I've heard I have to switch my TV over to digital. When do I have to do this by, and how do I do it? Will there be any help available?

This information applies to England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

All TV services in the UK will go completely digital by 2012. If you don’t already have digital TV, you will need to convert your television equipment to digital. If you can get more than five channels, you already have digital TV.

Switchover to digital will happen TV region by TV region. Whitehaven in Cumbria was the first town to switch over on 17 October 2007. Other regions will start to make the switchover from 2008 onwards, starting with the Border region.

To find out when your region is due to make the switchover, visit the DigitalUK website at www.digitaluk.co.uk. You’ll get plenty of notice before services in your area are affected, and plenty of advice on what to do. Your TV region is determined by which ITV1 service / ITV regional news that you currently receive.

There are four options for getting digital TV. You can:

• get a digital box and plug it into your existing TV
• subscribe to digital cable
• subscribe to digital satellite
• subscribe to a service which delivers digital TV through a telephone line.

The availability of the different types of digital television will vary depending on where you live. To find out more about digital switchover and which options are available in your area, visit the DigitalUK website. There is also a call centre you can phone on 0845 6 50 50 50.

A scheme called the Digital Help Scheme will provide practical help with the switchover for some people, including help with equipment and installation. You will be eligible for help if:

• you (or your partner) are 75 or over
• you (or your partner) are registered as blind or partially-sighted
• you (or your partner) gets Disability Living Allowance, Attendance Allowance or certain other disability benefits
• you have lived in a care home for at least six months.

There is more information about the Digital Help Scheme at www.helpscheme.co.uk.

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