New campaign to help eligible Essex residents save on their broadband bills

Essex County Council has launched a campaign to raise awareness of discounted broadband deals, which are available to residents who receive benefits.

At a time when living costs are reaching record highs, several broadband providers are offering social tariffs to help low-income households stay digitally connected. Residents who receive Universal Credit or other benefits could save up to £144 a year on their broadband bills.

According to the media watchdog Ofcom, only 3% of eligible households in the UK are taking advantage of these deals – and could be missing out on savings.

Lack of access to affordable connectivity is a leading cause of digital exclusion, which Essex County Council’s new programme, Digital Essex, is working to overcome, together with key partners.

The campaign will initially pilot in Tendring District, with the Digital Essex team set to attend community events hosted by local organisations across Clacton-on-Sea, Harwich and Jaywick, to help reach residents who may be eligible for these deals.

Cllr Louise McKinlay, Essex County Council Deputy Leader & Cabinet Member for Community, Equality, Partnerships and Performance, said: “Essex County Council wants to achieve digital inclusion for all. This new campaign will reach residents in Tendring, which has been identified as one of our priority Levelling Up areas, which would benefit from the digital revolution. We want to make sure that anyone who could benefit from these low-cost broadband deals is made aware of them.”

Lee Knight, Resilience Manager at Community Voluntary Services Tendring (CVST), said: “Initiatives such as these are great ways to help residents save money, especially when faced with increasing financial pressures as winter approaches. At CVST, we are aware of the impact digital poverty can have on members of the community and have just launched an absolute beginners’ technology course, which teaches basic digital skills and ties in nicely with the work Digital Essex is doing.”

Find out more about the campaign at www.essex.gov.uk/broadband

CVST runs a Winter Project, which aims to prevent illness and improve access to information and services that can support residents. They are giving away items to help vulnerable residents keep warm, including clothing, blankets and hot water bottles. Find out more by visiting www.cvstendring.org.uk or call 01255 425692, option 3.