55 million unused devices stockpiled in drawers across the country:Ealing Council and Digital Poverty Alliance Urge Device Donations to Combat Digital Exclusion

Ealing, 26th July – Ealing Council, in collaboration with the Digital Poverty Alliance, PayByPhone, and ICT Reverse, is appealing to West London residents to donate their unused electronic devices. This call to action follows research indicating that 55 million devices lie unused in homes across the UK.

The initiative aims to address the digital divide, highlighted by statistics showing that nearly one in five Ealing residents lack a computer at home. More broadly, 270,000 Londoners are without any form of internet access, leaving them disconnected from the digital world.

Elizabeth Anderson, CEO of the Digital Poverty Alliance, emphasised the potential impact of the initiative: “Tens of millions of devices are locked away in drawers across the country, and those devices could have a transformative impact on the up to 19 million people facing digital poverty in the UK. Our digital device donation scheme in Ealing is a great opportunity for people to help out their local community, recycling and reusing old devices to help people get online.”

The scheme, launched by Ealing Council, the Digital Poverty Alliance, and PayByPhone, has already seen over 100 donations. It collects laptops, mobile phones, and other electronic devices to redistribute within the community. The Digital Poverty Alliance underlined the urgency of tackling digital exclusion at a recent event at Ealing Central Library, where Anderson reiterated the significance of digital access.

“In an increasingly digital world, basic daily functions such as paying bills, medical consultations, and online teaching require access to a digital device, as well as connectivity and digital skills. This scheme in Ealing is a good trial run, and once we have successfully redistributed devices across the community, we will look to launch the scheme on a national scale to help millions across the UK,” she stated.

The initiative accepts all mobile phones, tablets, and laptops, along with their charging cables, for refurbishment and redistribution to families and individuals in need within the London Borough of Ealing. Certified IT recyclers are tasked with securely wiping all data from each device to comply with security regulations before installing a new operating system for redistribution. Devices that cannot be refurbished will be dismantled to repair other devices or recycled for their components.

Adam Dolphin, Managing Director at PayByPhone, commented on the social importance of the scheme: “The Ealing device donation scheme is a really important social initiative to support those without devices in the community, and we’re grateful for the initial donations that people have provided. We are now calling for people to open up their drawers and cupboards, find old unused devices, and donate them at their nearest hub to continue helping people across the local community.”

He added, “By refurbishing and redistributing donated devices, we’re not just recycling electronics; we’re providing essential digital access to families, young people, and the elderly who need it most. It’s about making a real difference in people’s lives, one device at a time.”

The Ealing Council and its partners hope that the community’s response to this initiative will pave the way for a broader, nationwide effort to bridge the digital divide and support those in digital poverty across the UK.

The donation hubs are:

For more information visit: https://digitalpovertyalliance.org/ealing-donations/