THOSE looking for work in Gwynedd will be able to get six months' worth of free broadband from TalkTalk under a new partnership with the UK government and Jobcentre Plus.

The initiative is being rolled out nationwide and with no contract - there's no obligation to continue after the six months is up.

It has been welcomed by Gwynedd politicians, with Liz Saville Roberts MP, who has long called on both the UK and Welsh government to improve access to superfast broadband in rural Gwynedd, urging jobseekers to take up this offer to help search for jobs.

Ms Saville Roberts, MP for Dwyfor Meirionnydd, said: “Searching for employment in a rural area like Dwyfor Meirionnydd comes with additional challenges.

“Accessing services like the Jobcentre can often be a costly and difficult task.

“I welcome this new initiative by TalkTalk to help jobseekers get online, and I’d urge residents in Gwynedd to take up this offer.

“The importance of a connection to the internet, and the opportunities that this opens up for people, cannot be understated.

“This is an excellent scheme that will allow those who would be otherwise excluded from the digital world to access a connection.

“Now that working from home is commonplace, network providers and both the UK government and Welsh government should be mindful of the pressing need to improve connectivity and prioritise the roll-out of fibre broadband in rural and hard to reach communities.”

Plaid Cymru Senedd Member Mabon ap Gwynfor also welcomed the new initiative, calling on the UK government to roll out this programme indefinitely.

Mr ap Gwynfor said: “Helping people into work should be a top priority for any government. As the world of work moves online, people seeking employment should not be at a disadvantage.

“This scheme should be fully rolled-out and adopted indefinitely by the UK government.”

Here's how to apply for six months' free broadband under TalkTalk and the Department for Work and Pensions' (DWP) new scheme, which is now available UK-wide following a successful trial in Greater Manchester and Cheshire last year:

• If you're out of work, ask your Jobcentre Plus work coach if you can apply. It will be up to Jobcentre Plus staff to determine eligibility on a case-by-case basis. But if you're out of work – particularly if you don't currently have home broadband – you could be eligible.

• If you're eligible, you'll be given a referral code to give to TalkTalk. You should redeem this code via a dedicated TalkTalk phone number, which you'll be given by Jobcentre Plus staff. Applying this way means you can bypass the usual credit check to take out the product, so it shouldn't have a negative impact on your credit score. There's no limit on the number of voucher referral codes available, and there's no end date you need to apply by.