Last Sunday (April 23), every smartphone in the UK should have received a test message for the government’s alert system.

According to polling from the Ross Gazette, only 65.5 per cent of people received the test alert, with 24.1 per cent saying they did not receive it, and 10.3 per cent of people said they turned their phone off.

This falls roughly in line with other nationwide polls. Twitter account @ElectionMapsUK polled their audience: 63.9 per cent of people received the test alert, with 26.1 per cent saying they did not receive it, and 10 per cent of people said they turned their phone off.

Everyone in the UK with a mobile smartphone was supposed to get an emergency test alert at 3 pm on April 23.

The test is part of a new system that gives the UK Government and emergency services the capability to send an alert directly to mobile phones when there is a risk to life.

Alerts will only ever come from the Government or emergency services, and they will issue a warning, always include the details of the area impacted, and provide instructions about how best to respond - linking to gov.uk/alerts where people can receive further information.

Apart from tests like today’s, they will only be sent where there is an immediate risk to people’s lives.