Carelink services to continue as closure plans developed

Carelink customers across the High Peak have been reassured that their services will continue as usual whilst plans are put in place for the closure of the service.

High Peak Borough Council has made the difficult decision to work towards closing this discretionary service by the end of September due to long-standing issues with maintaining safe staffing levels.

Carelink is an alarm system which enables elderly, vulnerable and disabled people to live independently by allowing them to call a contact centre and seek help from a trained member of staff 24 hours a day from anywhere in their home or garden.

The Council is very mindful of the impact this decision will have on Carelink customers and staff and is now consulting staff and will be contacting all customers to discuss their individual needs and future requirements.

Executive Councillor for Housing, Fiona Sloman, said: "We know that this news is likely to be unsettling for the people who use Carelink and I want to assure them that the services they currently receive will continue as normal for the time being.

"This has been a very difficult decision to take. We haven't done so lightly and have made every effort to keep the service going despite the issues with staffing levels but safety has to be our priority. We fully understand the impact this will have for our customers and our staff and are now starting conversations with them as we plan for the closure in a managed way. We will be supporting all those affected during this process.

"As part of those discussions we'll be providing information about other providers of telecare services and helping our customers to arrange alternative support if they need it.

"We don't want anyone to worry about the decision we've made. We will be speaking to all our customers personally over the coming weeks and I would encourage people to share their concerns with us during those discussions so we can offer advice and guidance.

"I also want to say thank you to our Carelink staff who continue to provide quality, dedicated services in difficult circumstances. We'll continue to support you during the closure process."

Letters have been posted out to all Carelink customers and, where appropriate, their families and carers explaining the decision and the next steps.

There's more information, including answers to some frequently asked questions, on our website.

Published on 16 June 2026