Digital TV switchover scheme to ensure “no one left behind”

Summary

This publication ‘The Digital Switchover Help Scheme’ (Cm 7118) is an agreement between the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and the BBC regarding the switchover from analogue to digital, planned for 2012.

This Agreement between the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the BBC covers:

Principles, provisions and definitions
Eligibility, making and determining applications
Assistance under the scheme, and review and appeal procedures
Service standards, charges and relations with other bodies.

It also explains the arrangements concerning expenditure, financing and borrowing, the governance and accountability of the scheme, and outlines the types of assistance available under the scheme.

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Law-Making Explained

This is a Command Paper (Cm 7118 2006-07): it is an Agreement between Her Majesty’s Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and the British Broadcasting Corporation.

Find out more about Command Papers.

How does it affect me?

If you work in the media or are eligible for support, this affects you.

The Digital Switchover Help Scheme is focused on providing practical assistance and support to those individuals who need it most, so ensuring that no one will be left behind in the switch to digital TV.

It is aimed at people aged 75 and over, people with significant disabilities - those who receive Attendance Allowance or Disability Living Allowance - and people who are registered blind or registered partially sighted.

The assistance and support provided by the Scheme will include:

Providing equipment to convert one TV set
Help with installation
Follow-up support.

This provision will be free to the poorest eligible households (i.e. those on Income Support, Job Seeker’s Allowance or Pension Credit). Other eligible households will need to pay a one-off modest fee.