Emergency Radio UK

Your emergency radio: the station to tune to, and the set to keep at home

Find your BBC local station's FM frequency, choose a wind-up, solar or battery radio, test it in two minutes and check what still works on long and medium wave.

Review scheduled for 2026-11-08

Why a radio, and why FM

  • The official checklist asks for one. The government's Be Ready checklist includes a battery or wind-up FM radio, and suggests writing down the frequencies of the stations you use for news (gov.uk).
  • It works when phones and internet do not. A battery or wind-up set needs no mains power, mobile signal or broadband.
  • Long wave has gone. BBC Radio 4 switched off 198 kHz long wave on 27 June 2026 (RSGB).
  • Local medium wave is going. The BBC's last five local medium wave services in England close by the end of 2026 (WorldDAB). FM is the band to rely on.

What the app does

It asks what you would like to sort out, then takes you through it:

  • Which station do I tune to? Type your town or county to see your BBC local or nations station, every FM frequency with the area it serves, and make a card to keep with the radio.
  • Which radio should I get? Five quick choices give the features that matter for you, and the ones you can ignore.
  • Is my radio ready? A two-minute test and a calendar reminder every six months.
  • Will my old radio still work? Tap the bands on your set to see what still carries BBC services.

Independent guide, not affiliated with the BBC, the government or any radio maker.