Skip to content

Hertfordshire
search button
    
Menu toggle

Get a community alarm

With work and children, it's sometimes hard to be there for the family when they need you. A community alarm offers peace of mind and independence for those in your care.

 

Helping you stay more independent in your own home with a community alarm.

You’ll be in touch with reliable help at all times throughout the day and night – via a pendant button, just in case you fall or become unwell.

Order a community alarm

Or request an application pack to be sent in the post.

If you need help completing your paperwork, ask us for our free of charge form filling assistance service.

COVID-19 will not stop us providing our service to you

If the service user is healthy:         

  • We will visit their home to install their equipment.

If they are self-isolating, shielding or suffering from COVID-19:         

  • We will provide pre-programmed equipment to their doorstep.         
  • We will telephone them (or a family member) to give step-by-step instructions on how to plug in the equipment and make a test call to our Control Room.         
  • We will make an appointment when they have recovered to install any complex equipment which needs our engineers’ expertise.

For every person our engineer visits, they will  be wearing PPE, will use sanitising wipes on surfaces and adhere to social distancing regulations.

How does the service work?

When you press your pendant, you’ll speak to a highly experienced call operator 24/7 who will make sure you get the help you need. We can alert a family member or friend to reassure you, or we'll call the emergency services if required. All from our Hertfordshire based Control Room.

When you join, you’ll be asked to provide the contact details of friends, family members or neighbours to act as Volunteer Responders - who you’d like us to call for reassurance or help if there's an issue.

If these contacts aren't available, or you do not have someone who can be a responder for you, this is no problem - our mobile Response Service will send a highly trained professional to help you at no extra charge.

We'll always call the emergency services if there is an emergency.

 

Who can benefit from a community alarm?

Our care alarm systems make a big difference to the independence, safety and wellbeing of people of all ages and circumstances across Hertfordshire.

You can have a community alarm if you:    

  • are an older or vulnerable person
  • are at risk
  • are an adult with long term health needs
  • live alone
  • are returning home from hospital
  • are prone to falls
  • have a disability or restricted mobility
  • are an unpaid carer and would like support when you can't be at home
  • have any other reason to benefit from 24/7 peace of mind that we can bring.
Order a community alarm

Price

Our price includes:

  • 24/7 monitoring and response to all calls from the equipment
  • Response Service 
  • Key safe
  • Home maintenance service
  • Free Medical Alert card
  • Free Keyfinder fob
  • No upfront equipment costs, installation fees, long term contracts nor means testing.

New customers simply pay a monthly service charge:

 

Product typeMonthly price (excl. VAT) Monthly price (inc VAT)

Digital community alarm / telecare

£20.00

£24.00

NEW! Home and Away Service

Please call for details

Please call for details

Discounts for Carers 

 

Product typeMonthly price (excl. VAT)  Monthly price (inc VAT)

Carer discount – 5% 
Digital community alarm / telecare

£19.00

£22.80

Additional items

 

Product typePrice per item (only if req.)  Price (inc VAT)

Mains power extension

£6.50

£7.80

Key safe C500

£26.00

£31.20

Call charges

Digital alarm units have an integrated SIM card which means the monthly cost you pay includes the calls made from the alarm unit when you press your pendant to summon our emergency Control Room assistance.

If your alarm unit is connected to a landline telephone, we have no control over the rates charged by individual telecom providers. The 0300 number we use when your pendant or device is activated is a special number for charities, not for profit organisations and local government. It should be charged by the telecoms supplier at the same national rate as 01 and 02 numbers and should be included within inclusive minutes. This link to Ofcom explains further details on this. We do not use premium rate numbers.

 

The digital community alarm units are ready for the Digital Switchover which is when telephone providers stop using the analogue systems by 2025. 

Digital alarm units have an integrated SIM card which means the monthly cost you pay includes the calls made from the alarm unit when you press your pendant to summon our emergency Control Room assistance.

 

Installation

When you sign up for a home alarm, one of engineers will install the equipment for you. They'll call you to arrange a convenient time once your application is processed.

We aim to have your emergency home alarm set up within 14 working days but this is often sooner, especially in certain situations.

In some emergency cases (such as being discharged from hospital), we can install your home alarm within a couple of working days.

 

How to use your alarm

You’ll get a lightweight, waterproof pendant alarm to wear around your neck or on a wrist strap.

You simply push the emergency alarm pendant button to raise an alert. This lets you speak to a friendly operator who will get you the help you need, day and night.

Key safes

We recommend you get a key safe when you sign up for our lifeline alarm system.

We can supply and install this secure metal box to the outside of your home for free, which will contain an additional front door key to your property. If you've already got one, we'll use that.

The emergency services can get the key using a confidential code, which we will issue if you require their assistance, to gain access to your property, if needed.

There are two types of key safe that can be fitted

  1. The Supra S5 Permanent Key safe which is completely funded by Hertfordshire County Council.
  2. The Supra C500 Key safe which is partially funded by Hertfordshire County Council. There is an additional charge to the user of £26.00 + VAT if applicable if they require this key safe.

Landlords, housing associations and insurance companies are usually happy to grant permission to have a key safe fitted as long as you ask them first. We can send you a 'template to ask permission' just email carelinesupport@north-herts.gov.uk

If you need help with your key safe, see our Key safe instruction card

Please note we can only attach a key safe to brickwork or concrete (not rendering or pebbledash) 

Medical Alert Card & Keyfinder Fob

These are included at no extra cost and arrive in the post soon after your equipment is installed. The Medical Alert Card can be placed in your wallet or purse and if a medical professional sees it if you're taken unwell outside your home, they can ask us for details about you if you're unable to tell them. The Keyfinder Fob for your keyring offers a reliable way of retrieving your keys if you lose them.

Do you already have a community alarm?

Get help using your alarmCancel your alarm service

Refer a friend

If you would like to refer a friend to us, you will receive a £10 M&S voucher once they sign up to our service. Simply email CarelineSupport@north-herts.gov.uk or call 0300 999 2 999 to pass on their details (with their permission) T&Cs apply.

New pendant

Your service agreement, privacy policy and service / welcome pack

Service Agreement - 2021

Privacy Policy & Charge Schedule 2021/22

Service / Welcome Pack