When you rely on your phone
We know things don’t always run smoothly and there might be times when you can’t pay your
bill, perhaps because you’ve had an accident or fallen ill and you’re not around to pay. If you
rely on your phone, we want to do what we can to keep you connected, so we’ve set up a
number of schemes that could help.
Free priority fault repair
If you’ve a chronic long-term illness or disability, you
might qualify for our Free Priority Fault Repair scheme.
Under the scheme, we’ll give you priority over standard
faults by dealing with them as soon as we can, every
day of the year, including Christmas Day.
To make sure that the service reaches the people
who need it most, we’ve a rigid set of criteria and
all applications must be countersigned by a doctor
or hospital consultant and an official doctor’s or
hospital stamp will be needed. You’ll find details in
our Priority Fault Repair Scheme guide.
To read or download a copy of the guide and an
application form, click on ‘Useful downloads’ on
the ‘Help’ page at bt.com/includingyou. Or call us
on 0800 800 150.
Protected Services Scheme
This is a free scheme to help keep your phone line connected if you forget to pay your bill or
if you can’t pay due to special circumstances, such as an emergency hospital stay. Under this
scheme, you nominate a second contact who we can contact about your bills.
To read or download our Protected Services Scheme guide and application form, click on
‘Useful downloads’ on the ‘Help’ page at bt.com/includingyou
Community alarms
If you live alone and could have difficulty in an emergency, a community alarm lets you press
a button that triggers a call for help at a command centre. Staff there will then take control
of the situation. BT doesn’t supply community alarms but you can get an alarm service from
your local authority, housing association, some charities or private suppliers.
Please note: if you’ve got a community alarm, it doesn’t automatically mean you’re entitled
to Free Priority Fault Repair.
For more information, contact the Telecare Services Association at telecare.org.uk or
call 01625 520320.
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