News Release

17th September 2009

Switchover Help advice for Port Vale FC fans

Football fans attending this Saturday’s Port Vale game against Bury FC are being given the chance to get free advice about the help that is available to switch to digital TV.

Experts from the BBC-run Switchover Help Scheme will be at the match this weekend to tell people more about the help that is available for older and disabled people to convert to digital TV with the Help Scheme.

As digital switchover in the ITV Granada region approaches, the Help Scheme team are out and about in the community to make sure everyone gets the help they need in time for switchover on the 4 November. To continue watching television after this time everyone who lives in Liverpool, Manchester, Lancashire, Cheshire and North Staffordshire, served by the Winter Hill transmitter, needs to switch to digital TV.

Members of the public can find out more about the help that is available to convert one TV to digital with the Help Scheme, or get information for an eligible older or disabled person they know by speaking to one of the Help Scheme advisors who will located at the entrance to the Vale Park Stadium, Hamil Road, Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, between 2-3pm and 5-5.30pm on Saturday 19 September. Children attending the game can also meet digital switchover mascot ‘Digit-al’.

Older and disabled people can get help to switch from the Switchover Help Scheme.

People are eligible if:

• They are aged 75 or over, or
• They have lived in a care home for six months or more
• They get (or could get) disability living allowance, or attendance or constant attendance allowance, or mobility supplement, or
• They are registered blind or partially sighted

For a one off payment of £40 eligible people will be offered easy to use freeview equipment to convert one TV set, installation of that equipment, a demonstration of how it works and someone to call for help whilst they are getting used to it. Other options are available, some at extra cost.

The service is free for eligible people who also receive pension credit, income support, income based job seekers allowance and employment and support allowance.

Local Help Scheme spokesperson Martin Plenderlieth said: "We want to make sure eligible people get the help they need and if they come and see us at the match we will be able to talk them through anything they need to know to ensure they’re ready for the switchover.”

More information is available on the Help Scheme website, helpscheme.co.uk

The Help Scheme is run by the BBC through an agreement with the Government, and has been designed around the needs of older and disabled people. Equipment has been chosen to be easy to use, and contact centre, delivery staff and installers have all been trained to understand and respect older and disabled people. Installers are vetted, carry identification and will never call without having made an appointment.

Ends

Notes to Editors

Media Contacts:

Diane Green

PR and Communications Manager – Switchover Help Scheme
T: 0191 245 8847
M: 07951478832
E: diane.green@eaga.com

Sarah Fairfax

Communications Executive – Switchover Help Scheme
T: 0191 245 8834
M: 07730424407
E: sarah.fairfax@eaga.com

Switchover Help Scheme

The Switchover Help Scheme is run by the BBC through an agreement with the Government to help older and disabled people make the change to digital. 

In the run-up to switchover in each region, every eligible person will be offered practical help to convert one of their TV sets to digital. People are eligible if they are aged 75 years or more, or if they are registered blind or partially sighted. Also eligible are people who get (or could get) attendance or constant attendance allowance, mobility supplement, or disability living allowance and those who have lived in a care home for six months or more.

Most people will be asked to contribute £40 towards the help.  The service is free for people who are eligible and also get pension credit, income support or income-based jobseekers allowance.

More information is available by calling 0800 40 85 900 or through visiting helpscheme.co.uk 

Digital television switchover is the process of converting the UK’s terrestrial television system to digital. Between now and 2012, analogue channels will be switched off region by region and replaced with free-to-air digital TV and radio services (Freeview). Switchover will extend Freeview coverage to the whole of the UK and free up airwaves for new services such as ultra-fast wireless broadband and mobile television. 

Digital UK

Digital UK is the independent, not-for-profit organisation established in 2005 to implement digital switchover. It is jointly owned and funded by the public-service broadcasters (BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Five, S4C and Teletext), and the digital multiplex operators.

eaga

eaga, a leading provider of residential energy efficiency and outsourcing services, has been selected by the BBC as the Help Scheme service provider to deliver the help available under the scheme from the ITV Border region onwards.