Living alone safety checklist
Living alone is safe for most people with a few things in place: working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, someone who can get in (a spare key or key safe), your medical details where a paramedic can find them, a person or tool that notices if you go quiet, and a plan you've told someone about. This checklist takes about an hour to work through, and most items cost nothing.
At home
- Smoke alarms inside and outside sleeping areas and on every level. Test them monthly; replace alarms every 10 years.
- A carbon monoxide alarm if you have gas, oil or wood heating, a fireplace or an attached garage.
- Clear the floors: loose rugs and cables are the usual cause of trips. Put a light you can reach from bed.
- Doors and windows lock, and you can open them quickly from inside in a fire.
- A small kit: torch, spare phone charger or power bank, a few days of any medicine you rely on.
People
- A spare key with a trusted neighbour or friend nearby, or a key safe whose code they know.
- Two people who'd notice if you went quiet, and who know they're your contacts.
- Say hello to one neighbour. Someone who'd notice post piling up is worth more than any app.
Your phone
- Emergency contacts and a Medical ID (iPhone Health app; Android Safety or Personal Safety app), readable from the lock screen: medicines, allergies, conditions.
- Emergency SOS turned on, and fall detection if your phone or watch has it.
- Location sharing with one person you trust, if you're comfortable with it, or a check-in timer for nights out (Apple Check In, Google Safety Check).
If you go quiet
- A daily check-in: a text with a friend, a free RUOK call program, or an app that tells your contacts if you miss a day. We compare them in daily check-in apps for people who live alone.
- A written plan your contacts have: call, then knock, then ask for a welfare check. See how to set up a safety check-in.
Numbers to know
| Emergency | 911 (US, Canada), 999 or 112 (UK), 112 (EU) |
|---|---|
| Crisis support | 988 call or text (US, Canada); Samaritans 116 123 (UK, Ireland); findahelpline.com (elsewhere) |
| Non-urgent medical | NHS 111 (England, Scotland, Wales); your doctor's after-hours line elsewhere |
| Poison help | 1-800-222-1222 (US) |
Looking after yourself
- Living alone and being lonely aren't the same, but they can drift together. Plan one real conversation a week.
- Keep a regular wake-up time and get outside in daylight; it helps sleep and mood.
- Some nights are just hard. Small ways to feel less lonely tonight.
Nuku covers the "if you go quiet" line: visit it once a day and, if you don't for two days, the people you picked get one notification. Nuku is a tiny AI pet you visit for about thirty seconds a day in your browser. If you stop visiting for two days (you choose 24 to 72 hours), it sends one notification to up to five people you picked. It's free, 18+, and not an emergency service.
Questions
How can I stay safe living alone?
Test your smoke alarms, add a carbon monoxide alarm, leave a spare key with someone nearby, put your medical details and emergency contacts on your phone's lock screen, and set up a daily check-in with a person or an app that tells someone if you go quiet.
What should I do if I fall and live alone?
Plan ahead: keep a phone within reach (some people carry it in a pocket at home), turn on fall detection if your phone or watch has it, or wear a medical alert pendant. A daily check-in alone reacts too slowly for a fall.
How often should I test smoke alarms?
Once a month, by pressing the test button. Replace the alarm itself every 10 years, or as the label says.
Who should have a spare key?
Someone you trust who lives close enough to get there quickly, such as a neighbour or a nearby friend. A key safe with a code is an alternative if nobody lives close.
How many people live alone?
In the US, 38.5 million households, 29% of all, were one person in 2024, according to the Census Bureau. In the UK about 8.4 million people live alone.
Sources
- NFPA: Smoke alarms
- US Fire Administration: Smoke alarms
- Apple Support: Use Check In for Messages on iPhone
- Android Help: Get help during an emergency with your Android phone
- US Census Bureau: Families and living arrangements, 2024
- ONS: Families and households in the UK, 2024
Written by the Nuku team at Jestr with AI help, checked against the sources above, last updated 2 October 2026. This is general information, not medical advice. Spotted a mistake? support@jestr.ai