News Release

17th March 2010

Are you OK for the switchover? It’s not too late to get help.

Older and disabled people who find themselves struggling with switchover in the West region are being reminded this week that they can still get help with switching to digital TV.

The BBC-run Switchover Help Scheme has now written to nearly 270,000 older and disabled people in and around the West region to offer our help to switch one TV set to digital.

Most eligible people will manage the first stage of switchover on the 24 March with no problems. And already tens of thousands in the region have benefitted from the Help Scheme. But some who have not may find it more difficult than they expected and can still get some extra help.  The Switchover Help Scheme is doing a last push to let them know some of the ways that the Help Scheme has been especially designed around their needs and can make switching to digital TV easier for them.

Help Scheme representative Caroline Byng said: “Are you still OK for switchover? If you’re eligible, we’d like you to know:

• You can still opt in now even if you contacted us to opt out earlier this year
• You can use your entitlement to convert any one set in your home even if you already have digital on one set?
• We will set your equipment up for you.
• Our installers are security vetted and we will not call without an appointment
• We can help with re-tuning as part of our year’s free aftercare
• Help Scheme equipment is specially chosen to be easy to use.

Already the Switchover Help Scheme and partners Digital UK have done everything they can think of to spread the word about the help available, including advertising, working with local volunteers and community organisations, and meeting the public at road shows.

But Caroline said: “Despite all the efforts we make, we know from other switchovers that some people only realise at the last minute that they could do with some help – even if up until now they thought that they were going to be OK. We’re still here to help any eligible older or disabled person.  We can provide everything they need to switch one TV to digital for a flat cost.  They just have to ask for our help. But time is running out – for most eligible people in West help will only be available until 7 May 2010.”

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

What’s on offer?

For a one-off payment of £40, eligible people in the West region will be offered:

• Easy-to-use equipment to convert one television set,
• Installation of that equipment,
• An aerial check and upgrade if necessary, for people who own their own aerials,
• A demonstration of how it works, and
• A twelve month aftercare service

The standard offer for eligible people in the West region is for a Freeview set-top box installed on one TV. The equipment will give people access to more than 15 channels including all of the public service channels.

Most people will be asked to pay £40 towards the standard offer of help. For eligible people who are also on pension credit, income support, income-based jobseeker's allowance or income-related employment and support allowance, it’s free.

All eligible people in the West region can also choose from other digital options. These include freesat and Sky amongst others, some of which cost extra.

Eligible people need to respond to get the help. To make it easier to get help by switchover we are urging people to call the Help Scheme free on 0800 40 87 654.

- Ends -

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO INTERVIEW CAROLINE OR ANOTHER HELP SCHEME EXPERT PLEASE ARRANGE BY CALLING SARAH FAIRFAX ON 07730 424 407.

Media contacts
Sarah Fairfax
Communications Executive
E: sarah.fairfax@eaga.com
M: 07730 424407

Notes to editors:

Switchover Help Scheme

The Switchover Help Scheme is run by the BBC under 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, have lived in a care home for six months or more. Also eligible are people who get (or could get) attendance or constant attendance allowance, mobility supplement, or disability living allowance.  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 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.  Digital UK provides support to those who are not eligible for help from the Help Scheme through its website (digitaluk.co.uk) and helpline (08456 50 50 50).

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.