UK’s cost-of-living crisis deepens digital divides

A pupil works during a lesson, at XP East High School, in Doncaster, Britain. Rising costs are making it harder for vulnerable groups – from children to the elderly – to access tech and online services. — Reuters

LONDON: Starting a new school can be daunting, but for British pupil Archie Ruff there was a silver lining – a free laptop to help him keep up with his work.

The laptop, loaned to him by a school programme that provides computers to children from lower-income households, was a relief for his parents too, as inflation running at more than 10% eats into the family’s spending power.