The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) claims over two thirds of landlines have been migrated to digital alternatives and has launched a new guidance campaign to identify vulnerable users in its final layer.
It is urging the two million vulnerable people who rely on lifesaving telecare alarms to contact landline providers for additional support during the switch.
During the process landline companies will send an engineer to carry out the switchover and personally test the telecare alarm, ensuring it continues to work once a household has moved onto the digital network.
Landline providers will also offer vulnerable customers a free battery back-up device so their landline can continue working in an outage.
This comes at the same time BT and Virgin Media O2, in collaboration with the UK Government, have launched a UK-wide campaign to support the same vulnerable users, amid 45% rise in landline faults.
Telecoms Minister Sir Chris Bryant said: “We cannot afford to leave anyone behind during the vital transition to digital landlines.
“I have personally set a strict checklist of safeguards for industry to comply with before they migrate any telecare user. This industry-led campaign marks a further step towards keeping people safe as we boost the resilience of our networks for the digital age.”