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The report is a sign the government has a long way to go in educating the general population about the transition to digital TV, which is earmarked to be completed by 2012.

A further 63% of the respondents said they had not even heard of switch-off. This figure rises to over 70% for the over-60s.

Nearly two-thirds were worried about the cost of turning digital, which would entail buying new digital TV sets and recorders and in some cases a new aerial. The poll also revealed that 62% think the government should help pay for the switch.

The news comes as a House of Lords select committee said yesterday "it saw no reason" why the TV licence fee payer should foot the bill because they already face high costs for new digital equipment.

It recommended that the government, which would earn up to £2bn from selling the analogue system, should fund a significant proportion of switchover.

The ITV Border region will be the first to turn digital in 2008 with the last being Ulster in 2012, according to a timetable laid out by Tessa Jowell, minister for culture, media and sport.

Those who have not made the switch in time in their region will be left with a blank screen.

In response, a spokesperson for Digital UK said that results from two surveys commissioned by Digital UK are totally contradictory to these findings.

Digital UK said that a BMRB survey conducted immediately after the switchover programme was announced showed overall awareness significantly higher at 65% and early signs from a You Gov survey it  currently has in the field reinforces this in the Borders region.

"As the first to convert in three years' time, the Borders region has been the focus of our efforts to date. Our communications campaign is deliberately staggered to target each region at a time, three years before that region converts, starting from now until 2012," the spokesman said.

Retailer You Me TV conducted the survey among 1,421 people in shopping centres last month.

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