Digital Switchover Help Scheme
Encyclopedia
The Switchover Help Scheme is part of the digital television
switchover process in the United Kingdom
. Funded by an increase in the TV licence fee, and administered by the BBC
on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport
, it aims to ensure that up to 7 million households meeting its eligibility criteria will continue to be able to receive television broadcasts after analogue transmissions have been switched off. The service is scheduled to run until March 2013 after which no more households can apply.
; the models supplied have to meet certain core requirements beyond what is seen on standard digital boxes, most notably the provision of Audio description
. The remote controls provided must also meet requirements for ease of use. The scheme also provides any help that is required to get the equipment running, including user training and, if necessary, replacement of the aerial system.
Householders who would prefer to replace an analogue TV set completely, with a digital TV, or want a box which includes a digital TV recording facility, can obtain these at discount prices. Householders who choose not to receive digital terrestrial TV can opt for a discount on the cost of a subscription-based TV service (satellite
or cable
) - or off the cost of a Freesat
installation.
area, the first non-voluntary conversion from analogue to digital television, take-up of the help scheme has been surprisingly low. This may be partly due to the high percentage of homes already receiving satellite TV in the absence, before switchover, of any Freeview transmissions. Additionally, many householders who met the age criteria but had no special needs did not require the enhanced set-top box, or a replacement aerial (most of the population lives within a few kilometres of the transmitter) and therefore had no reason to pay the £40 flat fee.
Digital television
Digital television is the transmission of audio and video by digital signals, in contrast to the analog signals used by analog TV...
switchover process in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Funded by an increase in the TV licence fee, and administered by the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is a department of the United Kingdom government, with responsibility for culture and sport in England, and some aspects of the media throughout the whole UK, such as broadcasting and internet....
, it aims to ensure that up to 7 million households meeting its eligibility criteria will continue to be able to receive television broadcasts after analogue transmissions have been switched off. The service is scheduled to run until March 2013 after which no more households can apply.
Eligibility criteria
The scheme is open to all households in which (between eight months before and one month after analogue switch-off at the relevant transmitter) one or more residents are at least 75 years old, or receive a Disability Living Allowance or Attendance Allowance, or one or more residents are registered as blind or partially sighted. Also, all residents who have lived in a care home for at least 6 months are automatically eligible.Cost
If the eligible person (or the person's partner) also receives income-related benefits or pension credit, the scheme is free of charge for the standard option. All other recipients have to pay a flat fee of £40.Procedure
The scheme provides, in essence, whatever it takes to get an appropriate digital television service into the household, by the most cost-effective method. For most households this will be a set-top box for digital terrestrial TVDigital terrestrial television
Digital terrestrial television is the technological evolution of broadcast television and advance from analog television, which broadcasts land-based signals...
; the models supplied have to meet certain core requirements beyond what is seen on standard digital boxes, most notably the provision of Audio description
Audio description
Audio description refers to an additional narration track for blind and visually impaired consumers of visual media...
. The remote controls provided must also meet requirements for ease of use. The scheme also provides any help that is required to get the equipment running, including user training and, if necessary, replacement of the aerial system.
Householders who would prefer to replace an analogue TV set completely, with a digital TV, or want a box which includes a digital TV recording facility, can obtain these at discount prices. Householders who choose not to receive digital terrestrial TV can opt for a discount on the cost of a subscription-based TV service (satellite
Satellite television
Satellite television is television programming delivered by the means of communications satellite and received by an outdoor antenna, usually a parabolic mirror generally referred to as a satellite dish, and as far as household usage is concerned, a satellite receiver either in the form of an...
or cable
Cable television
Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
) - or off the cost of a Freesat
Freesat
Freesat is a free-to-air digital satellite television joint venture between the BBC and ITV plc, serving the United Kingdom. The service was formed as a memorandum in 2007 and has been marketed since 6 May 2008...
installation.
Whitehaven trial
It has been reported that in the WhitehavenWhitehaven
Whitehaven is a small town and port on the coast of Cumbria, England, which lies equidistant between the county's two largest settlements, Carlisle and Barrow-in-Furness, and is served by the Cumbrian Coast Line and the A595 road...
area, the first non-voluntary conversion from analogue to digital television, take-up of the help scheme has been surprisingly low. This may be partly due to the high percentage of homes already receiving satellite TV in the absence, before switchover, of any Freeview transmissions. Additionally, many householders who met the age criteria but had no special needs did not require the enhanced set-top box, or a replacement aerial (most of the population lives within a few kilometres of the transmitter) and therefore had no reason to pay the £40 flat fee.