Free laptops possible for jobseekers

Jobseekers could be given free laptops with broadband connections to help them find a job more easily and reduce UK unemployment figures.

There are currently nearly 2.5 million people unemployed in Britain, 40 per cent of whom do not have access to either a computer or the internet, meaning they have a substantial disadvantage when it comes to finding a job.

Under plans outlined by Jim Knight, the employment minister, people searching for a job could receive the free technology in addition to their own webpage to advertise their skills more effectively.

Mr Knight said: "Access to the internet is crucial for low-income families. We don't want to live in a society where people are disadvantaged because they don't have a computer."

People could also save money through a broadband connection as a result of cheaper online deals and prices, while technology such as VoIP solutions can enable cheap or even free internet communication.

The government plans to provide every UK with a connection of two megabits per second by 2012.