Press release

Lives potentially at risk as firms sell personal alarms that won’t work due to digital switchover, Which? reveals

Which? is warning that three major personal alarm providers are potentially putting lives at risk by selling devices that will not work for many people due to the UK’s transition from analogue landlines to digital telephone systems
6 min read
Press Team

Personal alarms are a lifeline for vulnerable people including older adults, people with disabilities and those recovering from illness or injury. An estimated 1.8 million households in the UK use a personal alarm of some kind. In a crisis, they enable users to reach their loved ones and emergency services.

Last year the previous government initiated a charter requiring all providers to pause non-voluntary migrations following the deaths of two vulnerable people whose personal alarms failed when their landlines were switched off.

The final deadline for the switch to digital is January 2027, but a growing majority of the UK has already made the transition - meaning analogue telecare systems will no longer reliably work. Despite this, Which? researchers found that older generations of devices are still available online and providers are not always making sufficiently clear that they may not work.

The consumer champion looked at the websites of seven telecare device providers at the beginning of August and found three were selling analogue devices. These alarms are generally cheaper than the digital alternatives, raising concerns that consumers may be tempted to choose them based on price without fully appreciating the risks.

Most concerning was SureSafe, which was selling three devices requiring an analogue landline. The product listings made no mention of the digital transition or the risk that the devices may not work properly. SureSafe has since updated their website after being contacted by Which?, adding advice that the three devices are analogue only and removing them from its list of digital alarms. 

Careline365 and LifeConnect24 offer reasonably clear explanations on their websites that their analogue alarms may not work or will soon stop working, but Which? believes that they are sending mixed signals by continuing to sell these products at all. 

LifeConnect24 frames their digital alternatives as a ‘strongly recommended’ upgrade, but  Which? believes the language of ‘upgrades’ is at best problematic since it fails to convey the potentially life-saving need for switching to digital alarms. 

In accordance with the consumer rights act 2015, all products on sale including analogue alarms must be 'fit for particular purpose' and of ‘satisfactory quality', which takes into account factors such as durability and essential purpose. But with a clear deadline for the digital switchover, Which? believes these three providers could be putting lives at risk if they don’t work as anticipated.

The other providers Which? looked at - Careium, Helpalert, Taking Care and Telecare24 - only sell digital alarms that are compatible with the UK’s modernised digital network. 

The government shares Which?’s view on the sale of analogue products. In the Telecare National Action Plan published in February this year, the government said: “For analogue telecare devices to be phased out, the sale and purchasing of analogue devices needs to be stopped. Companies that supply telecare equipment, known as ‘telecare suppliers’, should no longer be manufacturing analogue equipment and the government expects sellers to have stopped selling them.”

The digital switch-over has been planned and publicised for years by network operators and communications providers alongside Ofcom and the UK government. While some consumers may still be unaware of the change, there is no such excuse for businesses operating in the sector.

Given that the switch-over deadline was originally scheduled for 2025, Which? believes there is no justification to still be selling analogue-only products. 

Which? believes strong enforcement from regulators and the government is urgently needed to put a stop to further sales. The Government, Trading Standards and the Office for Product Safety and Standards must ensure these products are removed from sale and that action is taken against companies that continue to sell them. 

Sue Davies, Which? Head of Consumer Protection Policy, said:

“The deadline for the switch-over is fast approaching, and the vast majority of the UK has been migrated to digital networks. It is shocking that certain telecare providers continue to sell analogue products when they could be putting lives at risk. 

“Which? has informed these sellers that their products should be removed from sale immediately. The government and regulators, including Trading Standards and the Office for Product Safety and Standards, must take decisive action to prevent the sale of these devices and act if companies continue to do so.

Stephen Kinnock, Minister at the Department of Health and Social Care, said:

“People rely on their telecare devices to keep them safe and connected to help when they need it most - the safety of users is vital.

“As part of our 10 Year Health Plan we will bring health and care into the 21st century with a fundamental shift from analogue to digital. We are working with industry to deliver the digital switchover for telecare devices, ensuring people are protected – and last year we wrote to suppliers urging them to put an end to the sale of analogue-only devices.

“We welcome Which?’s campaign - which will have a positive impact and support people to make an informed choice when it comes to their telecare device, encouraging them to buy devices that will be safer and more reliable in future.”

A spokesperson for Careline365 and LifeConnect24 said:

"We have been preparing for the digital switchover for many years, and as a result, the vast majority of products we sell are digital devices.

"However, there remains a small minority of vulnerable consumers for whom an analogue device may be the only way to ensure their safety and that they remain protected during the transition to digital."

A spokesperson for SureSafe said:

“SureSafe has been a mobile-first alarm provider since 2015, with 99% of all alarms sold being SIM-based and fully digital-ready. We shifted to mobile both to support the digital switchover and because mobile offers features unavailable with in-home devices. 

“The remaining need for analogue devices is very limited, only where no mobile signal or internet exists and an analogue line remains. We welcome Which’s efforts to highlight the switchover’s importance and have refined our messaging in response to make this clearer for our customers using analogue as their only option.”

-ENDS-

Notes to Editors

Under the Consumer Rights Act (2015) it is a statutory requirement (amongst others) that goods be 'fit for particular purpose and of ‘satisfactory quality’. Consequently, in circumstances where these devices will lose their core functionality due to the upcoming digital switchover, factors such as the durability and essential purpose of the devices must be kept in mind.

Which? researchers checked provider sites on August 6 2025

Careline365’s supplies one device that requires an analogue landline. The product listing page said ‘‘Please be aware that this alarm requires a traditional landline and is not compatible with the landline to digital switchover, rolling out across the UK. We strongly recommend the purchase of a digital alarm to ensure your service works as expected and your ongoing peace of mind.’

LifeConnect24’s supplies two devices that require an analogue landline. One product listing page said  ‘Please note that this alarm relies on a traditional landline and is not compatible with the UK’s landline digital switchover, which is currently being rolled out. To ensure your service continues to work reliably, we strongly recommend upgrading to a digital alarm.’ The other said  ‘For your peace of mind, be aware that an analogue alarm may not function as intended in homes with an internet connection, or that have been upgraded as part of the nationwide analogue-to-digital landline switchover. We strongly recommend the purchase of a digital alarm if you are unsure.’

Suresafe supplies three devices that require an analogue landline. None of the product listings on SureSafe’s site mention the digital transition or that they only work using analogue landlines

Out of seven telecare companies investigated by Which?, four providers were found not to be selling analogue products - Careium, Helpalert, Taking Care and Telecare24. 

About Which?

Which? is the UK’s consumer champion, here to make life simpler, fairer and safer for everyone. Our research gets to the heart of consumer issues, our advice is impartial, and our rigorous product tests lead to expert recommendations. We’re the independent consumer voice that influences politicians and lawmakers, investigates, holds businesses to account and makes change happen. As an organisation we’re not for profit and all for making consumers more powerful.