Unfortunately, this deal is no longer available
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607°
Posted 6 January 2010
Free computer (and Internet access for 1yr) for children aged 7 - 14 (yrs 3 to 9)
Shared by
Reload
Joined in 2009
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About this deal
This deal is expired. Here are some options that might interest you:
Thought I'd post this up here as it hasn't been that widely publicised yet, even though it's a great scheme that could help out a lot of people.
So for those that haven't heard, there is now a scheme to give lower income families with children access to their own computer at home. After being trialled in 3 boroughs last year, the scheme has since gone nationwide across England (at present Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland miss out unfortunately).
The 3 eligibility criteria you need to meet are:
1) The child you are claiming for must be attending a state school and in year 3 to 9
2) You must be in receipt of child benefit
AND
3a) Currently claiming free school meals
OR
3b) You must be entitled to one of the following:
Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
Income Support
Child Tax Credit (but not Working Tax Credit)
Pension Credit (Guarantee Credit but not Savings Credit)
Income-based Employment Support Allowance
Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
3 packages are available to apply for:
1) Laptop or desktop computer and relevant software, with full tech support for 1 year
2) Internet access for 1 year
3) Both of the above combined
To apply you need to ring the following number: 0333 200 1004.
You will then be sent an application form and receive a decision within 3 weeks of returning it.
If successful, you are given a notification of entitlement and a pre-paid card which can be used at one of the scheme's approved suppliers to spend on your choice of computer.
The suppliers websites are:
homeaccesscomputers.com
cihomeaccess.co.uk
comet.co.uk/hom…ess
misco.co.uk/hom…ess
homeaccessgrant.com
xma4ha.co.uk
The computer choices available at present are:
Samsung N130 netbook
Samsung R519 laptop
Toshiba L450D laptop
Acer 5235 laptop
A couple of the suppliers are also offering low-specced desktop machines too.
Each of the machines comes loaded as standard (as specified by the scheme) with Microsoft Office 2007, some form of antivirus and also some parental control software. Any additional software is dependent upon supplier.
The operating systems are either Windows 7 or XP. Please double check with individual suppliers on this though because you may find the OS they ship with the machine differs from that listed on their website, so it is best to confirm by phone what you would actually be getting.
The internet is roaming internet with either 3 or T-mobile via dongle.
There's also an extended area included in the scheme for Assistive Technology, that aims to enable children with disabilities and learning difficulties with specialist equipment and software.
Lastly, applications are being dealt with on a first come first served basis, although the aim of the scheme is to supply 270,000 households by March 2011 so there is probably no rush.
Hope that info helps. If you have any more queries ring the number provided or see the deal link for the website.
So for those that haven't heard, there is now a scheme to give lower income families with children access to their own computer at home. After being trialled in 3 boroughs last year, the scheme has since gone nationwide across England (at present Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland miss out unfortunately).
The 3 eligibility criteria you need to meet are:
1) The child you are claiming for must be attending a state school and in year 3 to 9
2) You must be in receipt of child benefit
AND
3a) Currently claiming free school meals
OR
3b) You must be entitled to one of the following:
Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
Income Support
Child Tax Credit (but not Working Tax Credit)
Pension Credit (Guarantee Credit but not Savings Credit)
Income-based Employment Support Allowance
Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
3 packages are available to apply for:
1) Laptop or desktop computer and relevant software, with full tech support for 1 year
2) Internet access for 1 year
3) Both of the above combined
To apply you need to ring the following number: 0333 200 1004.
You will then be sent an application form and receive a decision within 3 weeks of returning it.
If successful, you are given a notification of entitlement and a pre-paid card which can be used at one of the scheme's approved suppliers to spend on your choice of computer.
The suppliers websites are:
homeaccesscomputers.com
cihomeaccess.co.uk
comet.co.uk/hom…ess
misco.co.uk/hom…ess
homeaccessgrant.com
xma4ha.co.uk
The computer choices available at present are:
Samsung N130 netbook
Samsung R519 laptop
Toshiba L450D laptop
Acer 5235 laptop
A couple of the suppliers are also offering low-specced desktop machines too.
Each of the machines comes loaded as standard (as specified by the scheme) with Microsoft Office 2007, some form of antivirus and also some parental control software. Any additional software is dependent upon supplier.
The operating systems are either Windows 7 or XP. Please double check with individual suppliers on this though because you may find the OS they ship with the machine differs from that listed on their website, so it is best to confirm by phone what you would actually be getting.
The internet is roaming internet with either 3 or T-mobile via dongle.
There's also an extended area included in the scheme for Assistive Technology, that aims to enable children with disabilities and learning difficulties with specialist equipment and software.
Lastly, applications are being dealt with on a first come first served basis, although the aim of the scheme is to supply 270,000 households by March 2011 so there is probably no rush.
Hope that info helps. If you have any more queries ring the number provided or see the deal link for the website.
More details at Community Updates
246 Comments
sorted byTheres a hell of a lot more English people that would love to get what you get!
free higher education, free prescriptions, free hospital car parking to name but a few. :thumbsup:
Just rang for my application pack and have been told that the laptop/pc allowance is £400 the internet is USB dongle and up to £180. I was also told 4 of the places that are the approved retailers .... Comet, Misco, XMA, BLI education and that a Barclay Debit Card (assumedly one of those payment card thingys) is issued to pay for the items. I did ask if the application pack will explain everything fully and he said yes .... hopefully that will be the case.
- just had a look at BLI's page and that gives an idea of their packages etc homeaccesscomputers.com/
£29.99 If device only here
cihomeaccess.co.uk/dev…ly/
Might be worth enquiring as the linked laptop has only 1Gb RAM whereas the same laptop from BLi ( homeaccesscomputers.com/hom…tml ) is specced to have 2Gb RAM and is only £19.99 over and above the grant
all this does is teach people that you do get something for nothing...sooner labour are out the better
Don't think so as you need to send them proofs anyway. Lines are open regular office hours though and the form arrives with a couple of days.
But I imagine by ringing the above number you will get further information if you live in these areas.
okay thanks, will give them a call in the morning :thumbsup:
yeah that's what I mean, my friend is a single mum of 3 but she works part time so not entitled
an excellent scheme and will help so many families. heat and rep added:thumbsup:
If it's only the fact of child tax credit that you qualify on then I think also recieving working tax disqualifies you.
Like I said though, I'm not an authority on this, just posting the details as I understood them.
Good find Reload :thumbsup:
Gonna give you some rep too!!
If you only work part time you might be entitled to get free school meals. I think its household income of £13,000 or less to qualify. The post says says child benefit which is anyone and free school meals OR income support etc.
Those eligible are families with children in years 3 to 9 who attend state maintained school in England on a full time basis
and did not receive a computer from the ‘Computers for Pupils’ or the ‘Home Access’ programme in the past. Of these
families, the second criterion is that the family fi ts one of the following:
• the child is eligible for free school meals,
• parent(s)
- on income support
- receives income-based job seekers allowance
- receives the Child Tax Credit and has an income of less than £16,040
- have guaranteed pension credit
- have an income related employment support allowance
- receive support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act.
Families will also have to submit their child benefi t award statement along with their application. They may also be
required to provide some additional evidence to prove receipt of the above benefi ts. This will be detailed on the
application form.
doesn't say anything about not being eligible on faq's if you get working tax credit which obviously you would if you don't earn much :?
localauthorities.becta.org.uk/upl…pdf
03332001004
homeaccess.
grant admin services.
You call this number and they will get you the application with 7 working days with the bad weather.
I shall keep you posted on the rest of the process once i have gone through it.
I would like to thankyou for pointing this out to me as my daughter and son will benefit from this.
Changed the number in the title post now, cheers. :thumbsup:
Appears so. In their advice to local authorities brochure it only mentions England anyway.
That sucks!! Do you claim free school meals? You should qualify for that, then when it rolls out properly you should then be eligible. They are advertising in my local school to claim free school meals even if your child doesn't have them as the goverment are doing this scheme later this year for all children claiming free school meals.
Yep, if you are claiming child benefit AND free school meals that is ALL you need.
You only need bother with the other inclusion criteria if you claim child benefit but DON'T claim free school meals.
anyway yeh, please update the title as it is only 3 to 9
It's for school years 3 to 9 which works out ages 7 to 14
thanks