Personal alarms compared
Four companies sell most of the personal alarms bought privately in the UK. The kit is similar — a base unit and a pendant, monitored 24 hours a day. The differences are price, contract and extras. Here they are side by side, with the date we last checked each price.
Before you buy: your parent's council may provide an alarm free or for a few pounds a week. Run the 60-second check first. If the council route is slow, come back here.
| Provider | Taking CareOur pick | Careline365 | SureSafe | LifeConnect24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | £24.49 a monthchecked 21 Oct 2026 | £30 a monthchecked 21 Oct 2026 | Not confirmednot yet verified | £30 a monthchecked 21 Oct 2026 |
| Upfront cost | £69.99 | £99 | Not confirmed | No set-up fee shown on the pricing page. |
| Cost per year | £293.88 | £360 | Not confirmed | £360 |
| Contract length | None — cancel any time, pro-rata refund | Annual or monthly plan | Annual plans; some alarms sold outright with monthly monitoring | Annual or monthly plan |
| Fall detection included? | Optional extraOptional: Digital Fall Alarm plan at £28.49/month | YesAll alarms include automatic fall detection | Not confirmedFall detection offered on selected alarms | YesAll devices include fall detection |
| GPS option (works out and about)? | YesTaking Care Anywhere pendant (£31.49/month) and GO watch (£26.49/month) | YesGPS watch and GPS pendant at the same monitoring price | YesSureSafe GO range works away from home | YesGPS watch and GPS pendant at the same price |
| Response centre TSA-accredited? | YesTSA Quality Standards Framework certified response centre | YesIndependently audited against TSA standards each year | Not confirmedConfirm current TSA status with SureSafe | YesTSA-accredited 24/7 response team |
| Trustpilot score | See TrustpilotRead reviews | See TrustpilotRead reviews | See TrustpilotRead reviews | See TrustpilotRead reviews |
| Website | Our review | careline365.co.uk | suresafealarms.co.uk | lifeconnect24.co.uk |
Prices are the providers' standard in-home alarm plans on the date shown, excluding VAT where the provider shows it that way. Most people who need an alarm because of a long-term condition qualify for VAT exemption. SureSafe's website blocks automated checks, so we show "not confirmed" rather than guess. Prices change — please check before you buy.
Our verdict
Taking Care is our recommendation. It wins on trust and flexibility: it's Age UK's personal alarm partner, Trading Standards Approved, its response centre is TSA-certified, and there's no contract — you can cancel any time with a pro-rata refund. For a worried family that might only need the alarm until a council one arrives, that last point matters.
Where it's beaten: price. Careline365 and LifeConnect24 (the same group) include automatic fall detection in their standard plan; with Taking Care, fall detection is a step up to £28.49 a month. Careline365 also lets you own the alarm outright for a one-off £99. If the lowest monthly cost with fall detection is your main concern, LifeConnect24 at £30 a month (paid annually) is the one to look at.
What they all share: 24-hour monitoring by trained operators, a pendant that works in the house and garden, and the option of a GPS version for people who go out alone.
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See Taking Care alarms and pricesHow to choose
- Does your parent go out alone? If so, consider a GPS alarm. If not, a standard home alarm is cheaper and simpler.
- Have they had a fall? Fall detection is worth having. It isn't perfect — slow slides to the floor may not trigger it — but it helps when someone can't press the button.
- Is this temporary? If you're waiting for a council alarm, choose a provider with no contract.
- Who answers? Check the response centre is TSA-accredited, and ask how the alarm company reaches you — most call a list of contacts you provide, then the emergency services if nobody answers.
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