# Home Computing Initiative offers employees low-cost PCs

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2004/04/20/home-computing-initiative-offers-employees-lowcost-pcs/
- Published: 2004-04-20T23:00:00+01:00
- Author: Howard Lake

The Government’s Home Computing Initiative lets employers buy PCs to loan to employees
for home use at savings of up to 45%.
While the scheme won’t mean charities themselves
can acquire low-cost PCs, it could help them develop a more IT-skilled workforce.

 

 

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The scheme is supported by Microsoft, BT and Intel, and was relaunched at the end
of 2003.

 

 

The Royal London Society for the Blind (RLSB) is one charity that has offered the
scheme to its employees. With a wide range of employees in both administration and
manufacturing, RLSB wanted to boost the IT literacy and overall professional skills
of its workforce. The charity selected Red PC as a supplier which could identify
equipment that was suitable for its employees and offer appropriate technical support
to them. It then set up the salary sacrifice mechanism so that all financing costs
were taken into account by the amount of the employees’ contributions. As a result
the scheme has the added benefit of reducing the charity’s tax and National Insurance
costs.

 

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