Being safe at home

Being safe at home

Having a home is not just about a roof over your head. You should feel safe whether with friends and family, or living alone. You should also have all the checks and support in place to know you and your home are safe.

What you can do?

keep your doors locked and keep windows on the latch
put keys to doors somewhere safe, but near to the door so you can find them quickly
if you feel vulnerable at home, put a chain on your door and use a peep hole to check who is at the door before you open it
keep all your money and valuables away from windows, where people can see them
keep a list of emergency contact numbers next to your phone or stored in your mobile
if you go on holiday or spend time away from home overnight, ask someone you trust to check on your house

Strangers at the door

look out of a window first to see who is at the door
if you do not know who is at your door, ask them for an ID card. If they are from a company or business, they should always be able to show you one. If you are unsure, phone the company they work for and ask, not the number on their ID card
if you are at all uncomfortable, do not let them in. Even if you feel rude, ask them to come back later and arrange for someone else to be with you when they do. Call a friend or family member if you feel unsafe.
do not sign forms or give money to anyone you do not know
call the police on 101 if you are unsure or feel unsafe
if it is an emergency, call 999

Callers on the phone

when you answer the phone, do not give your name, phone number or personal details to anyone who does not already have them
do not tell a caller you are home alone
if you are uncomfortable about a phone call or get silent calls, dial 1471 to find out what their number is and talk to a friend or family member about your concerns
if someone is trying to sell you something say 'no thank you' and put the phone down
if someone is rude or abusive to you, or upsets you in any way, put the phone down. If they call back talk to a friend or family member, or call 101 and tell the police
you can have your number removed from the phonebook, which is called becoming ex-directory. A friend, family member or carer can help you do this.

Fire safety

make sure you have smoke alarms on every floor and test them every month. Ask a friend or family member to help you if you are not sure how to do this
do not leave your oven or hobs switched on unattended
keep a small fire extinguisher in your house