A vital lifeline used by approximately 1.8 million older adults, people with disabilities and those recovering from illness or injury in the UK, could soon find itself in jeopardy as many personal alarm systems are set to stop working as analogue landlines switch to digital telephone systems.

The person alarm systems, which can be worn as a pendant alarm or wrist band, allow users to call for help and assistance at any given time, such as when they’ve had a fall or suffered an injury.

Initially the alarm systems had been connected via a phone line, but as the nation moves to switch from traditional landlines to a digital solution , many alarm systems could stop working leaving vulnerable people without the safety net needed to live their lives independently.

The final deadline for the switchover is January 2027 and so far the majority of alarm systems have already made the migration, but not all systems have, meaning for a handful of people their analogue telecare systems may no longer be reliable.

Even more concerningly, Which? Recently discovered that older generations of devices are still available online and providers are not always making it clear that they will soon stop working, reports The Daily Mail.

Sue Davies, 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.”

Ms.Davies also went on to urge to government and regulators to take ‘decisive action’ to prevent the sale of the obsolete devices and to respond accordingly if companies continue to do so.

As part of an investigation into personal alarms, Which? looked at seven of the biggest tele care providers websites at the start of the month. Of these seven, they found three were still selling analogue devices.

When compared to their digital successors, these alarms are often much cheaper, raising further concerns that amid the cost of living crisis, consumers conscious about their finances may opt for the cheaper option without really appreciating the risks.

The most concerning store, was SureSafe, which was found to be selling three devices that require an analogue landline to function, yet none of the product listings mentioned anything about a digital transition or informed customers that the devices may not work properly in the not too distant future.

Since the investigation however, the company has since updated their website after being contacted by Which?, to now include clear mentions of ‘analogue only’ in the descriptions as well as removing them from the list of digital alarms.

Two further companies, Careline365 and LifeConnect24 were also found to be selling analogue devices, and accompanied the listings with reasonably clear explanations on their websites that their analogue alarms may not work or will soon stop working, but Which? felt that this was likely to confuse customers by sending mixed messages, as they continued to sell them at all.

LifeConnect24 did however come under fire for its choice of language, as it frames their digital alternatives as a “strongly recommended” upgrade, rather than a functional necessity, which could prove to have life-saving ramifications.

In 2023, two vulnerable people tragically died after their landline connections were switched off, which stopped their personal alarms from functioning.

This devastating situation prompted the government to initiate a charter requiring all providers to temporarily pause the migration from analogue to digital.

The other four companies investigated by Which?, Careium, Helpalert, Taking Care and Telecare24 – only sell digital alarms that are compatible with the UK's modernised digital network.

As part of the government’s Telecare National Action Plan, published in February this year, they wrote: “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.”

Although the switch to digital has been several years in the making, some members of the public could be forgiven for not realising what the switchover means for them. However, the same cannot be said for businesses, with experts arguing there is “no excuse” for businesses operating in the sector to be unaware.

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.

“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 spokesman 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.”

Meanwhile, a representative from 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.”