The short answer
Stop and read the alert, then do what it says. If you are driving, stop somewhere safe and legal first. Get inside the nearest solid building straight away and don't travel home first. Go to the middle of the building, a cellar, a stairwell or a room with no windows, away from outside walls and glass. If you are caught outside, lie flat, ideally in a dip or ditch, and cover your head. Text family rather than calling, keep a radio on, and stay in until the authorities say it is over. The UK has no public air-raid leaflet, so the room and lie-flat steps come from the Swedish and Finnish civil defence guides.
Prints the checklist without the menus.
Do this now
- Stop and read the alert. Do what it says. Driving? Stop somewhere safe and legal first.
- Get inside the nearest solid building. Don't go home or to school first.
- Go to the middle: a cellar, stairwell, inner hallway or a room with no windows. Away from outside walls and glass.
- Caught outside? Lie flat, ideally in a dip or ditch, and cover your head. Get inside when you can.
- Text, don't call. One short message: "Safe. I'm at ___."
- Stay in until the authorities say it's over. Radio on, phone on for more alerts.
Free: the Alert Action Card
The first six steps for a nuclear or radiation alert, a missile or air attack alert, no water from the tap and a power cut, on one page for the fridge, plus a phone version you can open offline. Every step checked against GOV.UK, UKHSA and Be Ready on 3 November 2026. No sign-up needed.
Print card (A4 PDF, light) Phone version (PDF)
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What official advice exists
The UK sends Emergency Alerts to mobile phones and tablets. GOV.UK says the alert may sound a loud siren-like noise for about 10 seconds, even on silent, and tells you to stop what you are doing and follow the instructions in the alert (GOV.UK Emergency Alerts).
The UK has no public leaflet for missile or air attacks. The GOV.UK Be Ready campaign lists 18 hazards and none of them covers missiles or air raids (Be Ready). So for the room choice and what to do outside, we use the civil defence guides of two European neighbours that publish this advice: Sweden (MCF brochure, June 2026) and Finland (Suomi.fi, threat from the air). If a UK alert gives different instructions, follow the alert.
Step by step
1. Read the alert
- It will say what is happening and what to do. Follow those words first.
- Driving or riding: GOV.UK says don't read it on the move. Find somewhere safe and legal to stop. If you can't, and no passenger can read it, listen to live radio.
2. Get inside
- The nearest solid building is better than any journey. Shops, offices, libraries and stations are all fine.
- Don't travel home or to a school to collect people. Schools have their own plans.
3. Go to the middle of the building
The Swedish and Finnish guides say the safest place is inside, in the middle, with walls between you and the outside:
- a cellar or basement
- a stairwell or inner hallway
- a bathroom or room with no windows
Keep away from outside walls, doors and glass.
4. If you can't get inside
- Lie flat on the ground, ideally in a dip, ditch or behind something solid.
- Cover your head with your arms.
- Get inside as soon as you can.
5. Tell family without blocking the network
- Send one short text: "Safe. I'm at the library."
- Agree now where your household will meet if phones don't work. Write it on your Alert Action Card.
6. Stay put until it's over
- Stay in until the authorities say it is over.
- Keep a battery or wind-up radio on and your phone on for further alerts.
- After the all-clear, check people for injuries first. For bleeding, the NHS says press on the wound with a clean pad and call 999 if it won't stop.
What to prepare this week (10 minutes)
- Pick the middle room in your home and tell everyone which one it is.
- Put a torch, radio, water and phone charger there.
- Agree two meeting points: one near home, one further away.
- Check your phone gets alerts: GOV.UK explains how alerts work.
Last checked
Steps checked against GOV.UK Emergency Alerts and the Be Ready hazard list on 3 November 2026, and against the Swedish and Finnish guides on 2 November 2026. This is general information, not professional advice, and it does not predict any attack. On the day, follow the alert and the authorities. In danger? Call 999.
What to buy
About these links: plain links to ordinary retailer pages. We may earn from some links in future; we don't now. We haven’t tested these and we don’t rank them: they are examples that were in stock when we checked. Prices change. Check what you already own first. Full kit list
Battery or wind-up FM radio
Look for: FM (Be Ready asks for FM; DAB as well is fine). Both a crank and ordinary batteries, so you have two ways to power it.
Torch or head torch, plus spare batteries
Look for: Runs on the same AA or AAA batteries as your other kit, so one spare pack covers everything. A head torch leaves both hands free.
- Alpkit Ionic 350 Lumen Head Torch · Alpkit · £15.99 (price on 1 November 2026) Shop
- Lifesystems Intensity 155 LED Head Torch · Lifesystems (UK brand store) · £19.99 (price on 1 November 2026) Shop
- Alpkit Kula 550 Lumen Head Torch · Alpkit · £19.99 (price on 1 November 2026) Shop
- Lifesystems Intensity 480 LED Hand Torch · Lifesystems (UK brand store) · £29.99 (price on 1 November 2026) Shop
- Dynamo Powered Wind-Up Pocket LED Torch · EVAQ8 · £3.60 (price on 1 November 2026) Shop
Power bank
Look for: From a seller you know. Check the capacity (mAh) against your phone, and that you have the right cable for each phone. Keep it charged.
First aid kit
Look for: Waterproof plasters, bandages, a thermometer, antiseptic, eyewash, sterile dressings, gloves, medical tape and tweezers.
- St John Ambulance Home First Aid Kit · St John Ambulance shop · £10.50 (price on 3 November 2026) Shop
- Lifesystems Adventurer First Aid Kit · Lifesystems (UK brand store) · £26.99 (price on 1 November 2026) Shop
- Lifesystems Mountain First Aid Kit · Lifesystems (UK brand store) · £42.99 (price on 1 November 2026) Shop
Frequently asked questions
What does a UK Emergency Alert sound like?
GOV.UK says your phone or tablet may make a loud siren-like sound, even if it is on silent, vibrate, and read the alert aloud. The sound and vibration last about 10 seconds.
What should I do first when I get an alert?
Stop what you are doing and follow the instructions in the alert. GOV.UK says if you are driving or riding, don't read or respond to it: find somewhere safe and legal to stop first, or listen to live radio if no passenger can read it.
Where is the safest place in my home?
The Swedish and Finnish civil defence guides say go to the middle of the building: a cellar, a stairwell, an inner hallway or a room without windows, away from outside walls, doors and glass.
What if I'm outside and can't get into a building?
Sweden's civil defence brochure says lie down, ideally in a dip or ditch, and protect your head. Get inside as soon as you can.
Should I phone my family?
Send one short text instead, such as "Safe. I'm at the library." Keep calls for emergencies, and agree a meeting point in advance in case phones don't work.
How long should I stay inside?
Until the authorities say the danger is over. Keep a radio on and your phone on for further alerts.
Does the UK have public air-raid shelters?
The official UK guidance we checked does not list public shelters. The Be Ready hazard list has no page on missiles or air raids. Follow the instructions in the alert on the day.
Sources
We opened each page on the date shown. Official advice changes: if a source says something different now, follow the source.
- GOV.UK: Emergency Alerts (what an alert sounds like and what to do) (read 3 November 2026)
- GOV.UK Be Ready: Be informed about hazards (index of 18 hazard pages; none covers missiles or air raids) (read 3 November 2026)
- Swedish Civil Defence and Resilience Agency (MCF): In case of crisis or war, English edition (PDF, June 2026), pages 10 to 13 (read 2 November 2026)
- Suomi.fi (Finland): Threat from the air (read 2 November 2026)
- GOV.UK: How emergency alerts work (read 2 November 2026)
- NHS: Cuts and grazes (how to stop bleeding) (read 2 November 2026)
- Suomi.fi (Finland): Military conflicts and civil defence (read 2 November 2026)
Related guides
- UK Emergency Alerts: a calm guide
- Worried about war? How UK households can prepare — calmly
- An emergency plan for flats: what's different, and what to ask
- Home first aid kit and medicine cabinet: a UK checklist
We're an independent UK site, not the government. We check guides against official sources and link to them. In an emergency call 999.
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