Disadvantaged school children across East Lancashire can get free data from mobile providers, including EE and O2 if they're struggling to access the internet to carry out lessons from home.

Under the Department for Education's "Get Help With Tech" scheme, children in year's three to 11 (ages seven to 16) from low income families who don't have broadband access can get free additional or unlimited mobile data from their mobile provider via their school. 

However, it's not compulsory for mobile providers to sign up to the scheme, so children face a lottery depending on whether they or their parent or guardian's mobile provider is taking part. 

Martin Lewis's Money Saving Experts provide a rundown of what's available and how to apply, as well as details on the providers who are offering additional help to all children on top of the Government scheme already in place.

Labour MP Siobhain McDonagh, who first alerted MoneySavingExpert.com to this issue said: "It can't be right that a child’s education is determined by which mobile network they are on.

"It's time for all providers to step up."

What help are mobile operators offering school children?

Below, is a list of major operators, followed by what help the Government are offering, followed by, in brackets, the additional help soon to be offered.

Help for school children offered by mobile providers

Asda Mobile: N/A (Offers to be revealed in coming weeks)

EE: Free unlimited data (No data charge for all customers using BBC Bitesize)

GiffGaff: N/A (Nothing specifically for students)

Lebara Mobile: No response (No response)

O2: Free unlimited data (No data charge for several sites including Hungry Little Minds and the free school meal voucher site)

Plusnet: N/A (No data charge for all customers using BBC Bitesize)

Sky Mobile: Free one-off 100GB extra data (N/A)

Smarty: Free unlimited data (N/A)

Tesco Mobile: Free 20GB/mth extra data (N/A)

Three: Unlimited data (N/A)

Virgin: Free 20GB/mth extra data (N/A)

Vodafone: Free unlimited data (N/A)

How do I apply for the Get Help With Tech scheme?

To qualify for free data under the Get Help With Tech scheme, the following requirements must be met:

  • The child does not have fixed broadband at home
  • The child or their family can't afford additional data for their devices
  • The child is experiencing disruption to their face-to-face education

If you meet these requirements - and the child or their parent or guardian's provider is taking part - you need to contact the school directly rather than the mobile operator or the Department for Education.

Any mobile user within the house can sign up to the scheme - it doesn't have to be the child.

To make the request to the school, the following information will be needed:

  • The name of the account holder
  • The number of the mobile device
  • The mobile network of that device

Other help offered by the scheme includes 4G wireless routers provided by the Department for Education.