Making internet access affordable for all: Autotrader supports new Greater Manchester roadmap

Autotrader has joined forces with The Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), Good Things Foundation and the University of Liverpool to launch a new five-year roadmap aimed at making internet access more affordable and tackling digital poverty. The initiative follows a six-month collaborative project funded by Autotrader and combines academic research, community insight and policy expertise to identify practical solutions that could help more people get online.

The roadmap comes as new research highlights the scale of the challenge facing households across the UK. Analysis by the University of Liverpool estimates that 1.1 million households living in poverty would be unable to afford even a discounted broadband social tariff, while 5.2 million households spend 3% or more of their income on internet access.

Building on Greater Manchester’s longstanding commitment to digital inclusion, the roadmap sets out practical actions across four key areas:

Social housing

Cost-of-living support

Community spaces and local infrastructure

Support for priority groups most at risk of digital exclusion

These recommendations have been shaped by stakeholder workshops and people with lived experience, helping to create an evidence-based plan for improving digital access across the region.

Digital inclusion is a key focus area within Autotrader’s wider commitment to driving positive change in the communities where we live and work. Through partnerships with charities and community organisations, including the company’s Digital Inclusion Fund, Autotrader has supported initiatives that help people access devices, connectivity and the skills they need to participate fully in modern life.

Digital inclusion is no longer a nice-to-have; it's a prerequisite for participation in modern society. Yet people across Greater Manchester still face barriers to getting online or realising the full benefits of the digital world. This roadmap shows that real change takes collaboration across sectors, charities, the business community and the public sector, to ensure no one is excluded from opportunities simply because they lack digital access.

Key spokesperson

Christos Tsaprounis

People & Culture Director

CONNECT

The partnership reflects Autotrader's purpose of driving change together responsibly, while helping to ensure that access to essential digital services is within reach for everyone.

Find out more about the roadmap and the organisations involved in delivering it.