The Switchover Help Scheme will offer eligible people practical help to make the change to digital on one of their TV sets at the time of switchover. It is being run by the BBC, at the request of Government, and is operated through service provider eaga.
People are eligible if:
- they are aged 75 years old or over
- they get (or could get): Attendance or Constant Attendance Allowance, or Mobility Supplement, or Disability Living Allowance
- or they are registered blind or partially sighted.
Most people using the Help Scheme will contribute £40 for the basic offer, for which they will get:
- Help to choose the right equipment
- Easy-to-use equipment that suits their needs
- Help with installing equipment in their home
- Help with making sure that the equipment can receive the signal, through an aerial or satellite dish. A new aerial or dish will be fitted if it's needed, where it is possible
- an easy-to-understand demonstration of how everything works
- and someone they can call for help while they're getting used to things.
For people who are eligible and also get pension credit, income support or income-based jobseeker's allowance, the basic help will be free.
Around 7 million households will be eligible for help at the time of switchover in their region. They will be contacted directly by post between eight and five months before switchover in their transmitter group to invite them to take up the Help Scheme.
People who live in communal housing can be eligible for the Help Scheme, but the provision to upgrade aerials does not cover the conversion of communal TV systems. Local authorities that manage housing stock directly or have delegated responsibility to an Arms Length Management Organisation (ALMO) should ensure that communal systems are capable of working with digital TV services when switchover takes place. For more details see the section on housing.
The contribution of £40 covers the basic option of a set-top box to convert one set. The nature of this offer will be determined separately for each region nearer the time. The eligible person will also be able to choose from other options such as an intergrated television set, digital recorder, or an alternative platform such as satellite, cable, internet or Freeview. These options may be at a higher but still subsidised cost.
The Help Scheme will contact eligible individuals directly using information from the Department of Work and Pensions and local authorities (from the blind and partially sighted registers). The legal powers for this are contained in the Digital Switchover (Disclosure of Information) Act 2007.
The Help Scheme operator will approach those local authorities who maintain registers of blind and partially sighted individuals asking for permission to access the registers around 9 months before the start of each regional switchover. Local authorities should make sure that blind and partially sighted registers are up to date to avoid blind and partially sighted people who are under 75 and not in receipt of disability benefits losing out.
The Help Scheme will also be advertised specifically as part of Digital UK's switchover campaigns and eaga networkers will communicate the Help Scheme to local charities and community groups who work with eligible people.
For further information on the Help Scheme please go to their website at www.helpscheme.co.uk.