Computers for under £25 will help 11 million disadvantaged Brits on benefits get online

WeedRamen · 10 Jun 2013 at 14:16

Considering the population of britain is around 60 million I think 11 million is a bit of an exaggeration. Many technically 'poor' families still have PC's ( I should know, i am one of them) and the very few who don't are usually within walking distance of a library that has internet access.

While I'm sure the £25 PC's will be very useful to a lot of families I think the extent of the influence is highly exaggerated.

snitcher · 10 Jun 2013 at 14:18

well it is best to have something being used than in a waste dump somewhere else in the world.

Hyburnate · 10 Jun 2013 at 14:30

StonedPenguin said:
Want to use a PC with Internet access for free? Go to the Library.

Luxury's like PC's and Internet should be earned, Not given.

Whilst it's a luxury, it's still one of those things most people need in their household, even people without them usually still need access to the internet, especially with the disappearing high streets.

Orch · 10 Jun 2013 at 14:47

Gackt said:
I swear these forums are becoming more like the Sun and Daily Mail. Hurr durr benefits. Pull your head out.

It's important for people to be computer literate and £25 isn't a lot of money if it does that.

Quite.

Whether you agree with the scheme or not, there is some serious right wing elitist views in here. :rolleyes:

randomshenans · 10 Jun 2013 at 15:01

Survival of the fittest! I've honed my IT skills, they'll just devalue them. I jest.

I thought all people on benefits had 3d TVs, Sky and every one of them had smartphones anyway?

They should give them all Raspberry Pi's with just linux shell on them. That'll really teach them!

Basher · 10 Jun 2013 at 15:04

Gackt said:
I swear these forums are becoming more like the Sun and Daily Mail. Hurr durr benefits. Pull your head out.

It's important for people to be computer literate and £25 isn't a lot of money if it does that.

Whilst I agree with your view, there is a big 'if' there. Will sticking a PC is someones house magically give them PC skills? Probably not.

PC skills are incredibly important, but just whacking a cheap device in someone's house is not enough.

deanolfc · 10 Jun 2013 at 15:09

11 Million on benefits ? Thought it was about 2.8M

Freakbro · 10 Jun 2013 at 15:18

deanolfc said:
11 Million on benefits ? Thought it was about 2.8M

That's just the unworking poor....you're not including the working poor (ie: those on working tax credits - which is a benefit), and some pensioners might be in that figure?

Stoned Penguin said:
Luxury's like PC's and Internet should be earned, Not given.

Access to the internet is not classed as a luxury anymore, in fact it has been enshrined by the UN as a basic human right (rightly so)

I agree to the point that free access could be/should be available at your local library, that's if it hasn't been closed down of course and also, it's not that easy for people in a more rural area, the nearest library might be 10 miles away with little public transport access.

So for £25 to give people access, what a bargain that should be welcomed not derided.

Orch · 10 Jun 2013 at 15:24

Freakbro said:
That's just the unworking poor....you're not including the working poor (ie: those on working tax credits - which is a benefit), and some pensioners might be in that figure?

Access to the internet is not classed as a luxury anymore, in fact it has been enshrined by the UN as a basic human right (rightly so)

I agree to the point that free access could be/should be available at your local library, that's if it hasn't been closed down of course and also, it's not that easy for people in a more rural area, the nearest library might be 10 miles away with little public transport access.

So for £25 to give people access, what a bargain that should be welcomed not derided.

+1

deanolfc · 10 Jun 2013 at 15:31

PRISM ,GCHQ surveillance Are having wet dreams about it already/

Malevolence · 10 Jun 2013 at 16:01

deanolfc said:
11 Million on benefits ? Thought it was about 2.8M

There are far more benefits than JSA, take Working Tax Credit for example.

Mucky_Pup · 10 Jun 2013 at 16:32

Freakbro said:
Access to the internet is not classed as a luxury anymore, in fact it has been enshrined by the UN as a basic human right (rightly so)

That may be so, but I think that's more to do with protecting peoples rights to access it, and ensuring that an infrastructure exists to provide and support it, and that freedom of expression and opinion are available on it, not saying it and ascoiated equipment should be provided free or subsidised to people.

danielanthony · 10 Jun 2013 at 17:05

Didn't that guy on Skint just buy himself an £1800 TV?

Just because people are on benefits doesn't mean they're in absolute poverty...

Pawnless Endgame · 10 Jun 2013 at 17:09

I would rather that these claimants are given a £25 Raspberry Pi. At least they can learn a bit about computers rather than updating their Facebook wall/status/whatever 17 times a day.

davido_labido · 10 Jun 2013 at 17:10

if they need the internet, but cant afford it, cant they just go the library? its what i did when i had no internet for a year or so.

also for the whole "its so kids can learn" etc. cant they do that at school... you know... isnt that what its for?

a lot of the computers will go to the kids that are always skipping school by the sounds of it.

*pessimistic mode off*

Freakbro · 10 Jun 2013 at 17:45

Mucky_Pup said:
That may be so, but I think that's more to do with protecting peoples rights to access it, and ensuring that an infrastructure exists to provide and support it, and that freedom of expression and opinion are available on it, not saying it and ascoiated equipment should be provided free or subsidised to people.

That's very true, and I didn't mean to imply the UN meant it in the terms of equipment, but in the context of today's Britain I do dispute that a PC, of any spec low enough to be usable just for the internet and basic word processing, should still be defined as a luxury. It is an essential in todays modern world.

Even more so for the poorest in society, since as far as I'm aware, Universal Benefits can only be claimed by going online.

Tute · 10 Jun 2013 at 18:04

Sorry but I don't think it's a good idea at all. Who's going to provide tech support for these PCs and what guards are put in place to stop the small percentage pawning them off for booze or fags?

I would rather the money was thrown at putting more PCs in local libraries for longer.

RDM · 10 Jun 2013 at 18:05

I would say that the aims of the scheme are broadly correct, the Internet is only going to become more important rather than less, but the implementation is probably not the right way to do it.

Pabl0 · 10 Jun 2013 at 18:54

Lets be honest, many people on benefits have a computer/laptop/device that connects to the internet.

Put the money into fibre broadband everywhere across the UK.

muon · 10 Jun 2013 at 19:04

Pabl0 said:
Lets be honest, many people on benefits have a computer/laptop/device that connects to the internet.

Put the money into fibre broadband everywhere across the UK.

Most people won't take up this offer. It is pretty much only the people with no computers that will be willing to shell out £25 for a piece of crap computer.

Check how much pentium 4 era computers sell on ebay for, hardly anything.

This to me seems cleverly designed. Only those who can't afford anything better will buy this.

The government also looks good at minimal cost. If 100k people take this up and the PCs + support cost £100 each, that is only £10m whilst benefit cuts total (tens of) billions.