A global Microsoft service disruption has affected email, messaging and online contact systems used by public bodies across the north-west of England, forcing police, schools, fire services and health organisations to rely on alternative arrangements.
The disruption began on 12 November 2026 and was still being managed the following day. Microsoft said the incident was not linked to a cyber-security breach. The company attributed the problem to unusually high pressure on its servers and said its systems were showing early indications of recovery while technicians worked on a permanent fix.
Police redirect urgent non-emergency reports
Police forces in Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Cheshire and Merseyside reported problems with online forms and live-chat services hosted through affected systems. The forces advised members of the public to use established telephone channels where a matter could not wait.
- People with time-critical non-emergency reports should call 101.
- Online forms and web-based chat services may not be available or may not be processed immediately.
- Members of the public should continue using emergency channels for situations requiring an immediate response.
The outage illustrates how a failure in widely used commercial software can interrupt routine contact between the public and essential services, even where the underlying emergency response systems continue to function. Police forces did not report that their ability to respond to emergencies had been halted, but warned that online communication routes were affected.
Ambulance response remains operational
The North West Ambulance service said there was no current effect on its ability to respond to patients in need. That distinction is important for patients and families: the disruption affected some digital and administrative services, but the ambulance service continued to handle requests for urgent medical assistance.
Hospitals in the region, including Blackpool Victoria Hospital, asked patients to attend their appointments as planned. NHS trusts also encouraged patients not to assume that a technical problem with email or other online services meant that appointments had been cancelled.
Patients who need to check an appointment or contact a hospital may experience delays through digital channels. The information available did not indicate that hospital treatment or scheduled appointments had been suspended, and the guidance was to attend as normal unless the relevant health service provided different instructions.
Fire service website affected, mobilising system working
Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service said it had been largely unaffected because its system for mobilising crews was operating normally. However, the service could not access responses submitted through contact forms on its website.
The difference between the operational dispatch system and the website contact forms means that people should not rely on an online form for matters requiring a prompt response. The available guidance points users towards telephone contact for urgent issues, while non-urgent web enquiries may only be dealt with once access is restored.
Airports report normal operations
Manchester and Liverpool John Lennon airports said their core operations were continuing without disruption. Manchester Airport reported that the impact was limited to its corporate environment and some minor technical processes.
The airport also used an established alternative procedure to process domestic passengers. Airport officials said this workaround was already available, meaning the Microsoft problem had not prevented normal passenger handling.
“It’s not affecting us operationally and it’s business as usual,” Liverpool John Lennon Airport said.
Manchester Airport similarly said its operational systems were not affected. The statements provide reassurance to passengers travelling through the region, although travellers may still encounter delays in corporate communications or other administrative services while the wider outage is resolved.
Schools ask families to use other channels
Schools across the north-west have been contacting parents and pupils through alternative methods because email communications were disrupted. Fleetwood High School warned its community that email was affected and asked families to telephone the school where a matter was urgent.
The interruption creates practical difficulties for schools that depend on digital messages for timetable information, attendance matters, parent contact and notices. The guidance issued so far is for families to use telephone communication when an issue cannot wait, rather than assuming that an email has been received or read.
Microsoft works on recovery
Microsoft said the outage was caused by higher-than-usual stress on its servers and denied that it resulted from a cyber-security incident. The company reported early signs of stabilisation but had not, at the time of the reports, declared all affected services fully restored.
The impact remained uneven. Some organisations lost access to email, online forms or messaging tools, while systems supporting ambulance responses, fire-service mobilisation and airport operations continued to work. Public bodies therefore adopted different contingency measures according to the systems they use and the nature of the services they provide.
For residents in the affected part of England, the immediate advice is straightforward: use 101 for time-critical non-emergency police matters, telephone schools and health services about urgent queries, and attend scheduled hospital appointments unless instructed otherwise. Airport operations and ambulance responses were reported to be continuing normally as Microsoft technicians worked to restore the affected digital services.
