Digital exclusion has become a major concern in policy circles. In rural areas, the problem is particularly acute, but doubly so in less affluent households. Policy Research Group researchers: Maxine Houston, Gordon Allinson and Paul Braidford undertook an evaluation of the impact of digital exclusion for social housing tenants in Northumberland. Householders were given reconditioned computers and six months free internet access. The aims were to: help give people access to economic and social opportunities; prepare people for digitisation of government benefit processes; and, identify possible advantages for social housing providers and Northumberland County Council from using online transactions such as rents and council tax.

The evaluation, which involved surveys, case studies, interviews and internet usage data, considered the social, cognitive and economic gains and contrasted the benefits people expected from the project and those which they actually achieved. The project was shown to be very successful, reporting many benefits. People used the internet more often and more widely than they had expected – particularly unemployed people, who keenly sought information about job opportunities. Older people improved their confidence and skills the most and felt committed to use the internet in future. While children and young people were enthusiastic about their experience, many families could not afford to commit to future spending once the period of free access ended.

The partnership of four housing associations Isos, Bernicia, Four Housing & Homes for Northumberland now wants to find affordable solutions so that all social housing tenants in Northumberland have the opportunity to access the internet’.