Digital Telecare Readiness Report 2026: Bridging the Safety Gap
With less than 12 months to the analogue switch off, 2026 is the final opportunity for housing providers to meet the digital deadline.
The Digital Technology Housing Strategy Barometer, from Housing LIN and Appello, exposes a sector at a crossroads. As the 2027 digital switchover looms, are organisations truly prepared, or are they stalling?
Key takeaways include:
- An awareness paradox: 98.6% are aware of the 2027 deadline but only 23.6% view this as a major concern.
- False confidence: Three quarters are satisfied with progress, yet 60% lack the skills to make confident decisions.
- Interim solutions are no longer optional: With only 24.7% of the market fully upgraded and only 36% expecting completion by 2027, interim solutions have become a requirement for those not started on their digital journey.
Jeremy Porteus, CEO of the Housing LIN, said:
“As featured in our Top 5 Priorities for 2026, our sector must urgently up its game to become fully 'digi-ready'. With just one year until the digital switchover cut-off, these findings set out our current state of readiness and what still needs to be done to ensure older people, and people with disabilities or long-term conditions, can rely on any technology-enabled care and housing.”
This report provides essential sector-wide insights to aid your switchover strategy as we count down to the January 2027 deadline.