The Switchover Help Scheme Bus will be arriving in Jersey and Guernsey this week between Thursday 4 November and Wednesday 10 November (full details outlined below), to remind eligible people that help is still available.
Experts from the Help Scheme, which is run by the BBC under an agreement with the States of Jersey and States of Guernsey, will be on hand to explain how older and disabled people can get help with the switchover to digital television which takes place on Wednesday 17 November.
Caroline Byng, Regional Manager for the Switchover Help Scheme in the Channel Islands, said:” The Help Scheme writes directly to everyone who is eligible to offer them help. We are urging people to drop in and speak to our team face-to-face to find out more about the help available. There’ll also be an opportunity to try out digital equipment first hand, receive help filling out a Switchover Help Scheme application form and ask the team any questions.”
Help Scheme eligible people in the Channel Islands will be offered freesat equipment and installation as standard. Most people aged 75 and over, eligible for certain disability benefits, registered blind or partially sighted or living in care homes will be asked to pay £40 towards the standard offer of help.
For £40, they will be given equipment to switch one TV per household to digital. They will be able to have that equipment installed if they want it, a demonstration of how it works and a free phone number to call for a year after switchover. If they’re eligible and also on income-related benefits, the help will be free.
Equipment has been chosen to be easy to use, and contact centre, delivery staff and installers have all been trained to understand and respect older and disabled people. All installers are vetted, carry identification and will never call without having made an appointment.
As well as the Help Scheme events, eligible people are being asked to respond to their Information Packs as soon as possible. Or to make it even easier, eligible people can choose to apply by calling the Help Scheme free on 0800 408 7654 or instead they can nominate someone else to make their application for them.
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