91Èȱ¬

The number of older and disabled people who have received help to switch to digital TV this week passed the half a million mark, the 91Èȱ¬-run Switchover Help Scheme has announced.

The 500,000th Switchover Help Scheme customer had their digital TV equipment installed this week, about two and half years after switchover started in earnest.

The Switchover Help Scheme offers people aged 75 and over and eligible disabled practical help to switch one TV to digital in the run-up to switchover in their region.

Run by the 91Èȱ¬ under an agreement with the Government, the Help Scheme is charged with trying to ensure that no eligible older or disabled person is left with a blank screen after switchover.

People who opt in get easy-to-use digital equipment, installation, an aerial check and 12 months aftercare for one TV in their home.

So far Wales, much of Scotland, the west and south west of England and the north West have switched to digital TV only – more than a quarter of UK households. All remaining UK households will go through switchover before the end of 2012.

About seven million individuals and couples will be eligible for help over the lifetime of switchover. By the end of 2012, it is predicted that more than one million eligible people will have taken up the help.

Switchover Help Scheme Chief Executive Peter White said: "Digital TV is now an everyday convenience for most of us. But for a minority of older and disabled people, switchover is a struggle which could mean they lose access to some of the TV services that they value. So we are pleased that we've been able to provide end-to-end support for so many eligible people who've come to us.

"It has only been achieved with the help of our service provider eaga plc, communications partners Digital UK and the support of literally hundreds of organisations and volunteers across the UK.

"Switchover is picking up pace and we will continue to focus on delivering a consistently high standard of service."

Currently the Switchover Help Scheme installs digital TV equipment in more than 10,000 homes a week, in the Central, Anglia and Yorkshire ITV regions and in central Scotland.

Over the next 18 months, switchover will be rolled out to the remaining TV regions including Meridian , London, Tyne Tees and Ulster.

The Help Scheme is delivered in partnership with a diverse range of organisations, including statutory authorities and voluntary and third sector organisations such as Age UK and RNIB, as well as local community and voluntary programmes. A communities programme enlists local supporters such as shopkeepers, hairdressers and postmen to help spread the word.

The timetable for remaining TV regions to switch to digital is as follows:

• STV Central – switchover began in October 2010 and completes in June 2011;
• Anglia, Central – switchover begins March 2011;
• Yorkshire – switchover begins August 2011;
• Meridian, London, Tyne Tees, UTV – switchover begins in 2012.

Notes to Editors

1. Switchover Help Scheme. People are eligible for the Help Scheme if they are aged 75 or over, if they get or could get certain disability benefits, if they live in a care home or if they are registered blind or partially sighted. The Help Scheme contacts them directly in the months leading up to switchover. It offers a choice of easy-to-use digital equipment, an approved installer who also shows them how to use the equipment and free aftercare for 12 months. The help is available for a one-off £40 for the standard offer, or, for eligible people who are also on certain income-related benefits, it's free. Parts of the UK which are now completely digital are the north of Scotland, ITV regions Border, West Country, West and Granada, Wales and the Channel Islands The Switchover Help Scheme is run by the 91Èȱ¬ under an agreement with the Government. It is delivered by service provider eaga plc.

2. 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.

3. 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 (91Èȱ¬, ITV, Channel 4, Five, S4C and Teletext), and the digital multiplex operators.

Press contact: Fishburn Hedges on 0207 492 0972.