Internet Giant to Offer Cheap Broadband to Social Tenants

An internet giant has agreed to offer cut-price broadband specifically to social housing tenants in advance of the full roll-out of universal credit. Talk Talk will be the supplier for the reduced-price contracts for tenants, which will be offered and marketed by social enterprise Happus. The deal, which launches in June, will be £10.85 for the first six months, around 40% cheaper than its cheapest offer to other customers, rising to £19.20 thereafter. The price is based on research by the Connected Housing Initiative – a group of 13 social landlords aiming to increase internet access among tenants – which suggested this pricing would be affordable. Read more on Inside Housing.

Universal Credit – Parliamentary Written Answer

Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the proportion of people expected to claim universal credit who have never previously used the internet.

Mr Mark Harper: Over 90% of new claims are being made on line and all of our Jobcentres have computers available for claimants to access the internet and Wi-Fi.As noted in the Government’s statement on assisted digital services in December 2013 (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/government-approach-to-assisted-digital) people will continue to be supported in interacting with the government even if they are unable to access services online, and we offer claimants the option to claim Universal Credit via telephone or in person.

No Internet Access In 17% of UK Homes

Four million homes in the UK are still not connected to the internet, the Office of National Statistics said.  The ONS's data said the majority, 59%, of those unconnected said they simply did not need to be online. Twenty per cent said they lacked the computer skills needed to get online, while another 10% said they could not afford it. Three-quarters of the UK's adults access the web daily, with mobile browsing growing most quickly. Just over half of all adults accessed the internet on their phones - more than double the total in 2010. The most active age group online was the 25-34 bracket.  Read more on the BBC website.

Social Housing Tenants See Rise in Internet and Smartphone Use

Internet access and smartphone ownership are rising among social housing tenants but usage remains considerably lower than among the population at large. According to new figures from Ipsos MORI, Over 80% of the UK public is now online with smartphone ownership at a new high of 50%.  Internet access using any source among housing association tenants currently stands at 64%, ten percentage points higher than in July 2010, but still 18 points lower than the current national average. Just as it was in 2010, access among council housing tenants is currently 14 points lower (at 68%). Read more on 24dash.

Drive To Get More Social Tenants Online

People who live in council and housing association homes currently make up over a quarter of people who do not use the internet. Now their landlords will be able to bid for a share of £400,000 of government funding for innovative programmes to provide low cost internet access and improve tenants’ motivation to go online. Successful bidding landlords will have to match government funding with their own money, pound for pound, therefore doubling the total pot to £800,000.  The Digital Deal is a cross-government scheme expected to get more social tenants online and spread the benefits of digital living - from finding out about local services and schools for children to applying for jobs and managing benefit claims online. Read more on the Gov.uk website.

Landlords in Talks to Give Tenants Free Internet

Social landlords are in talks with internet service providers in a bid to arrange free online access for tenants ahead of the introduction of the universal credit. Westminster Council, which owns 22,000 homes, is in talks with a private company to provide free broadband to all its social housing tenants. The council estimates three in 10 of its tenants do not have online access.  Under the proposed scheme, the company would pay for a fibre optic link into the council’s housing stock.  Tenants would be offered a box enabling free internet access through their televisions. They would be able to access government, email, shopping and banking websites and some freeview television channels.  In return for funding the free service, the company will offer more complex packages tenants would pay for.  Read more on Inside Housing.

No Government Cash to Develop Broadband in Social Housing – Shapps

Grant Shapps has said the Government is not looking at releasing cash to help social housing tenants gain access to broadband internet. Mr Shapps had promised the Government would end the “digital apartheid” that sees nearly half of social tenants having no access to the internet at home. Quizzed about whether the pledge would be backed by Government funds, Mr Shapps told the BBC: “No we think this can be done by sort of enlightened self interest. In effect, it doesn’t necessarily cost that much to get people online but the impact of it can be great.” He explained that landlords should ensure their tenants can access the internet. He said that with the launch of HomeSwap Direct - the website that helps social tenants move from any home to any other home - providing broadband to all social tenants would also be in the landlords' interest. Read more on 24dash.