The Home Access scheme of offering free laptops and broadband to around 270,000 poorer families is now put into practice throughout the UK.
The Government first declared £300 million plan in 2008, it has been conducted in two areas offering grants to a large number of families. Each grant will offer a free laptop, a year’s free broadband connection or both in an attempt for closing the digital divide.
Priority will be given to Children in council care and to those with specific educational needs. However, all the low-income families with children between 7-14 can call at 0333 200 1004 in order to apply for the grant.
Children’s Secretary Ed Balls said: “Families who are most in need cannot be left behind in the digital revolution we’re seeing in education.”
However, the executive director of strategy and regulation at TalkTalk Broadband, Andrew Heaney, stated: “The Prime Minister’s announcement that 270,000 low-income families will receive a free computer and free broadband access betrays some deeply muddled thinking.
“No one would dispute that getting low-income families online is a good thing. But the Government’s other initiatives are working to discourage uptake and make Internet access unaffordable for hundreds of thousands of other families.
“As a result of two Government proposals – the phone tax and copyright protection – families face an extra cost of £30 a year to stay online. Demand modelling shows that this additional burden could lead to 600,000 financially stretched families being forced to give up their broadband connections.”
It has been suggested by a latest study conducted by the Institute of Fiscal Studies that access to a laptop at home could result in increasing the GCSE performance by two grades in once subject.
Michael Phillips, Broadbandchoices.co.uk product director, said: “If you don’t qualify for the Home Access scheme you can still spread the cost of a new computer by signing up to a free laptop deal from a mobile broadband provider. However, you will need to keep an eye on your download allowances to make sure you don’t exceed your limit – especially if you have kids at home who spend a lot of time online,” he warned.
He further added “There are also loads of cheap broadband deals available – TalkTalk is currently offering a year’s free broadband when you sign up for 24 months and Plusnet broadband offers one of the cheapest standalone packages on the market, starting at just £5.99 a month,”.