Why is assistance only available to eligible maximum rate pensioners?
The Government needs to take a balanced approach to providing assistance to convert to digital TV. The focus is on those groups most likely to need practical assistance. Experience from overseas suggests that maximum rate (that is, the full pension) aged, disabled, carers and veteran equivalent pensioners are the groups most likely to experience technical and practical difficulties converting to digital TV. Therefore, the scheme is directed to people who have both practical need, and limited financial capacity to purchase assistance. Maximum rate recipients of the Age Pension, Disability Support Pension, Carer Payment and Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) Service Pension or the DVA Income Support Supplement payment have been identified as the group in need of this special assistance.
