Free laptops and broadband for poor families!

[Mathom]

From today families with children in years 3 – 9 (approximately age 7 – 14), who are entitled to free schools meals, will be able to apply for a grant to buy a computer and broadband connection from an approved supplier, after meeting strict eligibility criteria. Looked after children up to the age of 18 will also receive laptops, and the scheme will offer bespoke packages to provide more support for children with special educational needs.

 

and

 

Eligibility for the Home Access Grant is based on the Free Schools Meal criteria which means that applicants can apply if they are registered for Free School Meals or if they receive one of the qualifying benefits (income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Income Support, Child Tax Credit but not Working Tax Credit and an income of less than £16,040, income-based Employment Support Allowance or the Guaranteed element of the Pension Credit). Applicants will also have to meet the other eligibility criteria, namely:

 

 

o They have a child in years 3-9;

o They attend a state-maintained school in England or have their place paid for by an English LA or DCSF;

o They have not benefited under HA or CfP in the past.

 

Carers and foster parents for Looked After Children in school years 1 to 13 are likely to also be eligible for Home Access.

 

http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/pns/DisplayPN.cgi?pn_id=2010_0011

 

Those with SEN statement and those in care are prioritised

 

Children in council care and with specific educational needs will be prioritised.

 

All you have to do is a simple search on official stats to see that the numbers in the above priority groups add up to more than 270,000. There are around 3,000,000 children classed as being in poverty in the UK. 2,730,000 won't be getting anything so Daily Mail readers can feel rest assured that not too many disadvantaged kids and their families will be helped.

 

You can bet it will be evaluated, it has to be under the strict audit procedures, much stricter than those used in any private company.

[Mathom]

Poor doesn't necessarily mean the family are unemployed. Have you heard of low income families? They pay tax, would you believe it

 

So, sod the poor. In fact, why stop at not giving them a laptop/broadband, if these people pay nothing in taxes then I say their children should not be allowed to attend school, after all, us tax payers are paying for their education.

 

Yes, an income of less than £16,040 would probably cover rather a lot of people in Sheffield alone. Office workers, call centre staff, shopworkers, cleaners, teaching assistants, child care workers, old folks' home workers, all those workshy scum...

[convert]

and

 

 

 

http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/pns/DisplayPN.cgi?pn_id=2010_0011

 

Those with SEN statement and those in care are prioritised

 

 

 

All you have to do is a simple search on official stats to see that the numbers in the above priority groups add up to more than 270,000. There are around 3,000,000 children classed as being in poverty in the UK. 2,730,000 won't be getting anything so Daily Mail readers can feel rest assured that not too many disadvantaged kids and their families will be helped.

 

You can bet it will be evaluated, it has to be under the strict audit procedures, much stricter than those used in any private company.

 

Sorry I've checked through the document you linked to, and I can't find anywhere where it states that those in care or with SEN will be prioritised. Could you provide the link to that statement please?

 

As for your assertation re strict audit procedures, please, don't make me laugh. Are those the same kind of vetting procedures as used for MP's expense claims ? Anyone working for a private company claiming those kind of expenses would have been prosecuted, not just sacked.

[Mathom]

Sorry I've checked through the document you linked to, and I can't find anywhere where it states that those in care or with SEN will be prioritised. Could you provide the link to that statement please?

 

As for your assertation re strict audit procedures, please, don't make me laugh. Are those the same kind of vetting procedures as used for MP's expense claims ? Anyone working for a private company claiming those kind of expenses would have been prosecuted, not just sacked.

 

Completely different process for looking at MP's expenses. They aren't paid from Departmental budgets and only recently have they even been available for public scrutiny whereas expenditure is all open for public scrutiny.

 

From today families with children in years 3 – 9 (approximately age 7 – 14), who are entitled to free schools meals, will be able to apply for a grant to buy a computer and broadband connection from an approved supplier, after meeting strict eligibility criteria. Looked after children up to the age of 18 will also receive laptops, and the scheme will offer bespoke packages to provide more support for children with special educational needs.

 

It's here. "Will be able to apply" is very different to "will receive". To "apply" does not mean you will "get".

[gijoebloggs]

Unless I am very much mistaken public libraries offer free internet access. If people are unable to work (for what ever reason) then surely they will have no problems visiting a local library?

[convert]

Completely different process for looking at MP's expenses. They aren't paid from Departmental budgets and only recently have they even been available for public scrutiny whereas expenditure is all open for public scrutiny.

 

 

 

It's here. "Will be able to apply" is very different to "will receive". To "apply" does not mean you will "get".

 

I was just using MP's expenses as an example of the ridiculous waste and mismanagement of public expebditure. I could just as easily have stated NHS spending, or Police hire car expenditure, or IT spending within local government.

 

Get the picture?

[GordonBennet]

Unless I am very much mistaken public libraries offer free internet access. If people are unable to work (for what ever reason) then surely they will have no problems visiting a local library?

 

A point that's been made several times on this thread but sadly some people don't wish to listen.

[alchresearch]

There's a bit more info in today's computing.

 

The scheme will be handled by Capita.

Surprise surprise. A big Labour donator perchance?

 

The grant will be issued on a Barclaycard, and will be tracked and redeemable for specific products.

That sounds a bit better, at least a desktop might be more useful than a laptop.

 

Research shows that home internet access can significantly improve learning, with evidence suggesting that it does so by average of two grades at GCSE.

 

The scheme aims to further involve parents in their children’s education, and provides them with attendance records and feedback online. One parent in the pilot got a job as a result of putting his CV online, while another completed a training course online.

 

I can't see any problem with this.

 

http://www.computing.co.uk/computing/analysis/2255981/home-access-programme-goes

[GordonBennet]

I wonder how many Labour cabinet ministers will find themselves appointed to the board of directors of companies who produce laptops?

I also wonder how many bosses of companies who produce laptops will receive peerages in the next honours list.

 

Can the labour government get any more corrupt?

[Agent Orange]

Unless I am very much mistaken public libraries offer free internet access. If people are unable to work (for what ever reason) then surely they will have no problems visiting a local library?

 

Yeah, I can imagine the local library in a deprived area on any given night when the kids are trying to do their coursework.

 

Why is everyone obsessed with the unemployed with this story Like I said, being poor does not necessarily mean unemployed, but don't let that stop you all getting a bee in your bonnet about it. I beginning to see "unemployment envy" with certain users