Home phone News

TalkTalk offers pensioners a chance to chat

Thursday 18 February, 2010

By Becca Talbot - becca@consumerchoices.co.uk

Pensioners will be able to sign-up for a free weekly phone call from a TalkTalk volunteer from today, to chat about anything they want.

TalkTalk (www.talktalk.co.uk), one of the UK’s largest telecoms companies, is offering its elderly customers the chance to natter about whatever they want, in a new scheme called “We’ll Call You”.

The home phone supplier will call its over-65 customers that register for the scheme, once a week for five minutes, to have a quick chat and to check everything is all right.

TalkTalk’s communications director Mark Schmid said: “We’re not trying to replace social services and charities but our research shows that the service we’re providing meets a need which is not currently being met.”

The number of people living alone over the age of 65 has passed 4 million, according new official figures.

TalkTalk has said the call will never be used to sell a product or service; however the staff making the calls are not trained to offer advice or counselling. If necessary the TalkTalk volunteer can point the caller in the direction of the appropriate social services agency or a relevant charity though.

Schmid added: “Knowing that there will be a phone call from a friendly, familiar voice at a fixed time each week, and that you can talk to them about anything you like, is something that a lot of people value.”

People wanting to set up the service should call 0203 417 1008 or register online.