Social housing pilot aims to create digital inclusion blueprint

A project in Greater Manchester will develop a framework for tackling digital exclusion in social housing settings, including agreed minimum standards of connectivity, cost and speed, and improving uptake of social tariffs. The goal of the pilot is to deliver results that can be replicated across the UK.

Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) has brought together five of the largest internet service providers, social housing organisations and local authorities. One in five Greater Manchester residents live in social housing and it’s estimated up to 60 percent of these residents face levels of digital exclusion.

BT, Hyperoptic, TalkTalk, Virgin Media O2 and Vodafone will be matched with one of five social housing providers from across Greater Manchester and the pilot aims to reach 5,000 social housing households. GMCA said it would be the largest digital inclusion social housing intervention in the UK and potentially globally.

Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said: “I believe that digital connectivity should be recognised as a basic human right – and treated as a utility like water, gas and electricity. By bringing together five of the UK’s biggest internet service providers with five social housing providers from across the region, we’ll be able to understand better the challenges behind that belief, as we attempt to tackle digital exclusion within social housing settings.”

Social tariffs

The UK government is encouraging internet service providers to provide social tariffs – cheaper packages for those on low incomes and typically in receipt of certain benefits – and aiming to make it easier to apply.

A number of the broadband providers now offer social tariffs but the government says that only 1.2 percent of those who are eligible for the packages nationally are accessing them. Improving participation will also be a focus of the pilot.

There is also a particular focus on residents aged over 75, those with disabilities and vulnerable younger residents.

Encouraging the take-up of social tariffs will include “a combined message from social housing providers, internet service providers and trusted partners such as ageing hubs, resident groups, local councils and GPs,” a spokesperson for GMCA told Cities Today.

The pilot, which runs until March 2023, aims to deliver agreed minimum standards of connectivity, cost and speed, with a “safety net” for those who are still unable to afford to get online, such as access to data banks and digital skills training. It will also look at common standards relating to installation, including wayleave permissions.

Cost of living

Nick Horne, Digital Inclusion Lead for the Greater Manchester Housing Providers, said: “Compared to the general population, the income pressures faced by people and families living in social housing means they are less likely to be able to afford and sustain a traditional internet service contract. We know that having access to a high-speed digital connection enables people to connect with family and friends, and better access services such as advice on budgeting, welfare benefits, health, education, job and networking opportunities. The affordability of internet access is made worse by the cost-of-living crisis especially as being online helps people access better deals and save money.”

The participating social housing providers are Bolton at Home, Southway Housing, Stockport Homes, Wigan and Leigh Homes and Wythenshawe Community Housing Group.

In another digital inclusion project, GMCA recently announced that it is rolling out a programme to provide care leavers with free data connectivity for 12 months, as well as devices and training.