Pensioners may be charged hundreds due to digital landline switchover

Pensioners living in retirement homes could be charged hundreds of pounds in additional charges to fund new alarm systems due to the digital landline switchover, it has been warned today.

Industry body the Retirement Housing Group, which represents operators of retirement housing in the UK, says its members face bills running into the tens of thousands of pounds to replace aging personal health and security alarms.

It says older systems designed to call for help in the case of an emergency that are linked to traditional copper landlines may not be compatible with the newer internet-based services.

This comes amid widespread concern over the safety of the switchover programme, scheduled to be completed by the end of next year, after it was revealed vulnerable customers were left disconnected in the case of power and internet outages.

The body is now calling on the government to ensure the costs of replacing alarm systems are not passed on to retirement home residents – a prospect campaigners have called ‘outrageous’.

Industry body the Retirement Housing Group, which represents operators of retirement housing in the UK, says its members face bills running into the tens of thousands of pounds

This is when the change from the old copper network to a new broadband-based connection was scheduled to take place across the UK

Richard Morton, Chair of the RHG, said: ‘We are concerned that elderly people living in retirement housing are being asked to meet these substantial costs for replacing otherwise perfectly serviceable telecare equipment, and which will save BT substantial sums on top of their record profits of £1bn last year.

‘It is not acceptable and fair that they can impose these cost on our residents for whom there is very little if any, benefit.

‘We have asked Ministers and BT for urgent clarification as to whether or not residents in retirement housing will be compelled to pay this cost by the end of 2025 and if they will look again at a fairer means of cost sharing.’

It is understood that as well as personal alarms, retirement home providers are also facing replacing smoke detectors and fire alarms, as well as installing new backup energy sources such as generators so that equipment remains functional if power fails.

Telecoms giants including BT, Virgin and O2 previously paused all mandatory migrations from copper to digital landline phones after technology secretary Michelle Donelan met with providers following a number of ‘serious incidents’ of vulnerable people being unable to access urgent help.

Digital landlines, which operate over the internet, typically fail if there is a power cut or internet outage – unlike traditional landlines, which continue to function for some time during a power cut.

Firms have stressed they are putting in place contingency measures to protect older and vulnerable customers, including hybrid phones and backup battery handsets.

But MailOnline revealed last month it would take months for companies to agree on a definition of a ‘vulnerable’ customer with government.

And with the rollout of digital phonelines paused for months, telecoms bosses are still sticking to the official timeline of having every UK household transitioned to digital by the end of 2025 – although MailOnline understands this timeline is set to change.

Head of Silver Voices, an organisation that represents senior citizens of the UK, Dennis Reed said the prospect of costs being passed on to residents is ‘outrageous’

It is understood the rollout of digital phone lines could be delayed by up to two years after fears emerged the transition is putting the elderly and vulnerable at risk

It is now thought the rollout could be delayed by up to two years following campaigns by the Digital Poverty Alliance and Silver Voices.

Dennis Reed, director of Silver Voices which represents older people in the UK, said the news of additional costs being passed onto customers is ‘outrageous’.

He told MailOnline: ‘It would be outrageous if residents of sheltered housing are asked to cough up hundreds of pounds to upgrade their safety equipment to suit the commercial interests of the telecom giants.

‘This is a very practical example of how this switchover has not been thought through and why the deadline must be shifted from 2025. Either the Government or the telecom companies must pay for the extra costs incurred’.

Telecoms giants usually provide testing facilities for devices linked to the new landline systems, such as BT’s centre which has been in operation since the transition was announced in 2018.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: ‘In 2018, leading communication providers announced their intention to switch all existing telephone lines from analogue to digital by the end of 2025. This is an industry-led initiative.

‘We have made it clear to the main communications providers the importance of ensuring the safety and security of vulnerable customers, including telecare users, throughout the migration.

‘The safety of all vulnerable customers, including elderly people living in retirement housing is our priority, and we will continue to ensure that the correct communications are in place for all.’

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