Recent Ofcom research shows that around five per cent of UK households – nearly 2.8 million people – still have no home internet access, with the rate significantly higher among those renting in social housing.
With no reliable connectivity, children can’t complete schoolwork, adults miss out on job opportunities and access to online public services, and households face growing social and financial isolation.
Digital exclusion is a challenge for social housing providers. As essential services, education and community support increasingly move online, residents without dependable connections are left behind. Housing providers need to bridge this divide for equality and to deliver social value and to meet modern housing standards.
Social value starts with access
Reliable internet access underpins all aspects of modern life. Without it, residents can’t apply for jobs, access healthcare, manage finances, study remotely and stay connected with family and community. Inequalities deepen, wellbeing declines and opportunities for progress are lost.
Why providers are investing
For housing providers, tackling digital exclusion is central to wider goals, supporting:
- Resilience: connectivity enables smarter use of resources and supports sustainability targets.
- Efficiency: digital communication and services reduce strain on housing teams.
- Reputation: demonstrating a real commitment to digital inclusion strengthens relationships with funders, partners and regulators.
Wifinity’s approach
Wifinity designs and delivers fully managed internet services for multi-tenant housing, including keyworker, later living and supported accommodation. Our secure, resilient networks combine wired and wireless coverage with simple resident onboarding and UK-based support.
We manage every stage from installation and optimisation to ongoing monitoring — to reduce operational complexity and ensure residents are connected from day one. This reliable foundation supports integration with smart building technologies, helping providers meet compliance standards, improve safety and achieve sustainability goals.
Recognising that many housing providers need to balance affordability with quality, Wifinity offers flexible commercial models that make access easier and management simpler.
Options include:
- Short-term access passes (daily, weekly or monthly) instead of long-term contracts.
- Community broadband options where a building or estate holds one managed contract, avoiding the need for individual ISP agreements per property.
These models allow providers to offer inclusive, reliable connectivity while maintaining oversight and controlling cost.
In practice
Our work demonstrates how digital inclusion creates social value in diverse housing contexts. Whether supporting later living communities, NHS keyworker accommodation or student halls, the outcome is consistent: residents gain affordable, dependable access while providers can evidence measurable improvements in tenant experience and community wellbeing.
This includes our fully managed WiFi programme across almost 1,700 locations for Anchor, England’s largest later living provider, and our work with Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing, delivering reliable connectivity to over 1,600 rooms across NHS keyworker sites.
Building for the future
As regulation tightens and resident expectations rise, social housing providers must show how they are addressing both compliance and inequality. Connectivity is common thread that enables safer homes, smarter operations and stronger communities. It underpins measurable social value, helps meet ESG commitments and ensures residents are not excluded from the digital world.
We are ready to help providers turn connectivity into a driver of inclusion and community strength. From new developments to upgrades and retrofits, our fully managed services deliver both operational value and resident impact. Learn more about our social housing connectivity solutions and read our introduction to connectivity for social housing.
For more information, visit: www.wifinity.co.uk