New initiative tackles digital poverty for families in temporary accommodation
P3 Charity – a national organisation supporting people through homelessness prevention, supported housing, mental health recovery and youth services – has joined forces with Jangala – a UK-based digital inclusion charity – in a new initiative to provide free Wi-Fi for 450 households living in temporary accommodation in the Midlands made possible by new funding from the UK government’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), the charities are tackling data poverty one Wi-Fi box at a time.
The grant, awarded through DSIT’s Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund, will enable Jangala to distribute 452 of its portable ‘Get Box’ Wi-Fi devices to households living in temporary and supported accommodation provided by P3 Charity. P3 Charity provides supported housing, amongst other services, across England for people facing homelessness or at risk of losing their home, offering safe accommodation alongside a tailored support plan. Its services help people to address the challenges that have led to housing instability, including mental ill health, substance misuse, financial hardship and experiences of trauma. By combining practical housing support with person-centred recovery and prevention services, P3 works with people to build skills, confidence and independence, supporting them to move towards more secure, long-term housing and improved wellbeing.
Jangala’s ‘Get Box’ is a contract-free, plug-and-play Wi-Fi device that generates whole-home internet connectivity from a SIM card. Designed for ease of use and rapid deployment, it provides a practical solution for people living in accommodation where fixed broadband is unavailable, unsuitable or unaffordable. By providing free, reliable internet access directly to residents’ rooms or self-contained flats, the project will help individuals stay connected to essential online services, education and employment opportunities and maintain contact with friends, family and support networks.
Ella Hawkins, Head of Tenant Services at P3 Charity, said:"P3 is really excited to be delivering this project in partnership with Jangala. This collaboration will enable over 450 households to get online, giving them free access to the internet. At P3, we’re committed to tackling digital exclusion, as digital access is no longer a luxury, but a critical utility in today's world. Some of the people we support simply cannot afford to get online, and this project will give access to benefits, education and employment, while also helping to combat loneliness."
The initiative directly supports the UK Government’s Digital Inclusion Action Plan, which identifies data poverty – defined as the inability to access or afford sufficient connectivity – as a major barrier in preventing people from participating fully in modern society and the digital economy.
Data poverty is particularly acute within the supported and temporary housing sectors. With more than 130,000 households currently living in temporary accommodation in England, many units lack Wi-Fi altogether or only offer limited access in shared spaces due to budget restrictions. For residents, arranging their own broadband is often not possible due to cost, lack of infrastructure or minimum contract terms that do not align with temporary living situations.
Jangala’s ‘Get Box’ solution has already connected more than 20,000 people across the UK over the past two years, working in partnership with more than 200 charities, local authorities and community organisations. The new DSIT-funded rollout represents a significant expansion of Jangala’s collaboration with P3 Charity, which began in 2024 with a pilot project in Coventry.
As part of the first phase of the new programme, 29 families living in P3-supported accommodation in Coventry received ‘Get Box’ Wi-Fi ahead of Christmas, ensuring they could stay connected during the winter period. Over the coming weeks, the project will scale up, with ‘Get Boxes’ being distributed to residents across P3 accommodation sites in Warwickshire, Coventry, Wolverhampton, Lincolnshire and the wider East Midlands.
All ‘Get Boxes’ deployed through the project will be powered by mobile data donated by Virgin Media O2, helping to remove cost barriers and ensure residents have free, reliable internet access during their stay in temporary or supported housing.
Richard Thanki, Managing Director at Jangala, added: “For Jangala, this project is a significant expansion of our Get Box provision in the UK. Not only will it provide free, meaningful, reliable internet to people who need it most, but we hope to show the vital role that Get Box can play in tackling the data poverty experienced by thousands of other people facing homelessness and in supported housing in the UK through Jangala’s partnerships with organisations like P3. Addressing this is a critical piece of the digital inclusion puzzle – ensuring that the tablets and laptops provided through other schemes can be used meaningfully at home, and people can get online regularly to put into practice what they learn through digital skills initiatives.”
Delivered in partnership between P3 Charity and Jangala, the Midlands rollout reflects a shared commitment to tackling digital exclusion by ensuring people living in temporary and supported housing can access the connectivity they need to move forward with their lives.
