Like Parliament, tea alarms are normally recessed for the summer, taking into account the summer school holiday for children, parents having to work from home / take time on leave to look after children, and both the structure and chaos that this part of the year brings. There is a reason why there is a bank holiday at the end of August. One last time to get tea-trolleyed before the countdown to Christmas*.

If you are somehow able to go abroad at this time of the year, first remember that your passport must comply with regulations pertaining to the 10 year rule for passports; time added on may invalidate its use when abroad, so please do check carefully. Second, remember where possible to pack teabags; often it is hard to find tea abroad. We STRONGLY RECCOMMEND that you do not pack sugar or powdered milk. It may cause substantial delays at security checkpoints.

If you are staying in the UK, regardless of circumstance, please ensure that you have an adequate supply of milk, sugar and sweetener to hand, recognising that milk may spoil quicker in warmer weather if left out of the fridge for a prolonged period of time, or if delivered in glass bottles to the doorstep. An extra bottle of milk, where possible should be designated as ‘tea milk’, and only used for this purpose. This will ensure milk is not used up for breakfast cereal, milkshakes, or recreating a pre 1980s British tradition of children being provided with milk at lunchtime.

It is also advisable to provide biscuits or other suitable accompaniments. An ‘Afternoon Tea’ can be a fantastic gathering opportunity, however this should be planned, and not spontaneous, so as not to cause a feeling of being let down. Finger sandwiches, warm scones, cream, preserves and petit-fours are advisable to add a sense of occasion.

If you are having a children’s party, remember to provide a tea station for adults. This should be clearly marked and designated as an ‘adults only zone’, as whilst children can of course enjoy a cup of tea, it would be foolish to allow them to play with hot water in a non standard environment. Besides, this way you can also control sugar consumption.

The following alarms remain cursory for those working within the NHS, because without the NHS, tea may be the only medication available within Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Always serve with a smile. A smile is often appreciated at the end of a long shift**

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• 7AM: For all nurses, HCAs, CSWs and other NHS staff who have worked a night shift ending on the 20th July 2026. Especially those working in ED / A&E departments.
  
  
• 7PM: For all nurses, HCAs, CSWs and other NHS staff who have worked a day shift ending on the 20th July 2026. Especially those working in ED / A&E departments.
  
  
• Upon Kier Starmer leaving Downing Street to meet King Charles III to resign from his position as Prime Minister (11:15AM BST).*
  
  
• Upon Andrew Burnham returning to Downing Street following his meeting with King Charles III to form a new Government. (Time TBC).*
  
  

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Please be advised that more in depth guidance on preparing for, and responding to a tea alarm (both scheduled and unscheduled), will be provided over the coming weeks.

We remain humbly at your service for any tea related questions.

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^{* To put you out of your misery immediately, Last Christmas, I gave you my heart. Done.}

^{**Please, under no circumstances offer a cup of tea in those tiny little NHS hot drink cups found on wards. Our NHS staff deserve better!.}