PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Further Education: Remote Education (28 January 2021)

For students in further education across England, we have extended the Get Help with Technology service to provide support with devices and connectivity. This forms part of a £400 million investment, including an additional £100 million announced in January 2021, to help children and young people continue their education at home and access online social care services.

Colleges and other further education institutions are eligible to receive devices where they have students aged 16 to 19 who are in receipt of free meals, and where they have students aged 19 and over with an education, health and care plan who are also in receipt of free meals.

Further education providers will own the laptops and tablets provided under this scheme and can lend these to the young people who need them the most.

The vast majority of further education providers with eligible students have already been invited to order devices, and orders are currently being fulfilled within 5 working days.

Once providers have joined the service and placed an order for devices, they will also be eligible to request 4G wireless routers for financially disadvantaged students who do not have a broadband connection at home.