19 December 2006
Culture secretary Tessa Jowell announced yesterday that the government has earmarked £600 million to aid the country's poorest families to prepare for the digital switchover.
Speaking in the House of Commons, Ms Jowell told MPs that the money would be ring-fenced to make sure that it wasn't spent elsewhere and that it would not affect the BBC's programme budget.
The money will be used to help consumers select, install and use digital equipment with provision being provided free of charge for those on income support, income related jobs-seekers' allowance and pensions credits.
All other households will be expected to pay a nominal fee, currently set at around £40.
Ofcom research has also revealed that finance was not the only barrier preventing the public from preparing for the switchover, with only 73% of the more prosperous consumers buying digital equipment, compared to 69% of those on lower incomes.
Ms Jowell also confirmed that the government's primary objective was to ensure that nobody was left out of the digital revolution.
"In the interest of basic fairness and choice, it is important that we ensure access to free-to-air digital TV as near universally as can possibly be," she stressed.
The switchover will start in 2008 and the government hopes that the entire nation will be analogue-free by 2012.
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