Digital Poverty Alliance and Currys scale up digital inclusion programme to help more disadvantaged families access technology

Flagship scheme, Tech4Families, extended to further communities across the UK with more than 3,000 families receiving free laptops

The flagship Tech4Families scheme has now seen more than 3,000 families given access to online services

UK tech retailer Currys, in partnership with the Digital Poverty Alliance (DPA), has announced the expansion of its Tech4Families programme into parts of southern England.

The move brings the initiative into more communities affected by digital exclusion and marks the latest step in Currys' long-term commitment to helping close the UK's digital divide.

To mark the launch, a family in Portsmouth became one of the first in the city to receive a free laptop. The devices help families access essential online services, support children with schoolwork and homework, and stay connected in an increasingly digital world.

Identifying those in need

Families are connected to the scheme through trusted local verifiers, including teachers and care workers, who help identify those in need and support them through the application process.

Where a household does not have internet access, it will also receive a dongle and prepaid SIM providing connectivity for one year. Families will additionally be directed towards digital skills, media literacy and online safety resources to help them use the technology confidently.

According to the Digital Poverty Alliance, one in five children and one in seven adults in the UK are currently living in digital poverty, limiting their ability to learn, work and access essential online services.

Elizabeth Anderson, CEO of the Digital Poverty Alliance: “Being expected to complete homework on a phone, wait for access to a shared device or go without an internet connection is not a minor inconvenience. It places children at a direct educational disadvantage.”

“Importantly, this is not simply about handing over a laptop. By connecting families with existing support in Portsmouth, we can help ensure that they also have the skills and confidence to make meaningful and safe use of the online world.”

Funded by customer donations

The scheme is funded entirely through customer microdonations collected via Currys' partnership with charity Pennies. Customers can choose to add a 25p or 50p donation whenever they pay by card, both in-store and, since the launch of online donations earlier this year, on Currys.co.uk. Every donation goes directly towards purchasing laptops for families who would otherwise go without.

As a founding partner of the Digital Poverty Alliance, a coalition working to end digital poverty in the UK by 2030, Currys continues to work closely with the charity to expand the reach and impact of Tech4Families. This includes supporting independent research into the programme's impact on children's education, digital skills and long-term outcomes.

Moira Thomas, Currys group sustainability & ESG director, said: "We know how life-changing a laptop can be for a family that doesn't have one.

“Tackling digital poverty is a huge challenge, but thanks to the generosity of our customers we've already helped provide laptops to more than 3,000 families across the UK.”