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The Digital Poverty Alliance’s new report reveals how individual device donation can unlock local impact – while reducing waste and building a more inclusive, sustainable digital society.

Across the UK, digital exclusion continues to restrict access to education, healthcare, employment, and essential public services. While government and industry-led initiatives have made important strides, a largely untapped national resource remains: the millions of unused devices sitting idle in people’s homes.

The Digital Poverty Alliance’s new report, Individual Device Donation: Benefits and Best Practice, sets out how individuals – working alongside employers, councils, and community organisations – can play a pivotal role in closing the digital divide. Drawing on recent evidence, including a pilot project in Kensington and Chelsea, the report demonstrates what is possible when local coordination, secure refurbishment, and community engagement align.

“In too many communities, the biggest barrier to digital inclusion is a lack of access to a working device,” said Elizabeth Anderson, CEO of the Digital Poverty Alliance. “This report shows how individual donations – handled securely and professionally – can offer a practical, scalable way to address that gap, while also reducing e-waste.”

The report makes a compelling case for prioritising reuse over recycling and provides a clear roadmap for councils, charities, and local groups to support device redistribution. It includes practical steps – from installing well-placed donation points and equipping staff to triage incoming devices, to running coordinated public awareness campaigns.

Not every device can be refurbished – but with the right systems in place, even partial repairs can generate meaningful impact. And for many donors, giving an unused device is simpler and more immediate than making a financial contribution.

The findings also align with wider environmental and social priorities. Extending the life of existing technology supports the UK’s transition to a circular economy, while helping ensure digital access is not a privilege, but a right.

Whether you work in local government, lead a voluntary initiative, or simply want to put unused tech to good use, this report offers a practical blueprint – and a timely call to action.

The full report is available here.

Get involved

If your organisation is delivering – or planning to deliver – a local device donation initiative, we are ready to help you make it work.

And if you are an individual or organisation with devices to donate, you will find everything you need to get started here.

Digital exclusion is real – but with the right collaboration in place, it can be addressed. Effectively. Sustainably. And together.