News Release

11th January 2012

TV STAR HELPS OLDER AND DISABLED PEOPLE GET SWITCHED ON TO DIGITAL

Gloria Hunniford launches the Switchover Help Scheme in Northern Ireland

Television presenter Gloria Hunniford will be in Belfast today (Wednesday 11th January) to tell older and disabled people how the BBC-run Switchover Help Scheme will offer them help to make the switch to digital TV.

Gloria will be getting “a little help from her friends” Belfast band Nine Lies, who will run through some help-themed pop songs at the event in Ulster Hall.

When switchover comes to Northern Ireland later this year, most people will find it easy to make the switch but some people maybe unsure about what to do, particularly those aged 75 or over or with disabilities.

The Switchover Help Scheme offers everyone aged 75 and over, or eligible disabled, practical help to switch one of their TVs to digital before switchover in October. One of the ways that the message will be spread is the Help Scheme bus, which is starting to tour Northern Ireland. Its first stop will be at Banbridge Leisure Centre, County Down, on Thursday 12th January.

Gloria said: “Although the switchover is a long way off, some people may already be concerned about what they need to do. The good news is they don’t have to be as the Switchover Help Scheme will supply eligible people with everything they need to make the switch to digital in plenty of time for switchover.”

People are eligible for the Help Scheme if they are:

• Aged 75 or over, or
• Have lived in a care home for six months or more, or
• Get (or could get) certain disability benefits, or
• Are registered blind or partially sighted

Every eligible person will get a letter from the Switchover Help Scheme in the run up to switchover. It will offer them practical help to convert one of their TV sets to digital.

For £40, or for free if they are eligible and also on income related benefits, they will be able to get:

• Easy to use equipment to convert one set
• An approved installer to supply and install the necessary equipment, and
• A 12-month aftercare service including a free helpline.

Other options will also be available, some at extra cost.

Nigel Tilson is the manager for the Switchover Help Scheme in Northern Ireland. He said: “Many people will find it simple to switch and lots of people already have. But for those who need a little extra help, we want them to know that they will get the additional support they need from the Switchover Help Scheme and Digital UK.”
 
For more information about the Switchover Help Scheme, please visit helpscheme.co.uk.

People who need advice on switching to digital but can’t get or don’t want help from the Switchover Help Scheme, can get advice from Digital UK visit digitaluk.co.uk or call 08456 50 50 50

ENDS

Media contacts
For more information please contact Sujarda or Martin at the Help Scheme Press office on on 0800 40 87 658  or email pressoffice@helpscheme.co.uk. 

Notes to editor:
The dates for switchover in the Northern Ireland are as follows:

Transmitter group Area Stage one
(BBC Two analogue off) Stage two
(all analogue channels off)
Brougher Mountain South west Northern Ireland  10th October 2012 24th October 2012
Limavady North west Northern Ireland  10th October 2012 24th October 2012
Divis Belfast and the surrounding area 10th October 2012 24th October 2012

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, income-based jobseekers allowance or income-related employment and support allowance.

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.

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