How council alarms work
Every council in the UK has some way of providing a personal alarm — often called a community alarm, Careline, Lifeline or telecare. The kit is the same as a private alarm: a small base unit plugged in at home, and a pendant worn round the neck or on the wrist. Press the button and a trained operator answers, 24 hours a day, and calls a family member, a neighbour or an ambulance.
The difference is who pays. The council usually arranges an assessment first — a short conversation about how your parent is managing. After that:
- Free if your parent is on a low income or gets Pension Credit, or if the alarm is part of a care package after a hospital stay.
- A small weekly charge — typically £3–£6 a week — for everyone else.
- No scheme at all in a few areas, where the council will point you to a private provider.
The catch is time. An assessment can take anything from a few days to several weeks. That's why we always show the private option alongside — not instead of — the council one.
What a private alarm costs
Buying privately, you'll pay from about £24.49 a month for 24-hour monitoring, sometimes with a one-off set-up fee. That's roughly £6 a week — more than a council scheme, but usually set up within a couple of days and with no assessment.
We compare the four main UK providers and recommend Taking Care, Age UK's partner. See the full comparison, or read what "free" really means.
Find your parent's council
We have a page for every one of the 382 principal councils in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland: what the scheme is called, what it costs, and how to apply. Browse the council directory.