The UK terrorism threat level, explained
The UK terrorism threat level is a single rating that tells the public how likely a terrorist attack is at any given time. It is one of the clearest signals of the current security picture in the United Kingdom — and UK Terror Alert puts it on your iPhone and pushes a notification the moment it changes.
an attack is highly likely
an attack is a strong possibility
Last set on 30 April 2026, based on publicly available official information. Updated automatically.
What is the UK threat level?
The threat level reflects the likelihood of a terrorist attack in the UK. There are five levels, from Low (an attack is highly unlikely) up to Critical (an attack is highly likely in the near future). The level applies to the country as a whole rather than to any single place or event, and it is published openly so that the public, businesses and the emergency services can take sensible, proportionate precautions.
Who decides the threat level?
The threat level from international terrorism is set by the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (JTAC), a body that brings together expertise from across government and the intelligence agencies. The threat level relating to Northern Ireland-related terrorism is set separately by the Security Service (MI5). The levels are based on a wide range of factors, including intelligence, terrorist capability, intentions and timescale. Because they are judgement-based, a level can stay the same for long periods and then change at short notice.
How often does it change?
There is no schedule. The level is reviewed continually and only changes when the assessment changes — sometimes after a specific incident, sometimes as a result of longer-term analysis. That is exactly why a passive web page is easy to miss: by the time most people think to check, the moment has passed. UK Terror Alert solves that by watching for changes for you and alerting you instantly.
How UK Terror Alert keeps you current
Rather than asking you to remember to check, the app monitors the published threat levels and sends an instant push notification the moment anything changes — even when your phone is locked. Each alert links straight through to the current level, the reasoning behind it and the full history of past changes. It also covers the Northern Ireland threat level and FCDO travel advice in the same place.
UK Terror Alert is an independent app. It is not affiliated with HM Government, MI5, the Home Office, JTAC or Counter Terrorism Policing. Threat-level data is sourced from publicly available official information. For the definitive current level, refer to the official sources.