The Seniors Alert Scheme Explained: Free Personal Alarm for Over-65s
The State will pay for a monitored personal alarm for many older people in Ireland, with the device, installation and the first year of monitoring all free. Here is exactly who qualifies, what it costs after year one, how to apply, and the one thing it does not do that every family should understand.
In This Guide
What the Seniors Alert Scheme is
The Seniors Alert Scheme (SAS) is a Government-funded scheme that provides a free monitored personal alarm to help older people continue to live securely and independently in their own homes. It is funded by the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, and administered by Pobal.1
In practice it is a pendant or wrist-worn button linked to a base unit in the home, which connects to a national monitoring centre that is staffed 24 hours a day, every day of the year. When the button is pressed, an operator speaks to the person and decides whether to alert a nominated contact, a local volunteer responder, or the emergency services.2
What you get, and what is free
For an eligible person, the scheme covers:12
- A monitored personal alarm, worn as a pendant or wrist strap
- The base unit that connects it to the monitoring centre
- Full installation
- The first year of 24-hour monitoring, free of charge
Who qualifies
To be eligible you must be aged 65 or over, of limited means, and meet one of the living-situation conditions below. You also need to live in an area covered by a registered local group, and be able to benefit from the equipment.1
The living-situation conditions (you need to meet at least one):
- Living alone
- Living alone for significant periods of the day
- Living with another person who is also aged over 65 and of limited means
- Caring for another person in the household
Good to know: "limited means" is assessed by the registered local group rather than through a formal national means test, so it is always worth asking even if you are unsure. The scheme is designed to be accessible.
What it costs after the first year
After the first free year, an annual monitoring fee applies. This is set by the monitoring provider, not by the scheme, and is typically around €60 to €70 a year.25 One approved provider, TASK Community Care, charges €66 a year, for example.5 If the home has no suitable landline and a mobile (GSM) connection is used instead, there may also be a small SIM rental cost.2
How to apply, step by step
The single most common point of confusion is this: you cannot apply directly to Pobal or the Government yourself. The scheme is delivered through local community and voluntary groups, and one of them applies on your behalf.3
In short: find a registered group near you on pobal.ie, and they handle the application. A family member or neighbour can arrange all of this for an older relative.
The one limit every family should know
The Seniors Alert Scheme is a genuinely valuable support, and for an active, capable person it can be exactly the right safety net. But it is a button-press alarm, and that matters more than it first appears. It only works if the person is wearing the pendant, can reach it, and is conscious and able to press it.
The evidence is sobering. A landmark study in the British Medical Journal found that among older people who fell when alone and could not get up, the alarm was not used to call for help in 80% of cases, and in 97% of "long lies" of an hour or more on the floor, no alarm was pressed.4 People take pendants off in the shower and at night, or simply cannot press the button after a serious fall.
This is the gap that automatic, non-wearable fall detection is designed to close. A system like SmartGuardian detects a fall on its own, with nothing to wear or press, and works in the bathroom and at night where a pendant is usually off. It is not part of the Seniors Alert Scheme and it is not a registered medical device, but for someone who will not wear a pendant, who cannot reliably press one, or who is not eligible for the scheme, it is the natural next step. Our honest comparison of personal alarms and AI fall detection walks through both side by side.
If you are also looking at funding for home safety more broadly, see our guide to the home safety grants for older people in Ireland, which covers the structural grants (stairlifts, ramps, downstairs bathrooms) that sit alongside the Seniors Alert Scheme.
Frequently asked questions
Who qualifies for the Seniors Alert Scheme?
People aged 65 or over, of limited means, who live alone, live alone for significant parts of the day, live with another eligible over-65, or care for someone, and who live in an area covered by a registered group.1
Is it really free?
The device, installation and first year of monitoring are free for eligible people. After that, a monitoring fee of typically around €60 to €70 a year applies, set by the provider.25
How do I apply?
Through a local community or voluntary group registered with Pobal, which applies for you. Find one by area on pobal.ie; a family member can help.3
Does the alarm detect falls automatically?
No. It is a button-press alarm and must be worn and pressed. It does not detect a fall on its own. Automatic, non-wearable detection is a separate, private option.4
What if my parent is not eligible, or will not wear it?
This is common. A non-wearable, automatic system such as SmartGuardian needs nothing to be worn or pressed, which suits people who are ineligible, who forget the pendant, or who will not wear one.
References
- Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht. Emergency Personal Alarm (Seniors Alert Scheme), 2025. gov.ie
- Citizens Information Board. Seniors Alert Scheme, 2024. citizensinformation.ie
- Pobal. Seniors Alert Scheme (SAS), 2025. pobal.ie
- Fleming J, Brayne C. Inability to get up after falling, subsequent time on floor, and summoning help: prospective cohort study in people over 90. BMJ, 2008;337:a2227. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2590903
- TASK Community Care (approved Seniors Alert Scheme provider). Scheme details and monitoring fees. taskltd.com
This guide is provided by SmartCare Living for general information and was accurate to the best of our research on 18 June 2026. Seniors Alert Scheme terms, eligibility and provider monitoring fees are set by Pobal and the relevant providers and can change; confirm current details before applying. SmartGuardian is a home monitoring aid and is not a registered medical device.
Want cover a button alarm cannot give?
If your parent will not wear a pendant, or you want a fall caught automatically, take our 2-minute assessment or book a complimentary consultation for an honest, pressure-free recommendation.