Staying safe at home
Falls
How to prevent falls at home
There are simple things that you can do to prevent falls at home.
Do
- make sure that you turn the lights on and that rooms are well lit
- keep a night light near the bed for getting up in the dark
- get help with tasks that you cannot do safely on your own
- hold onto handrails in the toilet or bathroom, or on the stairs
- wear shoes that fit well and support your ankles
- use any devices or equipment that a healthcare professional gives you
- eat well, exercise and keep active
- always carry a mobile phone with you
Don't
- do not rush to get to the toilet or answer the phone or door
- do not walk on slippery floors in socks or tights
- do not wear long, loose-fitting clothes that trail on the floor
- do not wear slip-on or backless shoes, or loose slippers
- do not put rugs and mats at the top or bottom of the stairs
- do not reach too high or low to get items
Remove hazards in your home
Hazards can increase your risk of falling. Take some time to find and remove any hazards in each room.
Do
- remove loose rugs or carpets or make them secure with tape
- use non-slip mats in the bathroom
- remove clutter
- arrange items in a different way to avoid bumping into things
- clean up spilt food or drink straight away
- make sure that electric cables, bedspreads and long curtains do not trail over the floor
- keep things in places that are easy to reach so you can avoid climbing, stretching or bending
- use brightly coloured tape to mark possible hazards, such as the edges of doors, steps or furniture
Personal alarms and fall detectors (telecare)
Telecare devices help you get help when you need it. These devices can call your family or carers, or a 24-hour help centre when you’ve had a fall.
Telecare helps you live independently at home.
Personal alarms
You can wear a personal alarm or pendant around your neck or on your wrist. If you fall, you can press a button on the alarm. Help will arrive quickly.
To get a personal alarm, you need:
- a landline phone and a nearby electrical socket
- a spare set of house keys for emergency access or spare keys in a key safe box with a number code outside your home
You cannot set up a personal alarm with a mobile phone. If you do not have a landline phone, you can ask your local council or Age UK about other options.
Fall detectors
You can install a fall detector, bed sensor or epilepsy sensor in your home. This senses if you fall, get out of bed and do not return within a set time, or have a seizure or fit. The sensor automatically calls for help. You do not need to press a button.
Getting help with telecare
Your local council might be able to help you install a personal alarm or fall detector. If the council offers this service, you might need an assessment from a specialist telecare team. You might have to contribute towards the cost. Your council can tell you the likely cost.
If you would like to get telecare privately, find more information by going to:
Home adaptations
Home adaptations are changes you can make to your home. They make it safer and easier to move around and do everyday tasks. This includes:
- lights that switch on automatically when you walk past or enter a room
- handrails and ramps
- a key safe box to store keys outside, so people you trust can let themselves in securely
- a shower seat or bath aid
- a toilet frame
- a stairlift
- mobility aids to make it easier to reach things
If you need help getting to the toilet, ask a GP or district nurse for a chair with a hidden toilet (commode). This can be easily moved so you can have a toilet nearby. You need to think about how you will empty the commode after use or if someone can do this for you.
Getting support at home
Needs assessment
If you need help to do everyday tasks or are worried about falling, contact your local council. They can do a needs assessment for you.
You need to have this assessment before the council can recommend a service such as:
- equipment like a personal alarm or key safe box
- changes to your home, such as a walk-in shower
- practical help from a paid carer
- access to day centres and lunch clubs
Check the social care and support guide on the NHS website for more information. It explains your options and where you can get support.
Home assessment
If you need financial help with home adaptations, ask your local council for a home assessment. Having a home assessment is free.
The council arranges for an occupational therapist to visit you at home. An occupational therapist is a professional who helps if you have health problems that make it hard to do everyday tasks. They can recommend:
- different ways of managing these everyday tasks
- any equipment that might help you
- any changes to your home that could make daily living easier
If you need a large change to your home or equipment that costs more than £1,000, you could get a Disabled Facilities Grant. Contact your council for more information.
Community rehabilitation
If you struggle with everyday tasks inside or outside your home, your GP or social services team can refer you to community rehabilitation. This includes services like occupational therapy or physiotherapy.
An occupational therapist can teach you different ways of managing everyday tasks and give you small equipment that might help. A physiotherapist can teach you exercises to improve your strength and balance and provide walking aids such as a stick or a Zimmer frame.
Private occupational therapy assessment
You might prefer to pay for an independent occupational therapist to visit your home and do an assessment.
You can find an independent occupational therapist on the Royal College of Occupational Therapists website.
Information and support
Useful websites
- Household gadgets and equipment to make life easier – NHS
- Care and support you can get for free – NHS
- How to make your home safer and more comfortable – Age UK
- Adapting your home information guide – Age UK
- Preventing falls – Age UK
- Get up and go: a guide to staying steady – Chartered Society of Physiotherapy
- Living Made Easy factsheets
Helpful contacts
Contact the Living Made Easy charity for advice about home adaptations. They’re open Monday to Thursday from 10am to 4pm.
- Phone: 0300 123 3084
- Email: [email protected]
Call the Age UK free advice line for more support. They’re open every day from 8am to 7pm.
- Phone: 0800 678 1602
Resource number: 5320/VER2
Last reviewed: July 2026
Next review due: July 2029
