Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council
This project is delivered by Kent County Council's Digital Inclusion & Capabilities service (Digital Kent), with funding made available from Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council. We are providing digitally excluded residents in Tonbridge & Malling access to digital devices (two-in-one laptops) and digital skills and support development sessions.
This project is now closed. The Hardware Access Scheme is also closed, however we are in procurement for a replacement scheme. You can check the Hardware Access Scheme project page for any updates.
Hi, I'm Doris!
I am the person responsible for the Tonbridge & Malling project. If you need help, you can see if we have the answer on this page, otherwise get in touch with me on the details below.
- Telephone: 03000 410 950
Doris
Senior Engagement Officer, Digital Inclusion & Capabilities
About the Tonbridge & Malling project
Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council, using funding from the Business Rates Retention Pilot Programme and UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), have granted Kent County Council's Digital Inclusion & Capabilities Service (Digital Kent) funding to deliver support to their residents. We are able to gift digitally excluded residents hardware (currently two-in-one laptops) and deliver digital skills and support development sessions.
Accessing support
You can either refer yourself or be referred into the scheme by a professional, using the referral form. Applications will be individually assessed against:
- the eligibility criteria
- the reasons for referral
If your application is successful, we will gift a device (currently a two-in-one laptop), with no requirement to return it.
The client will be able to collect their device by attending a two hour mandatory session. The session will include collecting your device, setting the device up and completing any necessary documentation. A number of dates and venues will be available, and an email will be sent containing a link to book onto a session or you can call us on 03000 410 950.
Please note if the client is under the age of 18 (or up to 25 with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP)) they will need to bring a parent/guardian to attend the two hour mandatory session.
We will also be delivering a further five digital skills development sessions, available to be booked online or at the set-up session.
Who is eligible?
You will be eligible if you meet one the of the criteria groups below:
Group A2: Financial Hardship (TMBC)
To be eligible for this criteria group, you must:
- be digitally excluded
- be aged 16 or over
- be permanently living within the borough of Tonbridge and Malling
- be in receipt of means tested benefits, or your household income is less than £40,000 per annum before tax
- not have more than £1,000 in savings
Group C: Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET)
To be eligible for this criteria group, you must:
- be digitally excluded
- be aged 16 to 18 (or up to 25 with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP))
- be permanently living within the borough of Tonbridge and Malling
- not be in education, employment or training; and actively engaged, or have a willingness to actively engage, with Kent County Council's NEET Support Service(s)
Group D: Employment
To be eligible for this criteria group, you must:
- be digitally excluded
- be aged 16 or over
- be permanently living within the borough of Tonbridge and Malling
- be unemployed and seeking employment or be in employment and looking to develop skills to support continued employment and career development
Important guidance for professionals
Gaining client's consent
If you're referring someone into the project as a professional, you're responsible for obtaining consent and ensuring that the client has read and understood our privacy notice.
Due to the nature of personal information we are processing or could be processing, we require explicit consent from clients before we process certain types of personal information.
Please use our downloadable consent form to obtain a signature from the client you're referring (or their parent/carer if under the age of 18). Return the completed consent form by replying to our confirmation email of the referral. Failure to do this, will delay processing the referral and may result in the referral being declined. The referral will be on hold for 10 days to enable you to obtain consent.
Number of referrals that can be submitted by any one referrer
For this project, there isn't a limit on the number of referrals that can can be made by any one professional but all referrals must be supporting Tonbridge and Malling residents only.
The process for the Tonbridge & Malling project
Once we have received an application, we will individually assess it against the eligibility criteria on receipt of a completed consent form. This usually takes around 10 working days. During busier periods, it may take longer for us to assess. We will provide email notification informing you of our decision.
If successful, we will gift a device (currently a two-in-one laptop) at one of our mandatory two-hour set-up sessions. You will have no requirement to return it.
Following receipt of your device we will keep in touch to find out how you're getting on and whether there is anything we can do to support you. This is really important in gathering the evidence of our impact, so we can continue the work we do - we would be grateful for your support in responding to any requests.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The definition of digital exclusion in the context of the Hardware Access Scheme is essentially an individual not able to use digital technologies, particularly the internet, due to the lack of access to a device and as a beneficiary of this scheme, it could enhance their lives and contribute to them overcoming other disadvantages which they might face.
The quality of the decision is based on the quality of the referral. The best way is to provide detailed context around the client, their circumstances and how receiving a device could help them overcome challenges that they currently face. As our stock of devices is limited and we want to be able to support those residents in the most need, please ensure that a full and valid reason for referral is included. All referrals are assessed by a human, although we may use automation for routine tasks, like the email updates.
Examples of detailed reasons are what the beneficiary will use the device for; how it will benefit them now and, in the future; whether they already have any devices available to them either at home or within local facilities they can use; which eligibility criteria they meet and how they meet the digitally excluded criteria. Such details must be included with every application.
If we receive reasons that are limited and with little detail, then applications that are made on behalf of your clients are more likely to be declined, as we are unable to make an informed decision due to lack of information. Please do not use copy and paste reasons for referrals, as this again gives us little to work from to ensure we are maximising the benefit of the scheme.
Anyone over 18 years of age can refer themselves.
Examples of professionals able to refer into this project are below:
- Local council or Local Authority employees
- Charity employees
- GPs and specialist doctors
- Teachers or Lecturers
- Case workers
- Employment Advisors
Please note that Councillors or elected officials cannot make referrals.
You can refer in anyone that meets the criteria in one of the below eligibility groups.
Group A2: Financial Hardship (TMBC)
To be eligible for this criteria group, you must:
- be digitally excluded
- be aged 16 or over
- be permanently living within the borough of Tonbridge and Malling
- be in receipt of means tested benefits, or your household income is less than £40,000 per annum before tax
- not have more than £1,000 in savings
Group C: Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET)
To be eligible for this criteria group, you must:
- be digitally excluded
- be aged 16 to 18 (or up to 25 with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP))
- be permanently living within the borough of Tonbridge and Malling
- not in education, employment or training; and actively engaged or have a willingness to actively engage with Kent County Council's NEET Support Service(s)
Group D: Employment
To be eligible for this criteria group, you must:
- be digitally excluded
- be aged 16 or over
- be permanently living within the borough of Tonbridge and Malling
- be unemployed and seeking employment or be in employment and looking to develop skills to support continued employment and career development
Depending on demand, we usually provide a decision within 10 working days of the referral being made to either progress or not progress. You (and where applicable the professional referrer) will get an email outlining this once a decision has been made. Please note that delays in providing the consent form for professional referrers, may delay us in processing our decision.
- Universal Credit
- Jobseekers' Allowance
- Employment and Support Allowance
- Pension Credit
- Housing Benefit
- Council Tax Support
- Personal Independent Payments
- Disability Living Allowance
In exceptional circumstances, yes we do. However, we make an assessment on a case by case basis. It is worth providing as much detailed context around the client, their circumstances and how receiving a device could help them and others in the household overcome challenges that they currently face. As our stock of devices is limited and we want to be able to support those residents in the most need, please ensure that a full and valid reason for referral is included.
Currently there is no limit to the number of referrals a professional can make.
There is a limit of one self-referral per person.
Yes. Professionals must ensure that the beneficiary being referred into the scheme are aware that the device is being provided by Kent County Council's Digital Kent team, that they understand our privacy policy and that they will be contacted for monitoring and evaluation purposes. In addition, we require explicit consent to be sent to us before processing applications - you need to use our downloadable consent form. Failure to notify the beneficiary could result in future referrals from your organisation being automatically declined.
We strive to provide 2-in-1 devices (can be used as a tablet and a laptop). However, it depends on what laptops are available in the market at the time of purchase. In addition, we purchase remanufactured devices that are carbon neutral and officially certified (and BSI kitemarked).
These are generally a Lenovo Yoga 11e (with 11.6" Touchscreen).
No. Devices will run on the Windows operating system, with no other software installed. If you require specialist accessibility software, please get in touch with us.
If you require Microsoft Office products, you can go to office.com and sign up for the free version of Microsoft 365.
If you require Google Doc products, you can go to google.com/docs/about and sign up for free.
Each device gifted by the Hardware Access Scheme is supplied with a limited 12-month warranty and any faults must be reported using the My Warranty Claim Form.
For any issues that are not covered by the warranty, we are unfortunately unable to support with.
Approximately every three months each recipient of a gifted laptop will be sent an evaluation form, either in the post or electronically, which needs to be completed and returned to Digital Kent. These forms focus on the benefits of gifting a free device to you, such as improvements with education, employment, household finances, or health and wellbeing. This will enable Digital Kent to evidence the impact we are having and secure our Schemes into the future to continue to help other residents.
