News Release

17th November 2009

Get a Helping Hand with digital switchover at Bristol Central Library

The Switchover Help Scheme is teaming up with Bristol Central Library to raise awareness about digital switchover.  Older and disabled people will be told about the  help available from the Help Scheme to convert one of their TV sets to digital.

Bristol Central Library is displaying Help Scheme information from now until Christmas. The information point is located in the main café area of the library. In the coming weeks there will also be a number of drop-in sessions held by the Help Scheme team, who will be giving advice about the help on offer in the run up to switchover in March next year. 

The drop-in sessions will run from 11am to 2pm on:

• November 19th
• December 3rd
• December 17th

Help Scheme information is also available from all 27 branch libraries and Fishponds, Knowle and Bedminster libraries are also hosting Help Scheme displays.

What is the Switchover Help Scheme?

TV is changing and soon the traditional TV signal will be switched off in the Bristol area and replaced with a digital TV signal. This is not a concern for most people but some may find it harder to make the switch than others.

Run by the BBC, the Switchover Help Scheme has been set up to help eligible older and disabled people to make the change to digital on one of their TV sets.

People are eligible for help if they are:

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

In the run-up to switchover, every eligible person receives a Switchover Help Scheme information pack explaining the options for switching to digital. 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, income-based jobseekers allowance or employment and support allowance.

Sumera Bashir, Regional Network Coordinator in the West region, said: “If you would like some friendly face to face advice or further information on what the Help Scheme can offer then please come along and see us at one of our drop-in sessions. You can even bring along your information pack and we can help you decide which option best suits your needs.”

For more information for yourself or someone you know, please log onto www.helpscheme.co.uk

-ENDS-

Notes to Editor

Press contacts:

Sean Haran
PR and Communications Manager
M: 07939147719
E:sean.haran@eaga.com

Sarah Fairfax
Communications Executive
M: 07730424407
E: sarah.fairfax@eaga.com

Switchover Help Scheme

The Help Scheme is run by the BBC under an agreement with the Government to help older and disabled people make the change to digital TV. Eligible people are offered practical help to convert one of their TV sets to digital in the run-up to switchover in each region.

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 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.

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 www.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, the 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.