{{Use British English|date=June 2014}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2026}} The '''Switchover Help Scheme''' was part of the [[digital television]] [[Digital terrestrial television in the United Kingdom#Digital switchover|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 aimed to ensure that up to 7 million households meeting its eligibility criteria would continue to be able to receive television broadcasts after [[analogue TV|analogue]] transmissions had been [[Digital switchover dates in the United Kingdom|switched off]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.digitaltelevision.gov.uk/pdf_documents/publications/2007/digitalhelpschemeagreement_Cm71185.pdf |title=The official agreement for implementation of the scheme |access-date=19 November 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090419175639/http://www.digitaltelevision.gov.uk/pdf_documents/publications/2007/digitalhelpschemeagreement_Cm71185.pdf |archive-date=19 April 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The service was scheduled to run until March 2013 after which no more households could apply, however the switchover process was completed on 23 October 2012 with the ceasing of analogue TV broadcasts in Northern Ireland.<ref>[http://www.helpscheme.co.uk/en/helpscheme/northernireland Switchover Help Scheme – Region Northern Ireland.] Retrieved 25 August 2012</ref><ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-20048154 Northern Ireland completes UK digital TV switchover.] Retrieved 24 October 2012</ref>
==Eligibility criteria== The scheme was 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 were at least 75 years old, or received a [[Disability Living Allowance]] or [[Attendance Allowance]], or one or more residents were registered as blind or partially sighted. Also, all residents who had lived in a care home for at least 6 months were automatically eligible.
==Cost== If the eligible person (or the person's partner) also received income-related benefits or pension credit, the scheme was free of charge for the standard option. All other recipients had to pay a flat fee of £40.
==Procedure== The scheme provided, in essence, whatever it took to get an appropriate digital television service into the household, by the most cost-effective method. For most households this was a set-top box for [[digital terrestrial television|digital terrestrial TV]]; the models supplied had to meet certain core requirements beyond what is seen on standard digital boxes, most notably the provision of [[Audio description]]. The remote controls provided had also to meet requirements for ease of use. The scheme also provided any help that was required to get the equipment running, including user training and, if necessary, replacement of the aerial system.
Householders who preferred to replace an analogue TV set completely, with a digital TV, or wanted a box which included a digital TV recording facility, could obtain these at discount prices. Householders who chose not to receive digital terrestrial TV could opt for a discount on the cost of a subscription-based TV service ([[satellite television|satellite]] or [[cable television|cable]]) – or off the cost of a [[Freesat]] installation.
==Whitehaven trial== It has been reported that in the [[Whitehaven]] area, the first non-voluntary conversion from analogue to digital television, take-up of the help scheme has been surprisingly low.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/organgrinder/2007/11/lessons_to_be_learned_from_whi.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071117051846/http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/organgrinder/2007/11/lessons_to_be_learned_from_whi.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 November 2007|title=Blogposts | The Guardian|website=the Guardian}}</ref> This may be partly due to the high percentage of homes already receiving satellite TV in the absence, before switchover, of any [[Freeview (UK)|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.
==Helping Hand Campaign== The Helping Hand Campaign urged people to tell those aged over 75 and disabled people about the special assistance available for switching from analogue to digital television.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-13069205|title=Scheme encourages digital switchover help for elderly|publisher=[[BBC News Online]]|date=13 April 2011|accessdate=8 November 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.helpscheme.co.uk/en/press/release/2010-02-03-maggie-philbin-urges-people-swindon-come-and-lend-helping-hand|title=Maggie Philbin urges people in Swindon to come and lend a helping hand|publisher=Switchover Help Scheme|date=3 February 2010|accessdate=8 November 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.itv.com/news/tyne-tees/2012-08-01/tv-presenter-maggie-philbin-champions-the-switchover-help-scheme-for-the-digital-switchover/|title=TV Presenter Maggie Philbin lends a hand in Gateshead for the digital TV switchover|publisher=[[ITV News]]|date=1 August 2012|accessdate=1 August 2012}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.helpscheme.co.uk Switchover Help Scheme website]
[[Category:Digital television in the United Kingdom]]