Our lives virtually depend on technology these days. Electronics are the hard wares that bring the technology very close to you. So it is not strange if everyone loves to have that cool gadget regardless of age,gender or social status.
What is strange to most of us is that in the technology space, government is still the biggest spender. Government gives free electronics!
Everyone would love to own a laptop or one electronic device for one reason or the other. As a tax paying citizen,to get electronics for free or at great discount is the cheering news I bring you in this post.
The government offers free electronics apart from the amenities they provide. It doesn’t sound true, right? The truth is that you can access electronics for free or at a more discounted price.
Most governments help individuals and families access the tremendous opportunity technology provides. These opportunities extend to people with disabilities too.
Giving supports to small businesses is an important factor in the economy. This is why the government introduce various schemes to help those who own businesses to get a tech.
If you want to know your chances of getting this freebie, then you need to check their eligibility rules. It’s good to know that you can be eligible to get the computer, you may still enjoy the partial grant or a discount.
Free or subsidized computers through government or national schemes
There are a lot of national schemes of note which we will look at. Well-known local schemes strengthen some of these schemes at times.
GetOnline@Home with a little help
GetOnline@Home deals in the sales of discounted, refurbished, tablets, and computers. They are not expensive at this stage, but not everyone can afford it.
If you meet the eligibility requirements of this scheme, you can get it for free or at a lower price. This scheme began with the aim to give a supporting hand to the Government scheme the Go ON UK initiative.
This initiative is not inactive, but they work through this means. The good work continues with the help of the suppliers. The site is into the supply of refurbished desktop PCs, starting from £99.
It also includes laptops from £169 and Windows 10 tablets from £139. They do this if you meet up with one of the following:
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A resident of a community that has restricted access to tech
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Disabled
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A registered Charity in the UK
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It’s included in a lie income family that gets benefits from the state.
If you are looking to switch to a cheaper broadband supplier, you can get these machines. With Carphone or GetOnline@Home you can enjoy this.
Once you sign-up to any of their approved ISPs you can receive a Notebook or PC for free. Also, for £59, you can get a refurbished laptop.
Germinate: a rural scheme for rural people
Germinate: Arthur Rank Centre gives free tech to people that live or work in rural areas. As at the moment of compiling this, the prices of the computer starts from £125. It is a 3GB memory, and 160GB drive refurbished desktop.
An HP 2570 laptop is the most expensive offer with 4GB memory and a hard drive of 250GB. According to research, there’s are high-spec laptop of £360 with 8GB RAM and a 500GB hard drive. But, this type of offer is not very common.
A lot of this tech is in the low/middle-range spectrum.
With payment by phone or by post, customers can order. This allows the rural communities to have access to faster internet. It is Internet-ready, and they come with a pre-installed Ms Office 2010 home business.
It also has an AVG antivirus paid for 12 months. Rural people alone are the beneficiaries of this scheme. However, it is not only these people who are eligible. Groups of community, businesses, and schools are eligible to enjoy the free computers.
Notable local schemes
Gloucestershire council runs a scheme offering low-cost laptops and desktops computers. There are eligibility criteria, but most charities should be valid for this freebie.
The locals or registered charities with benefits claims may be able to buy computers. These computers are valued from £99-£14. Computers for care givers have made provisions of several free laptops in Norfolk.
These are available for people that are housebound. It is also open for those without access to the internet, because of their commitments. The campaign which done by volunteers relies on donations.
They accept computer donations from companies and individuals. You should get in touch with them through their contact form. State in the form your position and the benefits you wish to claim.
Free electronics from the UK Government
An announcement by the UK Government says that there are plans for the provision of free laptops. This will come with internet connections, and they are for disadvantaged children.
This will allow them to take part in online school classes from their home. These are part of the steps the government is making for children to access remote education.
This also includes a fresh online academy to offer online lessons to pupils.
The followings are the criteria the government is using to offer people the free laptops and 4G routers. You must fall under one of the followings:
· Care leavers
· A social worker with children
· Children that are at a disadvantage and are in year 10, ahead of the coming year GCSEs
The local authorities would be the ones to distribute these devices. This includes academy trusts and schools. They would be expected to decide on who requires a device.
If you’re doubtful whether you qualify or not, you can make more findings from your school. With differences in time and location, instructions are that distribution begins immediately.
Do not forget that the pandemic will also cause a slower distribution of these devices.
Free Energy-Efficient Home Appliances
The Department of Energy in the United States has a program of Home Weatherization. It is available to some citizens with low-income in all territories of the US states.
They give priority to homes with a resident with Supplemental Security Income(SSI). This program provides Government grants for replacing your broken furnaces.
This also comprises of your deep freezers and refrigerators.
The weatherization program also offers the repair of the roof. They go further to replace windows and fix HVAC. All is to make homes of low-income earners in America more energy-efficient.
You can enjoy all these for free. There are several advantages and goals of this program. It also assists the government in the maintenance of existing housing.
This is while creating and offering employment to contractors all over the country. Again, it helps citizens to cut down the costs of housing and energy.
Free Broadband Internet Service
If you live on SSI or SSDI income in HUD-assisted housing or think of living in one of these settings, there’s an initiative for you. This comes from the government, which brings free internet service to your location.
They do this through the ConnectHome program. Currently, ConnectHome offers free and low-cost internet services communities in some cities.
At the moment, they work on a national initiative.This is done for the expansion of free and lowered-cost broadband internet.
This will be available for over 350,000 households in over 100 communities in America.
They offer intent to HUD communities in cities. These Atlanta, Baltimore, TX, Kansas, FL, Washington DC, and over 35 American states.
If you are not a resident currently in any of these locations, you can check the program. Their eligibility list is noted there, and you might be lucky to enjoy it.
You can find out more at the ConnectHome Nation’s website. To find out if you can receive free or lowered-cost internet in your zip code, follow the sign-in details.
Safelink Wireless
They are the oldest and largest government carrier of a cellphone. They also provide cell service to offer 4 million consumers in 31 states. This also includes Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia.
Safelink offers over 350 free local and domestic long-distance minutes. This company also provides free cellphones. You can get free 500 minutes for free for the first three months of using them.
To every eligible person, there are also unlimited text messages each month. This company is offering free cell phones in Arizona, Maryland, FL, DC, Kentucky, and, over 25 more states.
Reachout Wireless
Reachout has been serving California, Kansas, Michigan, and more locations. Reachout Wireless is the free Government cell phone carrier.
You can compare the plan to the plans SafeLink offers. They provide a free cell phone and 125 free minutes of a cellphone.
These minutes are open every month and a free 250 cellphone minutes each month but this doesn’t rollover. Their users also enjoy exclusive features.
These features three-way calling, caller ID, call waiting, and lots more.
Indirectly THROUGH LEGISLATION
This is interesting yet very simple. State governments use legislation to provide free and discounted electronics to citizens.
They make laws that compel electronics manufacturers to take back used electronics in exchange for gift cards etc.
This law backs the Take Back Program. If your state does not yet have it,you can call your representative in the state legislature to present it.
Conclusion
Governments know there’s more to life. With its help,citizens can meet their needs for electronics. Less-privileged and low-income earners can access tech or electronic devices.
One thing you can be rest assured you will get is; the specifications and quality of the electronics you will get for free are of excellent standards.
