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In 2023-24 Platform Housing ran 1,057 digital inclusion session using Computer Recyclers UK professionally refurbished equipment.
These were attended by 3,932 people generating a HACT (Housing Association Charitable Trust) social value of £1,785,000 to our communities.
Platform Housing recognises the impact digital exclusion has on people in our society, particularly housing association tenants who are impacted disproportionately by the issue. That’s why we work with partners across the Platform footprint to deliver over 40 digital sessions every month to our customers and the wider community.
Our most important partner is Computer Recyclers UK who run the Get Online @ Home offer and provide us with low-cost, high-quality refurbished laptops and PCs without which we could not run these sessions. The fact that these machines are professionally refurbished also helps Platform’s commitment to reducing the carbon impact we have on the climate. Buying a refurbished laptop rather than new, can save up to 85% of the carbon footprint, resulting in a saving of around 307 kgs CO² equivalent per laptop, which in terms of rough equivalence, is equivalent to charging 37,429 smartphones, driving 1,846 kms in a diesel car or 550 kms round trip air flight, per laptop.
The Information Team at Carers Resource feedback on an impactful collaboration with the Digital Poverty Alliance and Computer Recyclers UK:
The Information Team from Carers Resource recently managed to secure a refurbished laptop for Peter, a partially sighted caregiver providing support for his wife, who has physical disabilities from a head injury. Their reliance on a computer for managing appointments, accessing benefits, and ordering online had become challenging as their aging machine struggled to navigate websites and documents at increasingly slower rates. Recognizing the need for an upgrade, Peter approached his caseworker, who enlisted the Info Team’s help. The team successfully secured a kind laptop donation from the Digital Poverty Alliance and, a national charity who work with secure ITAD, Computer Recyclers UK, to collect, refurbish and redistribute computers from businesses when they upgrade.
Over 700 Digital Devices Supplied to our Grantees
Since 2018, the Halifax Foundation for Northern Ireland has supplied 746 refurbished laptops, PCs or tablets to our grantees.
The need for this support arose when some of our grantees told us they struggle to get funding for IT equipment needed to store their charity data safely.
And so, in partnership with Computers Recyclers UK, we developed our Digital Support Initiative, open to all grantees of the Foundation, whereby groups can request a device to support their charity for administrative purposes.
It's been a godsend! I'd have been stuck to know how to keep him happy... I would have been struggling.
Heather is full time carer of her teenage grandson. She finds that having an internet-connected computer in the house makes the relationship much easier to manage. She handles his computer use responsibly, and he, in turn, helps her with her internet searches. As a result, she feels able to say, “It’s a good life. I shouldn’t complain. I’m quite sorted.”
It's very good. All the information we need is right at our fingertips and it can save a lot of money.
Robert likes to get a good deal so he was keen to buy a computer through the Get Online @ Home scheme. It was already a good price, but Robert was chuffed that he got a further discount because he gets pension credit. It hasn’t taken long for Robert to see some return on his investment. He’s already saved money by shopping around online for different prices. His wife and granddaughter have also been getting good use out the computer – it’s become a real family asset.
It's been brilliant. I'm really chuffed with it - it's affordable, effective, and does what it says on the tin.
Bria (11) needs to go online to get her secondary school homework. Bria’s mum, Christina, didn’t want Bria starting secondary school on the back foot. But income support and being a single parent meant that even buying the cheapest computer from the High Street just wasn’t an option. The Get Online @ Home computer offer means that Bria can now study with all the available resources on the internet. Christina goes online to get great money-saving ideas.
This is a great deal, and it's only right that other people should know about it.
Linda was determined to get her whole family online. Her family is on benefits so Linda was quick to take advantage of the Get Online @ Home scheme. Now the kids are getting more familiar with computers. Linda, too was soon using the computer to engage with her extended family – a brother who lives forty miles away, and her two older daughters living away from home. Now that she’s sorted her own family out, Linda has been spreading the word about Get Online @ Home to other parents. She’s also using her new computer to help raise money for the school
I say to people who are on their own, 'get a computer, you can make so many friends'.
Pauline would be lost without her computer. She was devastated when her old computer died and she couldn’t afford a new one. It had become a real lifeline while she recovered from a major brain haemorrhage. Thanks to a new computer through Get Online @ Home, Pauline feels connected again to friends, family and the wider world. She can also keep up with the computer games that help stimulate her brain since her operation.
I wouldn't have minded an instruction book on it, but with Windows, the computer tells you how to do it.
Cyril didn’t want to be unemployed for long when an injury ended his bricklaying career. So he decided to go freelance as a National Vocational Qualification assessor in his old trade. Cyril knew he’d need a computer with internet access if he was going to get ahead in a new job. Being on Jobseeker’s Allowance meant he qualified for a subsidised deal through Get Online @ Home, so he jumped at the chance.Cyril had some experience with computer years ago but has taught himself a lot more skills since getting the new computer.
I and the Learning Foundation have been working and partnering with Get Online @ Home for several years.
They are always so positive, responsive, and helpful and nothing seems to be too much trouble for them.
They are working with us on programmes with key partners such as Microsoft as I know that they will do an outstanding job and can rely on them to do that.
We have recently started to practice more of what we preach and help the circular economy by buying refurbished devices through Get Online @ Home too. These are always in excellent condition and fit for purpose. For me, I am able, as a small charity, to afford higher performing and spec’d machines than I could ever afford new and that is crucial. Still comes with a guarantee and I know that it has had attention paid to it – I have never had a day’s problem.
Very happy to recommend them and there is something special too about this being a family business – adds a touch of service and approach which you do not see as much any longer.
Jane, a Job Centre Advisor regularly uses Get Online @ Home to ensure her Job seekers have regular access to a computer and ability to get online in their own home.
After discovering one of her claimants had limited access to getting online to complete their daily online job searching requirements, she realised this was acting as barrier and disadvantage to the claimant being able to find work. Jane was made aware of the Digital Inclusion Initiative and amazed by how quick and easy the service was. Jane went on to highlight the importance of getting online for her Job Seekers and why Get Online @ Home has been so beneficial.
“Many Job Seekers struggle to have regular access to the internet and complete their daily online Job Search responsibilities. Get Online @ Home helps provide an affordable solution for our Job Seekers. I know several of the advisors here in the Office regularly use the service and they are all very pleased with ease and speed of the service.”
This is a great deal, and it's only right that other people should know about it
Linda was determined to get her whole family online. Her family is on benefits so Linda was quick to take advantage of the Get Online @ Home Broadband deal.
Now the kids are getting more familiar with computers. Linda, too was soon using the computer to engage with her extended family – a brother who lives forty miles away, and her two older daughters living away from home.
Get Online @ Home have always gone above and beyond, to accommodate requests from the different tenant groups that I meet.
We are so happy with the service that we’ve received from Get Online @ Home
Digital Inclusion within the UK Housing sector is growing at an alarming rate with more and more Housing Associations putting more emphasis and focusing more of their efforts on providing ‘Digital for All.’ With this in mind, whenever I am asked to discuss my projects with my peers, Get Online @ Home are always at the front of my mind to recommend. I feel as though the values that Get Online @ Home hold are closely aligned with ours as an organisation and I look forward to continuing to work with them in the future”.
Covid restrictions made it difficult to reach out and help our vulnerable tenants and staying in touch with people from home was a particular issue for many, especially those who do not have the equipment to do this on their own.
In order to try and combat this, Southway Housing purchased refurbished laptops from ‘Get Online @ Home. The quality and price of the equipment has enabled us to do this for over 5 years now, and has helped hundreds of our tenants. The service they deliver has been great and I have always found them a pleasure to deal with.
We have been buying computers and laptops from Get Online @ Home for several years now. The team there are always friendly and very helpful.
Purchasing and delivery could not be easier and the after service is a great help for those who are not used to using computers. The price is affordable and Get Online @ Home always keep in contact with any improvements and upgrades available.
During the pandemic, it was immediately apparent that many vulnerable people were left isolated and unable to shop. Having a laptop became a lifeline keeping those shielding safely indoors yet able to get regular food deliveries and keep in touch with family and friends around the world using Zoom and email. Get Online @ Home managed to deliver laptops quickly to those that needed them, with a reassuring phone call to instruct when to expect delivery.
One lady, unable to use a mobile phone now spends her days talking to her children living around the world on Zoom, something she never imagined possible before getting a laptop.
We are a charity that works with people that have a visual impairment and have been using computer recyclers for many years.
The laptops they provide are very good and we used them at our community projects for our IT classes before Covid-19 came along and we had to shut down our projects.
Our service users find the laptops so important for keeping in touch with their family and friends.
They also use them for shopping and looking for employment.
Covid-19 has been very isolating for many of our service users and these laptops have been a lifeline.
Get Online @ Home are always very reliable and helpful.
This has made a huge difference to the development of our organisation at every level.
Our previous PCs and laptops were outdated, which caused issues with productivity and morale in the office. The new PCs from Get Online @ Home mean that staff can more efficiently carry out their duties without disruption and work remotely using laptops.
“We have also revamped our time sheet and calendar system and now use online calendars for all of our scheduling. We have also delivered training sessions using the machines and may use some of them for IT literacy and digital inclusion groups, bringing even more benefit to our service users. This simply would not have been as feasible with our old machines.
Overall, we are becoming a more digitally-focused organisation, with our support workers now using smartphones and an overall higher standard of IT literacy across the organisation. This is largely due to the support of Get Online @ Home, which has helped our staff to view computers as vital assets to their work rather than a hindrance”
