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News Release
23rd June 2009
Help someone to switch to digital TV in West Wales by passing it on!
With only weeks to go to switchover, Carmarthenshire County Council is urging residents across the area to help someone else to switch to digital.
The Council is backing the Switchover Help Scheme’s ‘Pass it On’ campaign to make sure every eligible older and disabled person in the area knows about the help they can get to keep their TV working when switchover starts in August 2009.
The Carmel Cross transmitter group mostly serving parts of south and central Wales starts on August 26 2009, and is preceded by the Kilvey Hill transmitter group covering Swansea beginning to switch on August 12, and Preseli transmitter group serving south west Wales starting to switch on August 19.
In the lead up to switchover, the BBC-run Switchover Help Scheme is offering practical help to eligible older and disabled people to make the change to digital on one of their TV sets.
Watching TV without digital equipment will not be possible after switchover so even if you have already converted a TV set yourself you can still apply to the Help Scheme to convert another in your home.
Eligible people have been sent a Help Scheme information pack and will be receiving a reminder letter. However, Carmarthenshire County Council is also urging everyone who has already switched to digital to reach out to those older and disabled people they know who may still need help, and have not yet made contact with the Help Scheme to let them know they need help.
Carmarthenshire County Council 50+ Champion Cllr Kevin Madge said: "We are keen to make sure that older and disabled people are prepared for the digital switchover, which is now close at hand.
“This is an excellent scheme which makes the whole process as straightforward as possible and the council is pleased to play its part in co-operation with the Help Scheme."
Carmarthenshire County Council and local Help Scheme representative Gareth Earle are staging various events around the community to help spread the ‘pass it on’ message. They are also working together to set up training sessions for Sheltered Housing Officers and the council’s contact centre staff to enable them to help people pass the message on.
Gareth Earle said: "Carmarthenshire County Council has been wonderful in helping raise awareness of the Help Scheme and supporting the ‘Pass it On’ campaign. We have set up training for Council staff, put information in newsletters and are arranging community events to make sure that everyone is aware of the Help Scheme, because even if someone is not eligible, chances are they will know someone who is. We want them to pass on the message that the Help Scheme is here to help."
A number of ‘Pass it On’ presentations and drop-in events are taking place across the region in the coming weeks where people can pick up leaflets and bookmarks to help spread the word.
The Help Scheme makes is easy for eligible older and disabled to switch to digital TV. It offers each eligible household help to switch one TV set to digital, including equipment, installation and an aerial check and upgrade if necessary. They also get a demonstration of how the equipment works and aftercare.
Equipment has been specifically chosen for ease of use, and contact centre, delivery staff and installers have all been trained to understand and respect older and disabled people. Installers carry identification and will never call without having made an appointment.
People are eligible for help from the Switchover Help Scheme 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 in each region, every eligible person receives a Switchover Help Scheme letter and 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 or income-based jobseekers allowance.
People need to respond to get the help. Completed information pack forms can be returned to the Help Scheme, or, to make it even easier to apply, eligible people can also apply by calling the Help Scheme free on 0800 40 85 903 to speak to an English speaking advisor, or 0800 40 85 905 for help in Welsh. In addition, any eligible person who needs help to apply can nominate someone else to complete their form for them.
If you would like to find out more about the Help Scheme and who is eligible to apply, please log onto helpscheme.co.uk
--ends--
Notes to Editors
Media Contacts:
Diane Green
PR and Communications Manager – Switchover Help Scheme
T: 0191 245 8847
M: 07951478832
E: diane.green@eaga.com
Sarah Fairfax
Communications Executive – Switchover Help Scheme
T: 0191 245 8834
M: 07730424407
E: sarah.fairfax@eaga.com
Images available on request
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.
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 85 903/905 or through 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.
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.