Good response to Home Access Scheme

It has been reported that the Home Access Scheme, which provides poorer households with free laptops and broadband access, is proving very popular since its relaunch by the government.

It was announced recently that the Labour government was reigniting a scheme known as the Home Access Scheme, which was aimed at providing low income households with free laptops and broadband access. The relaunch came after concerns that children in households that could not afford computers and internet access were disadvantaged both socially and educationally compared to kids in households that did have these.

Since the relaunch of the Home Access Scheme officials in many towns and cities across the UK have spoken out about how beneficial the scheme could be to lower income households in the area, and many people have found themselves to be eligible to apply for the free laptop and broadband access under the scheme.

A recent report has confirmed the popularity of this scheme, with officials claiming that there has been a huge response from interested parties and eligible applicants, and so far around one hundred and thirty thousand households have applied for the scheme. So far over five thousand applications for the free laptop and broadband access have been approved. Successful applicants receive a Barclaycard that they can use to buy the necessary equipment from approved suppliers to the value of just under five hundred and thirty pounds.

The Schools Secretary Ed Balls stated recently: “There´s been a fantastic response by families to the ground-breaking offer we´ve made. We´ve tapped into a real need to ensure every child, whatever their background, has the educational, economic and social benefits of being online at home. Computers are no longer a luxury for the few, but a part of education as essential as books, pen and paper.”

Source – Rapid Online