PM hopes to get Britain's poorest families online

Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, has spoken about an initiative to try and get some of the country’s poorest families online through the provision of computers and broadband services.

Whilst broadband has become enormously popular amongst the masses over recent years it is a well known fact that not everyone has – or wants – access to this service. Whilst there is no problem when it comes to those that do not want broadband, as this is a matter of choice, it is quite a different story for those that cannot get broadband due to where they live or because they are on limited income and cannot afford it.

The Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, has recently spoken out about tackling at least part of the problem in relation to the digital divide, after announcing that he wants to make provisions for poorer families in Britain to enable them to get online and therefore try to reduce the digital divide in the country.

According to recent reports Mr Brown has said that he wants the poorest families in the UK to be provided with free PCs as well as free broadband, enabling them to get online and enjoy the benefits of the Internet no matter how little they are earning.

It is thought that it the initiative goes ahead funding of around three hundred million pounds will be needed, and around one million of the poorest households could receive one off allowances of around seven hundred pounds each. The initiative has been proposed following concerns amongst officials that children from poorer households have no access to the Internet due to lack of broadband or even a computer, which could not only negatively impact on their work at school but could also affect their future job prospects, with the Internet not being pivotal in both education and industry.

It is thought that the initiative will be rolled out over a period of time across the UK, and that it will be introduced across England by around 2011.