Community Alarms Postcode Lottery
Scottish Conservative Lothian MSP Miles Briggs has raised concerns over a postcode lottery in the cost of Community Alarms across Scotland.
A Community Alarm is a personal alarm or monitor that is designed to keep an elderly person safe in their own home. If the alarm is triggered the Telecare team contact you or your family and friends to make sure you are safe and take any action that is needed to help you.
A Community Alarm could cost you substantially more depending on what local authority you live in Scotland.
The cost of a Community Alarm if you live in Edinburgh is over £300 a year compared to Aberdeen, where an alarm would cost you just over £70 a year.
Lothian MSP Miles Briggs has argued that people in the most deprived communities will be priced out of using these alarms due to the cost, leading to health inequalities for the elderly.
Miles Briggs, Scottish Conservative Lothian MSP, said: “It is clear that there is a significant disparity in the cost of providing community alarms across local authorities in Scotland.
“This postcode lottery means that you could be paying almost four and a half times more for a community alarm if you live in Edinburgh, compared to if you live in Aberdeen.
“Community alarms are designed to protect vulnerable people in society and higher costs will lead to health inequalities, with people in the most deprived communities being priced out of getting an alarm.”
Highest
Highland – £6 a week (£312 a year)
Edinburgh – £5.80 a week (£301.60 a year)
Argyle and Bute – £5.30 a week (£275.60 a year)
Lowest
Moray Council – £1.44 a week (£74.88 a year)
Aberdeen City Council – £1.35 a week (£70.20 a year)
Shetland Islands – £1.30 a week (£67.60)
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