Guide

NHS pendant alarm: does the NHS provide them?

No. The NHS doesn't issue pendant alarms, lifeline alarms or fall alarms. But the people who do are often sitting right next to the NHS — and knowing who to ask saves weeks.

Who actually provides them

In the UK, personal alarms for older people come from local councils, through what's usually called a community alarm, Careline, Lifeline or telecare service. The council either runs the service itself or pays a company to run it. Either way, the council decides who gets one and what they pay.

The confusion comes from two places. First, "Lifeline" is a brand name that many councils use, and it sounds like it might be an NHS thing. Second, the NHS is often where the idea comes from — a nurse, GP or physio says "you should have an alarm" — but they can't hand one over.

The hospital route (the fastest one)

If your parent is in hospital now, this is the best moment to ask. Every hospital has a discharge team — nurses, social workers and occupational therapists whose job is to get people home safely. Telecare is one of the standard things they can arrange, and when it's part of a discharge plan it's usually installed before or within days of getting home, often free for the first weeks under "reablement" support.

Say to the ward: "Can telecare, including a pendant alarm, be included in the discharge plan?"

The council route (if they're already home)

Call the council's adult social care team and read this out:

"I'd like to request a community alarm / telecare assessment for my parent."

They'll arrange a short assessment — a phone call or a visit. The alarm is often free if your parent gets Pension Credit or similar, or is coming out of hospital. Otherwise expect a charge of £3–£6 a week.

Find your parent's council to see what its scheme is called, or use the check to find the council from a postcode.

What a GP can do

A GP can't issue an alarm but can refer your parent to the council's adult social care or falls service, which speeds things up. If your parent has had falls, ask the GP about a falls clinic referral at the same time.

If you can't wait

Private alarms are set up in a day or two with no assessment, from about £24 a month. We compare the four main providers. Our advice: call the council first, and if the wait is weeks rather than days, buy privately on a no-contract plan so you can cancel when the council alarm arrives.