Leigh SmythManaging DirectorRace Online 2012

“Digital literacy is a great enabler of social mobility… it can break down feelings of social isolation.”Rt Hon Iain Duncan Smith MP

“I call on every social landlord to look long and hard at how they can help their tenants get online. Government is committed to helping demolish this

unacceptable digital divide.” Rt Hon Grant Shapps, Housing Minister

“It is vital, and achievable, that housing professionals rise to the challenge and opportunity of bringing residents online. It's essential to give residents all the tools and skills to manage their lives.” Martha Lane Fox, UK Digital Champion

• 9.5m people in 4.1m homes

• 44% of households’ income <£10,000 (England)

• 60% of tenants economically inactive (31% retired and

29% sick/disabled/full-time students/looking after family

or home) (England)

• 21% of +65yr olds live in social housing (England)

• 44% of single parents live in social housing (England)

“Vulnerable groups are concentrated in the social housing sector” – Shelter – More than 3 challenges !!

Well-being = digital capability = opportunities ONS domains to measure subjective well-being:

RELATIONSHIPS

3.1 million 65yr olds don’t see a family, friend or neighbour even once a week (Participle)

Internet access enables closer and more regular contact with friends and family, decreasing isolation

More than half of +75yr olds live alone (Age UK)

96% of Internet users say the Internet has improved their life (UKonline)

1 million +65yr olds “always or often feel lonely” (Age UK)

The Internet has a direct positive impact on life satisfaction (BCS)

WHAT WE DO

Internet users report higher levels of happiness, self-confidence and overall quality of life than non-users (UK Online)

Internet access enables lifelong learning opportunities, more choice and control of healthcare options

HEALTH

39% +65yr olds have a disability (ONS)

Mobility barriers are eased by online shopping, communication, banking and bill-payment

Around half of those offline in the UK have a disability (ONS)

Internet users feel less worried about health issues (Freshminds/UKO)

PERSONAL FINANCE

Shopping and paying bills online saves the average household £560 per year (PwC)

People in 3.6 million low income and digitally excluded households (9% of UK adults) could be saving over £1 billion per year (PwC)

Well-being = digital capability = opportunities ONS domains to measure subjective well-being:

WHERE WE LIVE

HomeSwap Direct is an online-only government scheme designed to increase the mobility of social housing tenants (DCLG)

EDUCATION & SKILLS

Children in homes with Internet access can achieve 2 grades higher (e-Learning Foundation)

If the 1.6 million children in families not using the Internet got online at home, it could boost their total lifetime earnings by over £10 billion (PwC)

Internet users are 25% more confident of their skills to get a new job (Freshminds)

Estimated lifetime benefit of £12,000 for unemployed people getting online and increasing employment chances (PwC)

Digitally excluded employed people can increase their career choices

People with good ICT skills earn between 3% and 10% more than people without (PwC) Over 90% of all new jobs require ICT skills

Well-being = digital capability = opportunities ONS domains to measure subjective well-being:

1. deliver more for less2. fulfil core social commitments

Low Digital Capability in UK Social Housing• 40+% of adults in UK social housing not online• 200 social housing providers = 75% of stock / 3m homes / 7m people• Home Access programme = 90% retained/paid for internet post grant

support

Digital technology meets the twin imperatives of social housing

Broad brush analysis = £3bn total UK benefits

•Housing Providers cost-effective communications = £340m pa•4.1m adults offline pay bills and shop online = £530m pa (lowest decile)•245,000 children in offline social housing boost future earnings = £1.5bn•Just 3.5% of people offline and unemployed find work online = £217m•Just 3.5% of people offline and in work developed their ICT skills = £750m •Local government moves online just one monthly transaction with offline adults = £360m pa•Wellbeing and reduced isolation for tenants

Peabody – estimated savings•£330,792 = 125,300 annual tenant contacts moved online from telephone•£219,667 = moving repairs and maintenance enquiries online•8% saving on transaction costs = rent payments made online (currently 5%)•Also anticipate fewer rent arrears + faster and cheaper income collection process

Digital By Default Social Housing - Business Casemeasured benefits for tenants, housing providers and government

• December communiqué to all HA CEOs – Housing Minister, National Housing

Federation, Local Govt Assoc, Chartered Institute of Housing, RO12

• CLG scoping ‘Digital Deal’ + internet as “4th Utility”

• Sector focusing on solutions, programmes

• HAs consolidating – UKO SHPDISG, www.digitalhousinghub.ning.com,

BDUK endorses Go ON Places model (LAs + HAs working together)

• Housing providers looking for solutions (big investment from Peabody, Home

Group, Whitefriars, many others)

Digital Housing – ministerial summit and beyond

“Housing minister pledges to end ‘digital apartheid’ in social housing tenants”

Join the www.DigitalHousingHub.ning.com

Prepare an organisation wide Digital Strategy

Promote low cost (sub £100) computers and connectivity deals - bit.ly/LowCostKit • Microsoft backed, Get Online @ Home: Refurbished PCs with Win7• Remploy: Refurbished PCs with open source software• PCXUK: Refurbished PCs with Win7

Promote the free local internet taster session Freephone helpline - 0800 77 1234

Support Go ON Get Local & Recruit Digital Champions at www.go-on.co.uk/champions

What social housing providers can do – 5 opportunities

Main barriers for non-users = poor understanding of benefits (64%) and

cost (23%)

30m UK adults use the internet on a daily basis

1/3 of internet user are willing to pass on skills

A Digital ChampionSomeone who helps someone else to take their first steps online

INSPIRE Promoting the

benefits not just the

price/spec

ENCOURAGELow-cost/Free

IT skills training

NETWORKED UK

8.4 MILLION people have

never used the internet

SUPPORT Access to low-cost hardware connectivity

What is it?•scaling the national RO2012 challenge down to targeted local activity•a blueprint for Local Authority-lead sustainable action•leverage Race Online 2012 national partners – such as UK online centre network, Job Centre Plus, Mecca Bingo – joined up with vital local partners i.e. voluntary sector, housing•RO2012 tools: digital champions, and teaching/marketing aides, low-cost kit •media buzz and awareness raising

Go On get local – is active in Liverpool, Leeds, Sheffield, Doncaster, Barnsley, North Yorkshire

Go On London •6 host boroughs = ‘biggest area of non-employment in Europe’•Political buy-in from leaders and mayors of 6 host boroughs – Hackney, Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest, Newham, Barking and Dagenham, Greenwich•Pending data to confirm ONS/Experian stats re levels of offline population (30% in Hackney vs UK average of 16%) target to be placed on Host boroughs Unit Strategic Regeneration Framework (ie ‘Convergence’ target)•Cross-sector delivery team to meet Feb/March, announcement of ambition April to piggyback spotlight of Olympics

Go ON get local

Digital Champion ITQ – Sustainable solutions from Digital Unite

• New IT qualification• Formal Level 2 accreditation• Supports professional and personal development• More formal and structured• Practical issues such as online safety• Emphasis on empathetic and creative engagement • One-to-one online support throughout• Large resource of content to support Digital Champions

Google; Skype; connectivity options; Accessibility; Browser customisation; Facebook, Twitter and the social internet; Upgrades and players; Creative

activities online; Podcasting and blogging

Leigh Smyth, MD, Race Online 2012

Thank you for your time