This Disability Alliance factsheet is a basic introduction to the help available with the digital switchover. You can find out more information on the help available for disabled people in Disability Rights UK's Disability Rights Handbook, available to buy at www.radar-shop.org.uk/.
All our publications are available at www.disabilityalliance.org/shop.htm. You can also place an order by contacting Disability Rights UK on 020 7247 8776 (this is not an advice line) or by fax on 020 7247 8765. All our factsheets are available at www.disabilityalliance.org/fact.htm.
Between 2007 and 2012 television services in the United Kingdom will be “switched over” from your old television broadcast signal (known as “analogue”) to a digital signal.
After 2012, all television in the UK will be digital. Any TV set or video recorder that’s not converted to digital when the switchover takes place will no longer receive TV programmes.
There are a number of ways that you can get digital television but all of them involve some cost so there is a Help Scheme available if you are aged 75 years old or over or you or a member of your household are disabled and getting certain social security benefits. Approximately 7 million households will be eligible for the Help Scheme.
Many regions have now already transferred over to digital. The remaining regions are:
You are eligible for the Help Scheme if one of the following applies:
1. You or your partner are aged 75 years old or over
2. You, your partner or a dependant child is entitled to one of the following social security benefits:
3. You, your partner or a dependent child are registered as being blind or partially sighted.
4. You have lived in a care home for six months or more.
You will be eligible if you meet these criteria at any time during a nine-month period, which starts eight months before switchover is completed in their TV region.
If you are eligible and you have a partner or dependent child who is also eligible then you will only get help to convert one TV set between you.
However, if there is another adult living at the same address who is also eligible they will be counted as a separate unit and will also receive help to convert one TV set.
In addition to practical support to help you select, install and use digital TV equipment you will be also be provided with equipment to convert one set. You can get one of the following:
If you are living in a care home and you are eligible, you will receive help to convert one TV set.
You will have to pay a subsidised one off fee £40 for the basic equipment and help.
If you are on pension credit, income support, income related employment and support allowance or income-based jobseeker's allowance the help is free.
If you live in a block of flats and need to have a communal aerial adapted your landlord should arrange this. Any such upgrade that your landlord makes can be passed onto you through your service charge, which, if you are in receipt of it, can be met through Housing Benefit.
You can apply for the scheme up to 8 months in advance of switchover. If you are eligible you should be contacted around this time with details of how the scheme works and the digital options available in your region.
You can find out information about digital TV and the switchover on the bbc website at www.bbc.co.uk/digital/.
You can find information on the Digital Switchover Help Scheme at www.digitaluk.co.uk/.
The Digital Switchover (Disclosure of Information) Act 2007 allows the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to disclose limited information about over-75-year-olds and people in receipt of disability benefits to the BBC, to help target those who will benefit from the Digital Switchover Help Scheme .
You can also view the revised agreement between the BBC and the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport at www.official-documents.gov.uk.
30 March 2011