£1 million worth of digital charges to hit Edinburgh pensioners and disabled

9.31.56pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 20th Jun 2007

John Barrett, Liberal Democrat MP for Edinburgh West, today released new figures showing that around 25,000 Edinburgh Households who are eligible for assistance in the switch to digital television will each have to pay £40 to access it, totalling almost £1 million across the city.

Across Edinburgh, 49,000 households will be entitled to help with switchover. This will include providing the necessary equipment to convert one television and help with installation. However, 24,990 of these could end up paying £40 for this help. These households will include people who are over 75 years old or have a significant disability but do not receive income benefits or pension credit.

Under government proposals just 49% of those qualifying for assistance in the Grampian and Scottish TV regions will get the assistance for free - the remaining 51%, will have to pay the fee.

John Barrett MP said:

"This charge will hit pensioners and disabled people. The government is offering to help them prepare for digital switchover but only if they are prepared to pay £40.

"The 25,000 households who will have to pay for assistance across Edinburgh will doubtless be confused as to why the Government is charging £40 for help and assistance when digital boxes can now be bought for less than £20. This means that vulnerable people who apply for government help could actually be worse off.

"I suspect that the administration involved in collecting these fees will end up costing more than the money they raise. I will be urging the Government to think again about forcing pensioners and people with disabilities to pay this unfair fee."