News Release

7th April 2010

Help Scheme is at hand for you to switch to digital TV in Caithness

The BBC-run Switchover Help Scheme is helping older and disabled people switch to digital. Over the past few months the Help Scheme has been writing to eligible older and disabled people in the Caithness area inviting them to apply for help to convert one TV to digital in time for switchover in June this year.

One person who has already taken up the offer of help is Marion Johnston from Banff. 

Marion, said: “The Help Scheme has taken the hassle out of switching to digital TV for me. I called the free phone number and an appointment was made for an installer to come out and help me switch there and then. Within one week everything was done for me and I now have hassle free TV.  

“The people at the call centre were very nice. I would say to anyone else who has the chance to get involved in the Help Scheme to just do it. Don’t worry about it, it’s so easy.”

Regional Coordinator for STV North, Jacky Campbell, said: “Not everyone finds getting used to new equipment easy but once you take the time to explain to someone how a new remote control works and how to access the new TV channels most people wonder why they were worried in the first place.”

Jacky was the Help Scheme representative who visited Marion. She is just one of around five coordinators working in the STV North region helping eligible people like Marion to make the switch to digital TV as easy as possible.

“We’d never leave anyone’s home without being sure that they have fully understood how to use their new equipment. But, if someone has any questions once we’ve gone they can always call the Help Scheme on 0800 408 7654 for up to a year to get more help.”

People are eligible for the scheme 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 pay £40 towards the standard offer of help. This service is free for people who are eligible and who also receive pension credit, income support, income-based jobseeker's allowance, or income-related employment and support allowance.

What’s on offer?

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

• easy-to-use digital equipment to convert one television set in their home;
• home delivery and installation if they wish;
• an aerial check and replacement if needed, where we can;
• a helpline and retuning advice;
• a 12 month digital TV aftercare service.

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

All eligible people can also choose from other digital options at an extra cost. These include freesat and Sky amongst others; some of which cost extra.

The Help Scheme is run by the BBC under an agreement with the Government and has been specially designed around the needs of older and disabled people.

Equipment has been specifically chosen for ease of use and Help Scheme contact centre, delivery staff and installers have all been trained to understand and respect older and disabled people. All installers have undertaken Criminal Records Bureau checks, carry identification and will never call without having made an appointment.

What do I need to do?

People need to respond to get the help. Completed information pack forms can be returned to the Help Scheme, but to make it even easier to apply, eligible people can also choose to call the Help Scheme free on 0800 408 76 54.

People who think they are eligible but who haven’t received a letter by the beginning of May should get in touch on this number.

In addition, any eligible person who needs help to apply can nominate someone else to complete their form for them.

Even if someone does not need our help we would like them to respond to let us know they are ready for switchover.

- ENDS –

Image (from left to right, Marion Johnston, Jacky Campbell)

Notes to Editors

Media Contacts:

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, 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.

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.