Virgin Media O2, in partnership with Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS), Hubbub and the Scottish Government, has launched a bold initiative to tackle digital exclusion. As part of this effort, 1,200 refurbished smartphones have been supplied to local Citizens Advice Bureaux across 12 Scottish local authorities. These devices, offered free to individuals who otherwise cannot afford one, enable recipients to connect online, access essential public services and maintain contact with loved ones.

This project responds to growing concern among advisers at CAS who have encountered numerous residents unable to perform everyday tasks due to a lack of digital access. Especially impacted are vulnerable groups such as people with disabilities, individuals facing homelessness or poverty, refugees, asylum seekers, former prisoners and survivors of domestic abuse. By granting access to a smartphone and accompanying mobile data, the initiative empowers people to manage tasks like banking, applying for Universal Credit, seeking housing, job applications, and more.

The effort is part of Virgin Media O2’s most ambitious device donation campaign to date, pledging a total of 12,000 pre-loved smartphones to UK charities in 2025. All devices are sourced from customer returns and the O2 Recycle programme, refurbished, data-wiped, and redistributed rather than discarded, supporting a circular-economy model. Each phone includes complimentary mobile data, texts and calls provided via the National Databank, a digital inclusion resource established in partnership with Good Things Foundation. Distribution occurs through the Community Calling programme, formed with Hubbub, with oversight from CAS’s Strong Communities team.