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News Release
29th March 2010
Switchover Help Scheme roadshow visits the Somerset area
This week, experts from the BBC-run Switchover Help Scheme will be visiting locations across the West TV region to offer older and disabled residents advice about the practical help they can receive to switch to digital TV.
The Switchover Help Scheme Bus will be in the Asda car park in Highbridge between 10.00am and 4.00pm on Tuesday 30th March and at Summerland Road car park in Minehead between 10.00am and 4.00pm the following day, Wednesday 31st March, to remind older and disabled people who find themselves struggling with switchover that help is still available. Experts from the Switchover Help Scheme will be on hand to tell residents about how the Help Scheme can make switching to digital TV easier for them.
The Switchover Help Scheme has written to over 270, 000 eligible people in and around the West region to offer help in switching one TV to digital. Already tens of thousands of people in the region have benefitted from the Help Scheme and most eligible people will manage the first stage of switchover on the 24 March with no problems. But for those who have not yet made the switch or are finding it more difficult than they expected, help is still on offer.
Switchover Help Scheme Regional Manager, West, Caroline Byng, said:
"The Help Scheme writes directly to everyone who is eligible to offer them help. We are urging everyone who we have not yet helped but who has received an Information Pack to drop in and speak to our team face-to-face to find out more about the help available. There’ll also be an opportunity to try out digital equipment first hand, receive help filling out a Switchover Help Scheme application form and ask questions."
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 if requested (a delivery only option is available),
- An aerial check and upgrade if necessary and where possible
- A demonstration of how it works, and
- A twelve month aftercare service
The standard offer for eligible people in the West TV region is for a Freeview set-top box installed on one TV. Most households will be able to receive more than 40 Freeview channels via an aerial; around 15 of the most watched Freeview channels will be available throughout the region, 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, the help is free.
All eligible people in the West TV region can also choose from other digital options. These include freesat and Sky amongst others, some of which cost extra.
As well as the Help Scheme events, eligible people are being asked to respond to their Information Packs as soon as possible. Or to make it even easier, eligible people can choose to apply by calling the Help Scheme free on 0800 408 7654 or instead they can nominate someone else to make their application for them.
-ENDS-
Notes to Editor
Media Contacts:
Sarah Fairfax
Communications Executive – Switchover Help Scheme
T: 0191 245 8834
M: 07730424407
E: sarah.fairfax@eaga.com
Switchover Help Scheme – People aged 75 and over, eligible for certain disability benefits, registered blind or partially sighted or living in care homes are entitled to practical help from the BBC-run Switchover Help Scheme. For £40, they will be given equipment to switch one TV per household to digital. They will be able to have that equipment installed if they want it, a demonstration of how it works and a number to call while they get used to things. If they’re eligible and also on income-related benefits, the help will be free. Everyone eligible will be contacted directly before switchover. More information is available on 0800 408 7654.
Locations of the Help Scheme bus:
- Thursday 1st April 2010,10am - 4pm, Midsomer Norton, Midsomer Norton High Street, BA3 2DA
- Wednesday 30th March 2010, 10am – 4pm, Summerland Road car park, Summerland Road, Minehead, Somerset, TA24
- Thursday 31st March 2010, 10am – 4pm, Asda car park, Highbridge, Caxton Road, Highbridge, Somerset TA9 3BX
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, the 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.