The UK governments Housing Minister, Grant Shapps (Conservative MP for Welwyn Hatfield), has pledged to end the "digital apartheid" that has left more than half of council tenants (social housing) in a situation where they are unable to use the internet and or have never gone online at all.

Shapps, whom describes internet connectivity as being the "fourth essential utility", wants local councils and housing associations to explore a number of potential solutions to the problem.

The minister said that he would ideally like to see new affordable homes being built 'broadband-ready' and wants internet access to be a part of the "standard rent package". Landlords are also being encouraged to put more of their services online (e.g. bill payments), which could allegedly help to cut communications costs by up to £340m.


Crucially no new money appears to have been proposed for any of this, which means that Snapps remarks alone are unlikely to produce any radical change beyond what already exists. Likewise it's worth remembering that some of those who are not yet online would be happy to continue going without the internet.