The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has published new guidance for housing providers on protecting telecare users as analogue phone lines are switched off. Published on 8 October 2026, it is a clear call for organisations to accelerate their migration programmes before the PSTN switch-off on 31 January 2027.
The message is no longer about whether to go digital. It is about making sure every resident who depends on telecare stays protected when the analogue network is switched off.
Significant Work Still Remains
DHSC-commissioned research with a sample of alarm receiving centres (ARCs) found that around three-quarters of grouped living scheme telecare alarms are still analogue, as are around one-third of personal alarms. The guidance is direct: many housing providers still have significant work to do.
For housing providers, local authorities and care organisations, the hard part is often not choosing a digital solution. It is delivering upgrades across many schemes while keeping services running, coordinating communication providers, ARCs and contractors, and keeping residents informed.
Key Priorities for Housing Providers
The guidance sets out practical steps to take now, including:
- Identifying all telecare equipment and connected systems, such as door entry, fire alarms, pendants and sensors
- Sharing telecare line details with communication providers and understanding their migration timelines
- Upgrading to a reliable digital solution, with enough time to test it alongside connected systems
- Monitoring call failure rates and testing equipment regularly, ideally with ARCs
- Planning for how power cuts could affect telecare
- Involving residents in designing solutions and keeping them informed
It also makes clear that interim fixes, such as analogue-to-digital converters, are not long-term solutions.
One of the most practical themes in the guidance is interoperability. ARCs must be able to receive digital alarm signals using protocols such as NOWIP and TS 50134-9. The guidance points to the TSA’s interoperability matrix as a starting point, while advising providers to verify their own set-up.
Interoperability is Where Projects Stall
The guidance also gives real examples of what goes wrong. Some providers have had “very significant difficulties getting converters to work” with their equipment, ARC and network. The Hyde Group found that getting some digitally capable alarms to communicate with its new ARC took significantly longer than expected.
Everon’s digital telecare platform is built to remove this friction. It is designed to integrate with all major ARC platforms used across the UK so organisations can upgrade without changing their preferred monitoring partner. Wireless deployment and fast installation help providers move scheme by scheme in phased programmes, without major building works or long disruption for residents.
Looking Beyond the Switchover
Keeping residents safe through the transition comes first. But the guidance also describes the switchover as “an opportunity for providers to explore new preventative and predictive technology-enabled care”, highlighting real-time monitoring, behavioural analytics and integration with fire safety, door entry and housing management systems.
The digital foundations put in place now will shape how care is delivered for years to come. Everon helps organisations meet the immediate migration deadline while building towards more proactive, data-driven services.
Is Your Organisation Ready?
With less than four months until the switch-off, one question matters most:
Are you confident that every resident who relies on telecare will remain protected after 31 January 2027?
Whether you are planning upgrades, finishing your final migration phases or still evaluating digital telecare solutions, our team can help you plan a safe, on-time transition.
Contact us at info.uk@everon.net or +44 (0)1233 557 000 to discuss your migration plans and how we can help deliver a smooth transition to digital telecare ahead of the January 2027 switch-off.
Further Reading
Telecare and the Digital Switchover: Guidance for Housing Providers (DHSC, GOV.UK)
