At 3pm on Sunday 7th September, millions of phones across the UK will emit a loud siren and government message as part of the national emergency alert test.
While designed to save lives, new analysis from YuLife, the all-in-one insurance and wellbeing employee benefit provider, suggests the alert could also have an unintended side effect: around 20 million Brits may feel immediate anxiety when the alarm sounds.
YuLife’s analysis shows that roughly 63 million people will personally receive the alert on at least one phone. Research into national alert systems overseas has found that almost one in three recipients report an anxious reaction to sudden sirens and alerts. Applied to the UK, that means more people than the entire population of London, Manchester and Birmingham combined could feel stressed when the siren goes off.
The psychological impact may be even greater among vulnerable groups. Around 3.2 million UK adults live with PTSD, while almost 1 in 5 experience sound sensitivity. For these groups, sudden nationwide sirens can trigger heightened anxiety, panic, or lapses in concentration long after the 10-second alert has ended.
A nationwide stress test
The government has described the emergency alert system as vital for public safety, but it has never quantified the mental health side effects. YuLife’s findings suggest the test will be more than just a technical drill: it will be a nationwide stress test, with millions experiencing an anxious response at exactly the same moment.
Searches for “emergency phone alert” are up 144% in the past week, with thousands of people asking how the system works and whether they can opt out.
The Cabinet Office stresses that the system is designed to warn people about “life-threatening emergencies” such as floods, fires and terror attacks, and strongly recommends keeping alerts switched on. However, those who wish to disable them can do so by going into their phone’s settings, searching for “emergency alerts,” and turning off the options marked “severe alerts” and “extreme alerts.”
Sammy Rubin, CEO and Co-Founder of YuLife, said: “Emergency alerts are essential for protecting the public in moments of crisis. But research shows that millions of people will also feel anxious when the siren sounds, particularly those already living with PTSD or heightened sound sensitivity. We must recognise that alerts are not just a technical test; they are also a mental health event. Acknowledging that impact is the first step to supporting people through it.”
