Donate-a-phone schemes and tech workshops in line for £9.5m Government backing
The funding will go towards charity and council schemes in an effort to tackle digital exclusion.
According to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, the money will help connect the 1.6 million people who live entirely offline with the online world.
'It is unacceptable that in 2025, millions of people across the UK simply can't access the vast opportunities that technology and the online world offers,' telecoms minister Sir Chris Bryant said, adding that 'digital inclusion is an essential for modern life and work, not just something that's nice to have'.
Sir Chris also said: 'Making technology widely accessible could be the thing that means a sick patient can speak to a GP remotely, or that helps a young person successfully apply for a job.
'Through this funding we're moving further to empower local leaders and groups nationwide, who are already working tirelessly to get their communities connected and change countless lives for the better.'
The Government launched its Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund as part of the Digital Inclusion Action Plan, which also includes an ambition to pilot a device donation scheme, so re-purposed Whitehall laptops will go to people who need them.
Older and disabled people, low-income households and jobseekers are among the groups more likely to be digitally excluded, according to the plan.
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The Guardian
42 minutes ago
- The Guardian
UK could fail to meet commitment to spend 80% of foreign aid on gender equality projects
Ministers are considering scrapping a commitment to spend 80% of foreign aid on projects supporting gender equality, the Guardian has learned. Critics warned the move could worsen the impact of Donald Trump's rollback of funding for diversity and aid projects abroad, which has affected maternal and reproductive health services in developing countries. The Conservative government committed in 2023 to ensuring that 80% of the Foreign Office's bilateral aid programmes have a focus on gender equality by 2030. Labour ministers reaffirmed the commitment earlier this year. Stephen Doughty, a junior Foreign Office minister, said ministers would continue to work towards the target in March, even after the government had announced it was cutting international aid from 0.5% to 0.3% of GDP to spend more on defence. Under the target, 80% of aid spending must go to programmes that have gender as a component by 2030, though it does not need to be the main focus. David Lammy, the foreign secretary, told MPs last month that he could not 'commit to decisions made by the last government' and it was 'for us to look at this afresh'. The government spent £15.3bn in aid in 2023, the latest year for which final figures are available. Of this, £10bn was bilateral aid spent directly on projects in developing countries, instead of multilateral institutions such as the UN. Provisional figures suggest that the UK's aid spending fell to £14.1bn in 2024, an 8% decrease on the previous year, with £11.3bn going to bilateral aid. A government impact assessment said in July that the government's aid cuts meant that in Africa – where half of the UK's bilateral aid goes – spending was being reduced in women's health and emergency response in countries including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. The assessment warned that 'reductions to health spending risk an increase in disease burden and ultimately in deaths, impacting in particular those living in poverty, women, children and people with disabilities'. It also said that there would be cuts to girls' education programmes in countries including Ethiopia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria and to projects encouraging women's participation in peace processes, with specific conflicts including Ukraine and Sudan supported at a reduced scale. Critics warned that scrapping the 80% commitment could compound the impact of the US and UK aid cuts and exacerbate what feels like 'a global war on women'. Labour has promised to prioritise women and girls in government including by promoting sexual and reproductive health and rights abroad, and tackling gender-based violence. Harriet Harman, the former acting Labour leader, was appointed UK special envoy for women and girls in March 2025. Sarah Champion, the Labour chair of the international aid committee, said: 'The UK's commitments to women and girls are not just words on a page, they're a lifeline that gives hope to some of the poorest and most vulnerable on the planet. 'The Trump administration immediately cut all international maternal and reproductive health support, and just last month, burned contraception it had bought for low-income countries. Now is the time for the UK to step up our commitment to gender programming, not step away. 'When we look at conflicts, climate impact and nutrition it is always women and girls who bear the brunt. Our aid programming gives them hope and opportunities in what feels like a global war on women. We can't take that away from them now.' Alex Farley, a policy manager at Bond, the UK network for NGOs, said that 'at a time when women's rights globally are under attack and the US has been gutting all gender equality and diversity programming, it's definitely very worrying to see the UK following suit.' 'Gender equality programming has already been put at disproportionate risk in the government's cuts to UK aid. Upholding the 80% commitment, alongside stand-alone gender programmes, is really important for the UK to send a signal showing that it's committed to tackling gender inequality rather than stepping back.' Amelia Whitworth, head of policy, campaigns and youth at Plan International UK said: 'Anti-gender movements are growing, humanitarian and climate crises are intensifying, and girls and women are being hit hardest. In a world where girls' rights are being rolled back, the UK has to hold the line. 'With USAID slashing over 80% of its programmes – including funding for gender and DEI initiatives – and European donors retreating, the need for the UK to uphold its gender equality commitments has never been greater.' An FCDO spokesperson confirmed that the government was 'carefully reviewing the viability of existing commitments' after cutting aid spending to 0.3%. 'As the foreign secretary has said, women and girls are a fundamental priority,' the spokesperson said. 'From appointing a dedicated special envoy for women and girls to improving energy access for 15 million women worldwide, the UK has demonstrated how integrating gender equality into its international work can transform lives. We will continue to champion the rights of women and girls globally and ensure that gender equality is embedded across all the department's priorities.'
Daily Mail
42 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Appalling text Phoenix news anchor sent husband that ended with their lives in ruins
A glamorous ex-news anchor convicted of a billion-dollar fintech scheme sent a text to her husband admitting they were fraudulently applying for government funds. Stephanie Hockridge-Reis's appalling message to her husband Nathan Reis emerged as Reis took a plea deal over his part in the Covid-19 funding scam. The couple were accused of submitting false applications for Payment Protection Program (PPP) loans during the height of the pandemic. Hockridge-Reis, 42, pleaded not guilty, but a federal jury convicted her of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in June this year. She was acquitted of four counts of wire fraud. Prosecutors allege the couple coached borrowers to submit fraudulent PPP loan applications and received kickbacks once the funds were secured. The former KNXV-TV anchor claimed her actions were a 'sincere effort to support small businesses' in navigating a chaotic government problem during an era of 'unprecedented need'. But a text message she reportedly sent to Reis, 47, that appears to admit guilt has re-emerged after he pleaded guilty to their crime. 'This is us trying to apply for free money — when we don't quite qualify. lol,' she texted Reis, according to a federal indictment obtained by The Arizona Republic. Stephanie Hockridge-Reis allegedly sent a text to her husband admitting that she knew they were 'trying to apply for free money — when we don't quite qualify' Reis was scheduled to stand trial this month but entered into a plea deal on Monday, court records show. He will be sentenced in November. A federal jury found Hockridge-Reis guilty of conspiracy following the end of her trial in June. The case centered on Blueacorn, the fintech firm the couple co-founded in April 2020, just weeks after Hockridge-Reis left her anchor job. Blueacorn claimed to help small businesses navigate the PPP loan process, a lifeline created by Congress to keep workers employed during the Covid crisis. In reality, investigators say the company became a fraud factory. According to a congressional subcommittee, Blueacorn processed over $12.5 billion in loans and pocketed up to $300 million for its ownership group, while spending virtually nothing on fraud prevention. While many small businesses struggled to survive during the pandemic, the Reis family were living large, filming videos with bricks of cash, flaunting Rolex watches, and vacationing on the balconies of tropical locales. The court was shown photos of her holding stacks of $100 bills in a bathtub and video captured at a luxury beachfront apartment in Puerto Rico, where the couple had relocated to avoid US capital gains tax. The jury also saw internal messages encouraging staff to 'push through' loan applications with no regard for red flags and a so-called 'VIPPP' list that allowed high-dollar clients to bypass security checks. 'Who the f*** cares,' she allegedly said in one message about improperly rejected applicants. 'We're not the first bank to decline borrowers who deserve to be funded… They can go elsewhere.' Another text cited by prosecutors reportedly described her as 'the MVP' of the operation. Hockridge-Reis, an Emmy-nominated journalist who once graced magazine covers as ' Arizona 's Favorite Newscaster', will appear in court for sentencing on October 10. She faces up to 20 years in prison for the conspiracy conviction. According to court filings, the couple submitted fraudulent PPP applications for themselves, including one claiming Reis was both African American and a military veteran - both lies. They received at least $300,000 in personal PPP funds. They also charged borrowers illegal 'success fees,' violating SBA rules, and even struck kickback deals with banks, collecting percentages of loans that were funded, prosecutors alleged. Blueacorn's practices were so brazen that Congress launched a formal investigation, revealing that while the company collected over $1 billion in taxpayer-funded processing fees, it spent only $8.6 million on fraud prevention, less than 1 percent of its intake. She spent seven years as a respected anchor for the Phoenix-based ABC affiliate and previously worked for CBS News Radio in London. Her career accolades include an Emmy nomination and features in local lifestyle publications One congressional report summarized the company's internal directive succinctly: Speed over accuracy. Some employees, with zero financial training, were reportedly processing hundreds of loans in under 30 seconds each. 'This was not about helping small businesses,' a federal official close to the investigation said. 'It was about siphoning off a national crisis for personal gain.' During the trial, federal attorneys also introduced a superseding indictment alleging that the couple fabricated payroll records, tax documents, and bank statements. In one application, Hockridge-Reis and Reis claimed to own an Amazon business generating six figures. Another loan was issued to a nonexistent company they claimed had multiple employees. The couple allegedly rerouted money through a chain of bank accounts, using interstate wires to disguise their tracks. Federal investigators say that Reis played a central role in overseeing Blueacorn's day-to-day operations and financial distributions - and helped foster the toxic culture that prioritized profit above all else. Reis plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud on Monday. He is scheduled to be sentenced on November 21 and also faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. The couple's case was also connected to Eric and Anthony Karnezis, two men who earlier this year pleaded guilty to PPP fraud in a related case. Eric Karnezis agreed to pay between $25 million and $65 million in restitution; Anthony agreed to repay between $3.5 million and $9.5 million. The convictions underscore what federal watchdogs have called the largest fraud wave in US history - fueled by emergency Covid aid programs and exploited by thousands of bad actors. The Paycheck Protection Program, meant to protect workers, became a cash cow for predators.
Times
42 minutes ago
- Times
Public spending rise leaves economy with £26 billion black hole
Rising health and benefits spending as well as a decline in North Sea oil taxes have meant a widening of Scotland's fiscal deficit to more than £26 billion, official data has shown. The annual Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland (GERS) report noted there had been a 'weakening' of public finances as spending grew more quickly than revenue. Shona Robison, the finance secretary, suggested the nation's finances are 'sustainable' although business groups described the update as 'disappointing'. The net fiscal deficit for the 12 months to March this year was £26.5 billion, equivalent to 11.7 per cent of GDP, compared to £21.4 billion, or 9.7 per cent of GDP, in the previous financial year. The UK deficit for 2024-25 was 5.1 per cent of GDP. Revenue from the public sector in Scotland increased by 1.5 per cent to £91.4 billion while spending grew 5.6 per cent to £117.6 billion. The report noted the spending rise reflected the larger amounts going to 'devolved social security programmes' while the weaker growth in revenue will have been affected by the SNP's council tax freeze under Humza Yousaf. Scotland's more generous welfare provisions, such as the Scottish child payment, are attempting to tackle poverty but many economists, including those from the Scottish Fiscal Commission which helps to inform Holyrood's budget setting, have raised concerns about the growing burden on the state at a time when public sector finances are strained. The burgeoning public sector pay bill in Scotland is another area about which economists have worries. The GERS document covers devolved and UK government revenue and spending as well as assigning Scotland portions of industries such as oil and gas and defence. The publication is produced by public sector statisticians without political interference. It shows spending per person in Scotland was equivalent to £21,192, up from £20,251. The UK figures were £18,523 for 2024-25 and £17,940 for the previous year. Ian Murray, the Scottish secretary, argued that shows the benefit of being in the UK as Scots get £2,669 more spent on them per person than the UK average. Murray acknowledged people will 'rightly expect to see better outcomes' given higher spending levels and said giving Holyrood ministers full fiscal autonomy would lead to 'turbo-charged austerity and economic chaos for Scotland'. He said: 'These figures underline the collective economic strength of the United Kingdom and how Scotland benefits from the redistribution of wealth inside the UK.' Craig Hoy, from the Scottish Conservatives, said GERS showed the 'huge, and rising, union dividend' which Scots got from being part of the UK. He said: 'If we lost that, as we would if the SNP achieved their goal of Scottish independence, it would have a catastrophic impact on the nation's finances.' Robison pointed out GERS is calculated by assuming existing constitutional arrangements are in place so was not a measure of how the country might fare as an independent nation. She highlighted the recent success of Ireland as evidence of how small countries can thrive and stated GERS showed devolved revenue had grown 9.7 per cent in 2024-25 while spending was up 6.8 per cent. Robison said: 'The decisions we have taken here in Scotland are helping support sustainable public finances. 'Scotland's public finances are better than many other parts of the UK, with the third-highest revenue per person in the UK, behind only London and the South East. • 'Falling oil prices and a decrease in extraction present challenges going forward, but we are clear in our support for a just transition for Scotland's valued oil and gas sector, which recognises the maturity of the North Sea basin and is in line with our climate change commitments and energy security.' The Fraser of Allander Institute at Strathclyde University said the reduction in North Sea oil and gas tax receipts assigned to Scotland, which went from £4.9 billion to £4.1 billion as energy prices and production dropped, had played a part in the deficit widening. Michelle Ferguson, the director of CBI Scotland, said: 'The fact that Scotland's fiscal deficit has widened again in the latest GERS figures will be disappointing news for firms and households alike. 'Healthy public finances are essential to delivering high-quality public services, which in turn support business confidence, investment, and the skills base Scotland needs to grow its economy. 'With economic growth now forecast to be weaker over the coming months and firms still facing a heavy cost burden from stubborn inflation, it is vital that both the Scottish and UK governments continue to back business through this difficult period.'
