The Tax Cheapo

As part of the UK government’s plan to improve computer literacy and IT skills among the under privileged citizens of the country, the free computer scheme is all set to be implemented. The Home Access Scheme has now been officially launched with a budget of three hundred million pounds.

Under the Home Access Scheme, free laptops and broadband connections will be given to nearly 300,000 families falling under the low income category. While the families will be allowed to keep the laptops the broadband connection will be only valid for a year after which the families are free to decide whether they want to pay for the connection or not.

The proposal to implement such a scheme across 270,000 families was first announced by the Prime Minister Gordon Brown in September 2008. The scheme is a favourite project of the PM, one which he had already mooted in 1999 when he was a Chancellor.

Two pilot trials of this scheme undertaken in 2009 have shown encouraging results and it is hoped that this scheme will be a success in fulfilling its objective. The selected families will receive their laptops with internet connectivity by the year 2011.

The UK government is already running a free mid-day meal scheme for school children belonging to low income group families. However, government sources have clearly stated that the children eligible for the meal scheme will not automatically be given the free laptops. Those families which wish to avail of the computer and internet access will have to make a fresh application and gain a grant which will entitle them to the benefits of the new scheme.

If you require more information on either broadband or mobile broadband, a good place to check out is the independent consumer website Broadband Genie. They offer information and free advice; it’s a good site to get started on the internet with free laptop with broadband offers from all the various service providers.