Careline
Careline is a personal emergency or community alarm service for your home, sometimes called a call or pendant alarm.
A speech alarm unit box is installed in your home and connected to a monitoring centre via a phone line.
A pendant is provided that you can wear around your neck or wrist. You may still be able to have an alarm event if you don’t have a phone line.
Who can use the service
Lots of people use a personal emergency alarm, including;
- older people
- people living with disabilities
- people with sensory needs
- people with serious medical conditions
- people who feel under threat
- people at risk from racial or domestic violence.
Lambeth Council no longer offers a personal alarm service unless it is provided to you as part of an assessed need for adult social care. You can find out if you are eligible on care and support for you.
If you are assessed as needing a Careline alarm, we will arrange for our Careline provider to set up your service
Lambeth’s Careline service is delivered by Southwark Council. You can contact them on 0207 525 2999.
What happens in an emergency
Should an emergency arise, you can simply press the button on your pendant or speaker box and our staff will talk to you to arrange assistance. The Careline monitoring centre is open 24 hours a day.
You'll know that by pushing the Careline button, help will be on its way from either:
- your 'key holders'
- an ambulance
- Careline staff
Alternative providers of community alarms (as of July 2025)
You may wish to consider purchasing a private Careline alarm service. The table below provides contact details of some suppliers of alarm monitoring services together with illustrative prices.
These providers can contact your nominated next of kin and / or friend if you press your alarm in an emergency or they can contact the London Ambulance Service, London Fire Brigade or Police depending on your emergency.
Please note that the Council does not vet this list of providers, and you will need to undertake your own checks on the quality of the service and prices. The TSA is the industry and advisory body for technology enabled care in the UK and you can check their website for providers who are certified with their quality assurance scheme.
https://www.tsa-voice.org.uk/find-tec-services/
Please note that prices may be subject to change. Additional charges may be made for installation of the monitoring unit, equipment and VAT. Also, there may be price changes arising from the switch over to digital technology.
| Provider | Telephone number / website | Monitoring service and pendant or wrist worn alarm | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Careline 365 | 0800 101 3333 | Digital wrist alarm without fall detector | From £16.99 per month |
| Digital wrist alarm with fall detector | From £19.99 per month | ||
| Careium | 0300 333 6511 www.careium.co.uk/compare-personal-alarms/in-home-personal-alarm/ | Digital wrist alarm without fall detector | £18 per month with pendant (£21.60 per month, including VAT) |
| Digital wrist alarm with fall detector | £21 per month with fall detector (£25.20 per month, including VAT) | ||
| LifeConnect 24 | 0800 258 2552 | Lifeline Personal Alarm | From £11.25 / month |
| Lifeline Fall Detector Personal Alarm | From £13.75 / month | ||
| Age Co (owned by Age UK) | 0800 023 4138 | Digital Personal alarm | Setup cost: £69.99 Subscription: £20.99 per month |
| Digital Fall alarm | Setup cost: £69.99 Subscription: £26.99 per month | ||
| Medequip Connect | 0800 190 1390 | Base unit and pendant or wrist strap call button | From £4.71 per week (excluding VAT) |
Taking Care Ltd | 0800 085 7371 https://taking.care/collections/find-the-best-personal-alarms | Personal Alarm | £25.19 (incl VAT) |
| Fall alarm | £32.39 (incl VAT) Set up cost £35.99 (incl VAT) | ||
| Telecare24 | 0800 180 8540 | Digital Pendant Alarm Plan | From £15 per month |
| Digital Fall Alarm Plan | From £19 per month |
Key safes
A key safe is a strong mechanical box that stores a spare key securely inside. The keys will only be accessible when using the correct combination code that will be generated at the time of installation.
You will need to get permission from your landlord to install a key safe and to inform your home insurance providers to ensure you remain covered by the insurance.
Key safes are arranged for people in receipt of Careline and people eligible for care and support. For example, home care services arranged by the council.