Free Sky box for pensioners
Brian Butterworth published on UK Free TV According to Sky wins TV licence cash to aid digital Switchover - Media - guardian.co.uk, BSkyB will be given first call on the money (funded from 3% of the Licence Fee over five years) to provide free equipment and installation for those qualifying for the Digital Switchover Help Scheme.
The scheme provides a free digital television upgrade for each household in a switching over region that where:
- someone is aged 75 or over;
- there are people with severe disabilities (defined as those people eligible for either Disability Living Allowance or Attendance Allowance or equivalent benefits);
- one person is registered as blind or partially sighted.
The government has passed a law to allow the data held about these household to be passed to Sky.
Full details of the scheme is at: Digital Television - Publications - Digital Switchover Help Scheme
Help with Which system?
In this section
Saturday, 22 August 2015
A
a hemingway5:17 PM
Freeveiw had boosters but it's still bad reception they told me I need free sat can I claim any discount I receive disability benefits I am a pensioner
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M
MikeB9:25 PM
Macclesfield
a hemingway: OK, you need to tell us were you are (postcode) plus what equipment your using (aerial in roof, etc), other wise we have no idea if its your location, a fault with your equipment, mistuned TV, etc. If you need Freesat, then thats fine, but at the moment we have no idea.
No, you cannot claim any discount. The pensioner deal to get you digital TV was just for switchover, and just to get you digital viewing, no more than that. After that its up to you. I have no idea if benifits do allow you anything, but I doubt it.
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MikeB's: mapM's Freeview map terrainM's terrain plot wavesM's frequency data M's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Saturday, 19 December 2015
G
Gul6:41 AM
Is ther any help still available for pensioners that haven't switched to digital tv or free sat
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Gul: No, that expired when switchover completed back in 2012.
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MikeP
4:03 PM
4:03 PM
Gul:
If you have a TV set that you watch programmes on, then you are already watching digital services. If you are watching Freeview via a conventional aerial, then that is digital already. If you are watching Sky services, they have been digital for many years.
If you do not have a TV set at all, then all modern sets are capable of receiving digital TV with a suitable aerial for your location.
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Wednesday, 6 January 2016
J
Jeanette5:33 PM
Hi can someone help me. My ex partner is disabled and has just moved to a bungalow with no aerial. Is there any help out there with aerials? I know we received help during the switchover.
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M
MikeB5:54 PM
Jeanette: The question has been asked before, and the answer is no. Best suggestion is to check what connections are available (dish, aerial, cable), and perhaps work out the the most cost effective answer from there.
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Thursday, 22 November 2018
M
Marion 5:02 PM
My husband is disabled is he entitled to free freesat?
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Marion : Sadly, the assistance scheme closed at the end of the digital switch-overs in 2012. The free equipment was to provide people with a service when the old analogue broadcasts finished.
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Friday, 23 November 2018
MikeP
3:49 PM
3:49 PM
Marion:
Further to that said by Briantist, Freesat is free to watch, all you need is to have a suitable dish installed and a decent Freesat receiver - there is no subscription required.
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