1. Getting tenants access at home

2. CHS & Community Investment
Independent Housing Association delivering services in Cambridgeshire
50% of CHS business is non-housing
Community Investment delivering digital inclusion for around 15 years for both tenants & wider community
Big Lottery project

3. Making Money Count Project

4. Making Money Count
Part of a multi-strand Big Lottery Fund project to increase people’s financial confidence and capability
Laptop tuition and equipment loan
Supported tablet/Mi-Fi loans
5yr project – 2yrs in, started loans in second year responding to waiting list.

5. Some background Fenland District, Cambs:
Most deprived district in county
Significant migrant population
High levels of seasonal work
Rural district - 4 market towns, 30 villages
Transport network issues
Literacy and numeracy levels amongst lowest in country
High levels of child poverty – almost 2 in 5 in one ward
3RD largest increase in migrant population (211%)
One of country’s largest producers of pumpkins! One farm sold 1 million to Asda in 1 year alone… 1 in 3 parsnips and 1 in 6 onions through Chatteris.

6. The Offer 3 month loan with support Tablet (or laptop)
Mi-Fi (15GB/mth)
Support by telephone or
Explain Mi-Fi – mobile network router/portable hotspot
Pilot partly inspired by information from Post Office-sponsored research
Initial set-up session at home to understand customer goals and help them set some objectives for the loan. Invited customers to save towards own equipment/connection for end of loan.

7. The Borrowers Never had home access Lost home access
Problems getting access
Some already have access but no hardware
We’re seeing – lots of complex situations, mental health issues, health/disability issues, benefit issues, debt issues, some language barriers. Lots recently moved in, quite a few struggling to furnish/carpet etc. Diverse backgrounds, but high levels of illness/disability, quite a few single parents/ parents to be

8. Connectivity 2yr contract 23 lines 16GB/mth - £20/line
‘4G’ connectivity (3G/2G in practice)

9. Some things we’ve learned so far
Any hurdle is a hurdle: Just connecting to wifi or setting up router can be enough to prevent some people being able to get on, even unboxing. Confidence is as important as skills. Language too, e.g. mobile broadband vs wifi…
People can save money – Post Office reckoned people on lowest income deciles could save between £ (we’re seeing evidence that is accurate or even conservative. Most quoting a figure saved over £100.
Personalising works – not news probably! Even when people go off track, almost people are reporting benefits including saving money, boosting confidence, helping keep their benefits. And we know that personalising benefits of being online is best the way to keep people engaged. People not technology!

10. Over a 3rd of people got some equipment or connectivity during the loan.
Almost everyone had a plan to get equipment or connection after the loan if they didn’t already have – some need help with this.
Nostalgia ->

11. Remember this?

12. Pitfall (Atari 1982)

13. Coverage isn’t black or white, and often it isn’t there!
Tablets can get broken – quite a bit. Consider cheap ones, or durable ones! Chromebooks?

14. Some customers will not ask for help
Remoteness – Mifis on loan subject to overuse and 3rd party charges (tuition not). This may also be due to greater confidence in borrowers vs. learners….

15. Choosing a package …for customers Extremely complex Customers
Mobile vs. fixed
Coverage
Usage
Charge capping
Line installation
Line rental
Bundling on top of existing packages
Introductory offers
Credit checks

16. Choosing a package …for us Extremely complex HAs Cost control:
Data capping
Add-ons
Third party charges
Accurate information upfront
Payment
Account management
Coverage
Customer Service

17. A few options for exploration
BT Basic
CHI
…or even developing
a new market?
CHI alone estimate they have over 115,000 offline homes. The housing associations have invested £1.5m so far

18. Where are we going? Explore developing support relationship
Facilitate more savings by people
Explore scalability & replicability
Apply to other delivery
…More learning!
Last point -For example HACT project to look at impact on bottom line.

19. Digital Housing Hub digitalhousinghub.ning.com #digihousing

20. Hub Forum for questions, answers and opinions, even encouragement!
Resources for hardware, software, connectivity, strategy, business cases and more
UC preparation examples from HAs
Digital Deal Case Studies
#digihousing Twitter feed

21. Thanks for listening! …see you on the ‘hub :)
@MMCFenland
CHS
@jameslewischs
…see you on the ‘hub :)