The UK's Digital Champion and head of Race Online 2012, Martha Lane Fox, has revealed a new government initiative that will offer cheap computers (PC's running Linux and worth £98) to the 9.2 Million British adults which do not currently have broadband internet access (ISP). The deal will also include an LCD monitor, keyboard, mouse, warranty, telephone support and cover delivery too.

According to the FT, Ms Lane Fox's scheme is currently only in the pilot phase and will use refurbished computers from Remploy, which hopes to sell 8,000 in 2011. Remploy itself specialises in helping disabled and seriously disadvantaged people find work, although it also offers an I.T. recycling scheme (e-cycle).


The Race Online 2012 project ultimately hopes to get "100% of the UK population online by the time of the London Olympics [2012]", which is a worthy goal. The group has also negotiated a cut-price Mobile Broadband deal with Three (3) for £9 a month (usage allowance unknown), which is expected to be offered alongside the computers (hard luck if you can't get coverage).

It's understood that the new scheme will be officially announced this week, with the refurbished computers being sold through 60 UK Online Centres. However charities, unions and job centres are also expected to get involved. Remploy will ultimately need to sell a heck of a lot more than 8,000 PC's to meet demand from 10 Million adults.

Last autumn the new coalition government scrapped a similar £300m UK Home Access scheme. The Assistive Technology service sought to issue grants worth approximately £500 to state educated children from 270,000 low income families (here), which could then be used to select an "approved" computer that included a free 12 month broadband ISP subscription.

UPDATE 18th January 2011

Remploy has confirmed that, within a few weeks, Microsoft will also be able to offer one of its operating systems alongside the computers and "at no extra cost". Hopefully this won't be another recycle of XP, which is in the last throws of its supported lifespan, and will instead be something like the basic 'Starter' edition of Windows 7 or similar.

Similarly an article on PC Pro has confirmed that Remploy is also trying to secure a fixed line broadband ISP deal to offer alongside the computers. This is expected to take another two weeks to resolve and we wouldn't be surprised if BT or TalkTalk were involved.