16% of the adults in the UK lack the most basic ‘foundation-level’ digital skills. As more vital services go online, those without internet and digital skills are disproportionately affected making digital inclusion more important than ever. According to the Digital Inclusion APPG roughly 22% of the UK population do not possess the digital skills necessary for everyday life and have predicted that by 2030 4.5 million people will remain digitally disengaged. Those most at risk of digital exclusion include older citizens; the most financially vulnerable; those not working; people living alone; and people impacted by a limiting condition e.g. hearing or vision impairment. It is also important to consider the impact of recent events. OFCOM research suggests that whilst some adults were able to gain new digital skills during the Covid-19 pandemic, many others became more entrenched in the digital divide as a greater number of everyday activities and services moved online. The same OFCOM report suggested that the issue needs to be tackled on three fronts: supporting those who want to get online; providing less confident users with essential digital skills; and ensuring that those who remain offline are not left behind. How can we collectively tackle digital exclusion?

This event will:

• Consider how best to tackle the muti-faceted barriers to digital inclusion, including geography, age, financial status or lack of skills
• Explore ways to enhance access to data and devices and improve digital skills
• Discuss how collective action between industry and policymakers can ensure efficient leadership and coordination to improve digital inclusion