Digital TV Switchover - Household Assistance Scheme

Centrelink and Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) customers may be eligible for the Australian Government’s Household Assistance Scheme to help you make the switch to digital television when analog free-to-air television signals are switched off and replaced with digital only signals.

Currently in Australia free-to-air TV is broadcast in both digital and analog. However the analog signals will be gradually phased out, and Australian TV will become digital-only.

To keep receiving free-to-air TV after the digital switchover, you will need a TV that can receive digital signals. You can convert your current TV to digital by either using a set top box or a digital recording device or you can buy a TV with a built-in digital tuner.

The Household Assistance Scheme has been introduced as the Government recognises that some people will need help to make the switch to digital, and this scheme will provide practical assistance to eligible people who need it. 

You may be eligible for help if you:

• live in a household where you or your partner is receiving the maximum rate of one of the following payments:
  • Age Pension
  • Disability Support Pension
  • Carer Payment
  • Department of Veterans’ Affairs Service Pension
  • Department of Veterans Affairs Income Support Supplement
• own a functioning TV
• do not already have access to digital TV on any of the TVs that you own (if you can watch ABC2 or SBS TWO then you probably have access to digital TV), and
• live in a TV license area that is currently switching to digital TV

Centrelink will send a letter to people who may be eligible for the Household Assistance Scheme approximately six months before their area is due to switch to Digital TV.