News
November 2006
Proposed help for the digital television switchover
In the next few years, television is going completely digital. The switchover will take place between 2008 and 2012.
The forthcoming Digital Switchover (Disclosure of Information) Bill, announced in the Queen’s Speech 2006, will give help to older and disabled people to make the switch.
Under the scheme, the help will:
- go to all households with one person aged 75 or over
- go to all households with one person with a significant disability
- go to households where one person is registered blind or partially sighted
- be available free of charge to eligible households receiving pension credit, income support or income-related jobseekers allowance, other households will pay a modest fee.
Assistance will consist of providing the necessary equipment to convert one TV set and the relevant support to install and use the equipment.
Alternatively, those eligible may choose a different platform such as cable or satellite, in which case the scheme will make a contribution towards their cost.
For more information on digital switchover please look at the What is digital switchover? page on the Directgov website.
There are a range of benefits for retired people listed in the I am retired section of this site.