Compare personal alarm companies in the UK

Taking Care has been providing personal alarm services for more than 30 years. We've supported over ¼ million people and their families with monitored alarms.

We have invested in our service to ensure you and your family receive expert help to make you feel safe and confident at home.

More people choose Taking Care for their monitored alarm service than any other personal alarm company in the UK. You can see the reasons in the table below.* 

What to look for when comparing personal alarm companies

1. Accreditation and quality standards

• Look for accreditation from industry bodies like the Telecare Services Association (TSA), which ensures high-quality, reliable service.
• Check if the provider complies with the TSA's Quality Standards Framework (QSF) for the highest standards in telecare.
  
  

2. Monitoring and emergency support

• Ensure the provider has dedicated monitoring centres with their own trained staff to respond to emergency alarm calls promptly.
• Verify if staff have dementia-friendly training or experience supporting individuals with disabilities.
  
  

3. Installation and ease of setup

• Most digital personal alarms should be easy to set up. Ensure the alarms have clear user guides or voice-activated instructions and that customer support is available.
  
• If you need support, does the personal alarm provider offer a professional installation service, and how much does it cost?
  
  

4. Costs and contracts

• Confirm the total costs, including any hidden fees for cancellation or maintenance. If the equipment is rented, are repairs or replacements included free of charge?
• Check if the service has flexible contracts or requires long-term commitments.
• Look for discounts, such as savings for annual payments. Is there a money-back guarantee to try the service risk-free?
  
  

5. Features and additional services

• Compare features like fall detection, GPS tracking, and proactive wellbeing checks.
• Check if the service allows for upgrades as your needs may change over time. For example, can you add an additional pendant or upgrade to include fall detection?
  
  

6. Reliability and resilience

• Does the provider have multiple alarm monitoring centres to ensure uninterrupted service?
  
  

7. Endorsements and recommendations

• Verify if the provider is recommended by trusted organisations like Which? or local councils.
• Positive reviews on platforms like Trustpilot can indicate customer satisfaction and reliability. Do the reviews look genuine? If there is a negative review, how has the personal alarm company responded?

How our service works

We provide a variety of easy to use alarms to meet your needs. These alarms can help you live independently. Our products include in-home alarms with fall detection, personal alarm watches and GPS alarms. And if you have a problem, our Customer Services team is happy to help. 

Our personal alarms for the elderly are discreet, reliable, and there are no long-term contracts or hidden costs. When you press the alarm button, our 24/7 Emergency Resolution Team will quickly answer your call. They will coordinate an appropriate response from the emergency services or your nominated emergency contacts.

If you have shared your medical conditions with us, we will be able to advise the emergency services so you receive the best response. 

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

When choosing a personal alarm provider, consider these questions and criteria. The service could be life-saving so it is important you feel comfortable with the company you choose.

Is the alarm provider accredited by an industry body like the Telecare Services Association (TSA)?

The TSA is the industry and advisory body championing technology enabled care (TEC) across the UK. Members undergo a stringent annual audit by the TSA.

In addition, some TSA members will be certified to the TSA's Quality Standards Framework (QSF). This is the only UKAS accredited scheme for technology enabled care in the UK. It is made up of 10 key standards including user and care experience, business continuity and continuous improvement and innovation. Personal alarm providers that are QSF compliant deliver telecare services of the highest standard.

Taking Care is a long-standing member of the TSA and certified to QSF standards.

Does the personal alarm provider have their own alarm monitoring staff?

Not all personal alarm companies run their own alarm monitoring centre or have their own staff. Some providers outsource this responsibility. Taking Care operates three centres, ensuring reliability and resilience. We have a comprehensive training programme to ensure the team answer calls to the highest standard.

Are staff trained to assist people with dementia or disabilities?

Whilst you may expect this to be common practice, it is not a requirement across the industry. Taking Care's Emergency Resolution team undergo dementia training and coaching from our Dementia Champions and Advanced Safeguarding Team to ensure vulnerable customers receive the highest levels of care.

Is professional installation available from the personal alarm company, and if so, is there an additional cost?

Many digital alarms only require the base unit to be connected to a power supply to work. Most customers are able to do this themselves; however, some may prefer the reassurance of a professional installation service. Not many providers still offer this service, although it is available from Taking Care. The professional installer will bring the equipment with them, set it up and show you how it works. They will also fit your key safe if you have ordered one. 

Taking Care charge £99 (£118.80 including VAT) for the professional alarm installation service.

Are there hidden charges, such as cancellation fees or maintenance costs?

Some personal alarm companies charge a restocking fee when you cancel. If you are purchasing the equipment then the warranty may only cover repairs and faults for a limited period.

Taking Care's in-home alarms are rented and have a lifetime warranty and repair promise. If there is a fault or the battery needs replacing, we will do this free of charge. You can cancel any time without incurring a cancellation charge or restocking fee.

Is there a long-term contract with the personal alarm provider, or can I cancel anytime?

Look out for long-term contracts which are not refundable if you cancel part way through. Taking Care offers a flexible monthly subscription and an annual plan. You can cancel at any time, and if you’ve paid in advance, we’ll refund you for the unused portion of your annual plan. 

Are there any discounts for paying annually?

It is quite common for personal alarm companies to offer an annual discount, although this may only apply in the first year. Taking Care offer 1 month free every year, if you pay annually by Direct Debit.

Does the provider have multiple monitoring centres for reliability?

Not all personal alarm providers run their own alarm monitoring centres. If they do, it is common to have just one location. This makes the service more vulnerable to staff illness, hardware failures and outages as well as being affected by bad weather and other unforeseen emergencies. For this reason, Taking Care has invested in three monitoring centres in the UK. Taking Care have two in Devon and one in Chichester.

Do they provide proactive wellbeing checks or additional monitoring services?

Digital technology offers new opportunities to go beyond emergency alarm calls. Innovative services can enhance support and independence. Taking Care support the independence of older adults with new services like Active Alert and Taking Care Prevent. These services identify wellbeing and health issues before there is an emergency. We recognise that if we support customers to reduce frailty and remain active then they will remain healthy and independent for longer.

Is there an option to test the alarm service risk-free, such as a trial period or money-back guarantee?

Taking Care's personal alarms have a 30-day money back guarantee so you can try the service with confidence you can return it free of charge within 30 days and we will refund the full cost of your order.

Can the service be upgraded later to include more features?

The level of support you or a loved needs may change over time. Taking Care customers can upgrade their package to include fall detection, an additional pendant or Taking Care Sense, our home monitoring system with wellbeing checks.

Do trusted organisations like Which? endorse the personal alarm provider? Do local councils or health services recommend the company?

Taking Care are the first Which? approved personal alarm company in the UK. We also provide technology enabled care services to local authorities and councils, including East Devon District Council and Cheltenham Borough Council. 

What do customers say about the personal alarm company on review platforms like Trustpilot?

Reviews are great way of understanding what customers think of a company and how the company treats its customers. Read what real customers are saying on product review websites and check whether the personal alarm company replies to reviews.

Be aware that not all reviews are genuine however. Look for balanced feedback that includes downsides and negative comments. Extreme ratings such as all 5 star reviews may indicate bias or manipulation. Repetition or lots of similar reviews with vague or general comments, rather than specific interactions, are another sign of manipulating the overall service score. 

Taking Care read and respond to all reviews. Negative or critical reviews are investigated by our Customer Services team and used to improve our service. 

 

Recommendations for personal alarm providers

Fantastic service - highly recommend!

Purchased this for my dad and so far - Brilliant! Easy to set up, so reassuring to know he has it, even when he took it off and flung it on the bed, he got a call through it asking if he was okay!

Taking Care customer Trustpilot review
December 2024

Amazing service from Taking Care

We had an amazing service from Taking Care. Customer Service were great answering all our questions and the system really is easy to set up. There is a sense of calm in the family now

Taking Care customer Trustpilot review
December 2024

Excellent product and service

Very prompt delivery. Clear and concise instructions to install and set up. Welcoming voice on test call.

Taking Care customer Trustpilot review
December 2024

 

^{* Comparison based on information publicly available on 17/12/2024}