Personal alarms used by 1.8m older adults and disabled people could stop working as UK networks move from analogue to digital systems, experts have warned.
The devices are lifelines for older adults, people with disabilities and those recovering from illness or injury across the UK.
Network providers are switching landlines from analogue to digital by January 2027, which could leave many existing alarms unusable.
A growing majority of the UK has already moved over, meaning analogue telecare may no longer be reliable.
Researchers from Which? found older analogue devices are still being sold online, with some providers failing to make clear they will soon not work.
Sue Davies, head of consumer protection policy at Which?, 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 Which? review of seven telecare providers’ websites at the beginning of this month found three were selling analogue alarms.
These are often cheaper than digital models, raising concern that people may choose them on price without realising the risks.
SureSafe was selling three alarms requiring an analogue landline, without mentioning the digital switchover or possible failure.
After being contacted, the firm updated its website, adding advice that the devices are analogue only and removing them from its digital listings.
Careline365 and LifeConnect24 warn on their websites that analogue alarms may not work or will soon stop working, but Which? argued their decision to keep selling them sends mixed messages.
LifeConnect24 describes digital devices as a “strongly recommended” upgrade, but experts said this language does not reflect the potentially life-saving need to switch.
In 2023, two vulnerable people died when their personal alarms failed after their landlines were switched off.
This led the government to introduce a charter requiring providers to temporarily pause the migration.
The government’s Telecare National Action Plan, published in February, stated: “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.”
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.”