Currys and the DPA Deliver Digital Inclusion Programme to Help Families and Support Education in Portsmouth and Gosport

Currys, in partnership with the Digital Poverty Alliance (DPA), has expanded its Tech4Families programme into Portsmouth and Gosport, providing free laptops to help families access essential online services, support children with schoolwork and homework, and stay connected in an increasingly digital world.

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

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

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.

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.”

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.

Since launching, Tech4Families has grown from an initial pilot into a nationwide programme operating across eight areas: North Norfolk, West Cumbria, Staffordshire, Ayrshire, Port Talbot and Bridgend, Lincolnshire, Northern Ireland, and now Portsmouth and Gosport. To date, more than 3,000 families have received laptops through the scheme, alongside access to digital skills support to help them make the most of their technology.

Moira Thomas, Group Sustainability & ESG Director, Currys, said:

“We know how life-changing a laptop can be for a family that doesn’t have one, and Portsmouth and Gosport are exactly the kind of communities this scheme exists to support. 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.”