Terrorism and national emergencies
Terrorism threat levels
The threat level indicates the likelihood of a terrorist attack in the UK.
National threat level
The threat to the UK (England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland) from terrorism is substantial.
Northern Ireland-related threat level
The threat to Northern Ireland from Northern Ireland-related terrorism is substantial.
Threat levels
There are 5 levels of threat:
- low - an attack is highly unlikely
- moderate - an attack is possible but not likely
- substantial - an attack is likely
- severe - an attack is highly likely
- critical - an attack is highly likely in the near future
The level is set by the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre and the Security Service (MI5).
Threat levels do not have an expiry date. They can change at any time as different information becomes available.
More information about terrorist threat levels
Get more information about terrorism threat levels in the UK on the MI5 website.
You can also check the government’s travel advice for different countries.