Frequently asked questions

The cost for rental of our packages starts from £17 per month with a one-off admin fee of £49.99 (or £59.99 if it includes the activity sensor).
Our digital alarms work without a phoneline, have a faster connection speed and calls are free. It also means they are future-proofed for 2025 when BT is replacing all analogue telephone lines with digital lines. The equipment uses a roaming SIM card, similar to a mobile phone, it finds the strongest mobile phone signal in your area to send alerts to Careium. Read more about analogue to digital.
In certain areas we can offer an engineer installation for £100. Contact us for more details.
Your monthly fee covers the rental and monitoring of your equipment. The service gives you 24 hour access, 365 days-a-year to our contact centre team.
The cost is the same whether you pay monthly, half yearly or yearly. We do not charge APR or a premium for paying monthly.
Most of our customers do not have to pay VAT. If you are chronically sick or disabled simply complete the VAT exemption form that we supply.
Installing the digital equipment yourself is quick and easy with no mess and no fuss. It can be located virtually anywhere in your home.
This will include all information you provide when you sign-up to the service such as any existing health conditions, the name and contact details for your GP and details of your nominated key holders and next of kin. We are compliant with all GDPR principles and ISO 27001 for information security management systems.
The service can be cancelled with one month’s notice, during which the equipment must be returned to us. If you’d like to cancel your service, please give us a call on 0300 333 6511.
All our equipment has digital SIM cards so there are no call charges for calls made through the alarm units.
Yes. Existing private customers will receive a £20 M&S gift card for every new customer they recommend to the service and the new customer will also get a £20 M&S gift card.
By pressing the button on the base unit or by pressing the button on your pendant or wrist band.
When you press the button, it places a telephone call through to our contact centre and alerts the team to provide assistance, even if we cannot hear you. When the operator accepts your call their computer will display your details including name, address, doctor, keyholder and next of kin information, as well as any relevant medical information. Our operator will talk to you via the loudspeaker and microphone in the base unit to establish what has happened and agree the best course of action. If appropriate they will stay on the line with you until help arrives. If the emergency service (police, fire or ambulance) is called, your next of kin will be informed unless you request otherwise. No call will be cancelled until the operator is sure the call has been dealt with appropriately.
Don’t worry, if we have received a call and do not get a response, we will telephone you back immediately. If you do not respond to that call, our operator will have all the information they need in order to send help and will ask one of your nominated key holders to visit you and check you are safe and well. If you have no local contacts the operator will call the emergency services. We will never cancel a call until our operator is sure it has been dealt with appropriately.
Yes. We can tailor our processes in our monitoring for deaf people. Contact us for more details.
If you are moving home, we need you to tell us your new address, telephone numbers and any change to key holders/GP so we can transfer your service to your new address. Please call 0300 333 6511 with details. When you move, simply take the unit with you, install it and make a test call. Alternatively in certain areas we can arrange for an engineer to visit you for £100 (+vat).
No. The pendant simply activates the base unit, and the microphone in the base unit will allow you to communicate with our contact centre.
You can if you wish although we generally recommend you place your pendant on your bedside table to avoid any discomfort or accidental activation. If you do choose to keep your pendant next to the bed when you’re sleeping remember to take it with you should you need to get up in the night.
The pendant is waterproof and can be worn in the shower, but it is recommended that you take it off when you have a bath and keep in nearby.
If you find you’ve lost your pendant you can still call for help from the button on the base unit and a replacement can be supplied at an additional cost. If you find your original pendant within six weeks of ordering a replacement, just return the new one to us and we will refund the cost.
Don’t worry if you accidentally push your pendant, just let the team know when they answer your call through your base unit.
The battery in your pendant is designed to provide a typical operating life, in normal usage, of around 5 years. Your pendant is designed to identify when its battery is running down and raise an alert to notify us of this fact. These alerts are sent automatically and notify us that the battery is running low in your pendant. This will usually be between 30- & 90-days life but could be more or less depending upon conditions. We continuously monitor these alerts and will contact you to arrange the free replacement of the batteries in your pendant at your convenience.
Yes you can, and this option is particularly useful if your partner or another family member living in the same property would benefit from the service. You can have two pendants linked to each base unit, enabling two people at the same address to be covered. There is an additional monthly charge of 99p for each additional pendant.
The pendant does not interfere with a pacemaker because it operates on a separate frequency.
The pendant has a typical range of 50 metres from the base unit and should still be worn outside the house in the garden.
If the user has a fall (anywhere in home or garden up to 50m from the base unit), the alarm will wait 20 seconds to see if the person stands up, if they do, it cancels the alert to avoid false alarms. The user can also cancel the alarm in this time. If alarm is not cancelled then the alert comes through to our contact centre.
The fall alarm detects hard or high impact falls. When a person gradually falls to the floor, like sliding off a chair, an alert might not be automatically raised. IMPORTANT: If the fall is not automatically detected, the user can always press the button on the alarm to manually raise the alarm.
An alert places a telephone call through to our contact centre and alerts the team to provide assistance, even if we cannot hear you. When the operator accepts your call their computer will display your details including name, address, doctor, keyholder and next of kin information, as well as any relevant medical information. Our operator will talk to you via the loudspeaker and microphone in the base unit to establish what has happened and agree the best course of action. If appropriate they will stay on the line with you until help arrives. If the emergency service (police, fire or ambulance) is called, your next of kin will be informed unless you request otherwise. No call will be cancelled until the operator is sure the call has been dealt with appropriately.
Don’t worry, if we have received an alert and do not get a response, we will telephone you back immediately. If you do not respond to that call, our operator will have all the information they need in order to send help and will ask one of your nominated key holders to visit you and check you are safe and well. If you have no local contacts the operator will call the emergency services. We will never cancel a call until our operator is sure it has been dealt with appropriately.
It is for anyone who is concerned about their safety whilst out and about. It is also suitable for people living with dementia and provides peace of mind to relatives.
It's common for a person living with dementia to wander or become lost or confused about their location, this can be distressing for the person and their family. GPS trackers can monitor the user’s location and movements, giving friends and family peace of mind they will know where they are and Careium can respond as needed.
The device has GPS tracking and geofencing, fall detection, two-way speech and an SOS button for emergencies. It’s similar in size to a keyring and can be worn around the neck, on a belt, on a keychain, or in a pocket or handbag.
This is a safety zone - if the user leaves the predetermined safety zone, e.g. within a certain distance of their home, an automatic alarm will be sent to our contact centre.
The out-and-about personal alarm is easy to set up with our helpful step-by-step guide which can walk you through the entire process. If you run into problems with the setup, call our friendly staff on 0300 333 6511 to walk you through it.
The sensor works out users’ normal daily habits/activity e.g when make a cup of tea, dinner etc, by monitoring the atmosphere’s temperature and humidity.
No, there are no cameras or microphones to protect users’ privacy
No, it is very easy to install. All you need to do is pull the clear plastic tab completely away from the back of the unit. This will now activate the device - it’s that simple! Then place it in your kitchen (on a shelf or worktop), away from direct sunlight.
Careium will get an alert and call the user or send around a relative to check they are OK.
If there is a change to normal patterns of behaviour or the temperature goes very cold (below 14C) or very hot (over 28C) for a 12-hour period.
Both give peace of mind and security. With a pendant you need to wear it (recommended all the time) and can immediately press the button if you need help – reactive response. DORIS care just needs to be put in the kitchen and you do not need to do anything – proactive response. Pressing a pendant will immediately connect you to Careium, DORIS alerts will only be activated after a period of not normal activity but it can detect things a pendant can’t e.g didn’t make dinner last night, being at risk of damp/mould.
It’s an unobtrusive way of Careium being alerted if there’s a change in your normal daily living activities that could indicate a problem in the home e.g not making breakfast as normal, cold room leading to mould. The sensor can be especially helpful if the family can’t pop in and check on the relative every day.
No, just AA batteries (that last 3+ years).
Careium will get an alert and send a replacement sensor in post.
Let us know so we can make a note on our system.
Yes, all data is stored safety and securely and adheres to GDPR principles.
Data-orientated responsive intervention system.
A Key safe is a small box that can be fitted to your property and is designed to securely store a spare set of house keys for use in the event of an emergency. Key safes are secured with a unique combination code and could be fitted to a garage, a porch or another location out of clear view. If the emergency services need to access your property, our team can provide your personal key safe code to those attending so they can access your home safely without delay or any damage being caused by forced entry.
The C500 Key Safe is the first and only key safe in the UK to have police approval. To provide added reassurance it also has a security rating making it as a strong as a domestic front door.
In order to change your key safe code, you will need to know the original code. Without the original code you will not be able to access your key safe to change your code.
Yes. The cost of the C500 KeySafe (insurance approved) is £65. Call us to purchase.
You should have at least 2 key holders who live within 20 minutes of your home. We recognise that there may be circumstances where your key holders are unable to attend promptly and we would recommend that you also consider having a key safe installed to facilitate timely access by the emergency services. Installing a key safe means that you do not have to provide copies of your keys to all key holders.
A key holder should be someone you trust to hold the keys to your home and should be able and willing to attend your home on a request from Careium. We will only make such a request in the event of our receiving an alarm call where we have been unable to speak with you or where you are asking for assistance. The circumstances in which you may need assistance and the attendance of a key holder can arise at any time of day. A key holder is normally a family member, friend or carer and should ideally live within 20 minutes of your home.
Keyholders are suggested so that we can contact them should you require assistance and they are able to gain access to your property. However, if you do not have a friend or relative living nearby then we recommend that you have a key safe installed.
Contact us on 0300 333 6511 to let us know the details you wish to change.
The equipment is simple to set up. We provide a step by step guide that shows you everything you need to know to self-install. Downloads of the guides are available on the alarm pages.
If you are not satisfied with your purchase, you have 21 days to return the product with the original packaging and all contents. Refunds will be given for all service fees paid using the card details that were initially used to make the payment. No refund will be given for the set-up fee. We will process the refund within 5 working days, however the length of time it takes for the funds to appear in your account will depend on your payment provider. If you have any queries please contact our finance department at [email protected]
Mastercard and VISA.
Most of our customers do not have to pay VAT. If you are chronically sick or disabled simply complete the VAT exemption form that we supply.
Yes, we use industry standard SSL encryption to protect your details. Potentially sensitive information such as your name, address and card details are encoded so they can only be read on the secure server. This information is authenticated to ensure it only gets sent to this secure server and is checked to make sure it has not been tampered with during transfer. Security checks are also made on all transactions, to ensure the authenticity of each card payment.
We offer free delivery for all online orders throughout the United Kingdom. Delivery is normally within 2-3 business days.
If you place an online order after 4pm (Monday to Friday) it will be shipped the next business day.
We do not dispatch online orders on Saturday, Sunday or any public Bank Holidays. Orders will be shipped the next business day.
Please note that images are for display purposes only and you may receive a make or model that differs from that shown. Some of our units also come in two colours: white and graphite. Unfortunately due to stock control, we cannot guarantee you will receive a particular colour.
The battery in your pendant is designed to provide a typical operating life, in normal usage, of around 5 years. Your pendant is designed to identify when its battery is running down and raise an alert to notify us of this fact. These alerts are sent automatically and notify us that you have around 30 days of battery life remaining. We monitor these alerts and will contact you to arrange for free replacement of your pendant.
Other household equipment should not interfere with the functionality of the unit and pendant. If you are in any doubt please call us on 0300 333 6511.
No. You will be able to make and receive calls and use the wifi as normal.
Your unit is designed to be in operation 24 hours-a-day. It needs to be switched on to provide you with the reassurance and protection of being able to place a call in the event of need, please do not turn it off.
The base unit and the other equipment designed to work with it (pendant, fall detector, smoke detector) are designed to be reliable in continuous use. However, if for any reason a fault should develop with the equipment, we will arrange to repair the fault or replace the equipment. Should you experience a fault with your equipment, please contact us, either through pressing your pendant or by calling 0300 333 6511. When you report a fault, we will take the details and will undertake remote diagnosis; this may require us to call you back at a mutually convenient time. Where a fault can be remotely rectified with your assistance and by following instructions from our staff, we will seek to resolve the fault in this manner. We classify faults as either critical or non-critical. A non-critical fault is one that does not prevent the equipment from successfully detecting and signalling an alarm condition to us.
Yes, all our units have a lithium back up battery pack inside. The in-home alarm will continue to work for up to 168 hours (with a new & fully charged battery pack), dependant on usage. The out and about GPS tracker needs to be charged via the charger and the activity sensor runs on batteries.
No, the unit needs to remain in the same place as it was installed, please do not move it.
The base unit does not need to be moved, it has a range of 50m.
We welcome feedback from our customers and would love to hear from you. Get in touch, details on our 'Contact Us' page or give us a call on 0300 333 6511.