable emergency alerts on it

The charity said the UK Emergency Alert system is a "vital tool" for warning the public of imminent danger.

But added this could cause "distress and fear" for women with hidden phones.

"If you have a hidden phone, it is essential to disable emergency alerts before Sunday 07 September, as the alarm could reveal the device," it warned.

"If you feel unsure how to switch the alerts off, turn your device completely off until it is safe to use again, as the alert will come through when you turn it back on."

Instructions and a video on how to turn off the alert are available on the charity's website.

What time was the emergency alert sent and what happened?

The message came through on Sunday

The alert was sent to millions of devices at around 15:00 BST on Sunday 7 September.

Compatible phones - the vast majority of those currently in use - vibrated and made a siren sound for roughly 10 seconds.

The text of the message read:

"This is a test of Emergency Alerts, a UK government service that will warn you if there's a life-threatening emergency nearby.

"You do not need to take any action. In a real emergency, follow the instructions in the alert to keep yourself and others safe."

The previous test, in April 2023, revealed a number of technical issues including some users receiving multiple messages and others getting nothing at all.

Which devices received the alerts?

The alert was sent to all smartphones on the UK's 4G and 5G networks, even if they are not connected to mobile data or wi-fi

The alert was sent to all smartphones on the UK's 4G and 5G networks, even if they were not connected to mobile data or wi-fi.

There are about 87 million mobile phones in the UK and the government says about 95% of the population has 4G or 5G access.

Older phones, and phones connected to 2G or 3G networks, did not receive the message.

Phones that are switched off or in airplane mode also did not get the alert.

Can users opt out of receiving emergency alerts?

The government strongly recommends that users enable devices to receive emergency alerts, but it is possible to opt out.

This can be done by searching in your phone's settings for "emergency alerts" and turning off "severe alerts" and "extreme alerts".

The government has also published a guide on how to opt out of the test.

What have emergency alerts been used for?

The government says the alert system plays "a critical role in making sure that we are ready for all kinds of future emergencies".

It uses mobile phone masts to send targeted information to users in a particular area.

Five real life alerts have seen sent to more than seven million mobile phone users, external since the system began.

It was used to contact around 4.5 million phones in Scotland and Northern Ireland during Storm Eowyn in January 2025, and around three million in England and Wales during Storm Darragh the previous month.

Cross-border warning

Karen Devlin, from Women's Aid Federation Northern Ireland, said some people do not realise that Emergency Alerts are not constrained by the Irish border.

She said the alert's recipients are "dependant on their geo-location" .

Ms Devlin said that many residents of border counties will already be aware of this, after 2023's alert, but that Irish residents visiting border counties may be less likely to be aware of the risk.