This is not out of the ordinary, with many businesses following suit and capitalising on increased connectivity and consumer demand and moving towards digital-first offerings.
However, with around 1.5m households still without internet access (as of April 2021), this move towards a digital-first future raises concerns around widening the digital divide and leaving those without internet access behind.
It begs the question of how far we’ve really come towards reaching full digital inclusion in the UK, and how we can guarantee it.
What is digital inclusion?
Digital inclusion refers to ensuring that everyone can access the benefits of the internet and digital technologies, including for use in our personal lives, education, social services, healthcare and community participation.
In 2014, the UK government launched a plan to bolster digital inclusion (or reduce digital exclusion). It focused on addressing four key challenges to getting online: access, skills, motivation and trust.
However, six years on in 2020, 5% of the UK population remained digitally excluded, with only 51% of households with earnings between £6,000 and £10,000 having home internet access.
Digital inclusion and internet access is crucial across our entire lives, from education to banking, from healthcare to our work lives. As such, it’s paramount we continue to make strides towards reaching full digital inclusion.
So, how can we achieve this and what are the key pillars?
The 3 pillars to digital inclusion
There are a myriad of factors that will contribute to overall digital inclusivity across the UK, but looking more generally, there are three key challenges to address: connectivity, education and technology.
Connectivity
The internet cannot be accessed without the right connectivity provisions in place. The Government recognised this crucial need, committing to reaching 85% gigabit-capable coverage by 2025, with a dedicated £5bn fund for connecting the most rural homes and businesses, known as ‘Project Gigabit’.
This gigabit-capable connectivity roll-out involves multiple players within the telecoms industry, from large-scale operators such as BT and Neos Networks, to smaller Alternative Network Providers (AltNets), but there’s still work to be done.
Education
Digital inclusion isn’t just about internet access, it’s about the ability to use it.
Around 21% of UK adults do not have the Essential Digital Skills needed for an increasingly digital-first day-to-day life. To that end, a fundamental element to bridging the digital divide is providing education around the use of the internet, including its benefits, the services it can offer and, most importantly, exactly how to use it.
Technology
Technology itself – or rather, the improvement to technology – will play a crucial role in minimising digital disparity. According to research by the Good Things Foundation, 1.41m adults find the internet too complicated. As such, as well as providing education around digital use, technology itself must be enhanced, to improve and simplify user experience.
Everyone has to play their part
At CCgroup, we’re lucky enough to work with a broad range of clients across varying industries, all playing their part in increasing digital inclusion. Our clients are rolling out fibre and enhancing connectivity, providing education or supporting partners to provide education around getting online, and improving their technology to ensure accessibility.
Fundamentally, there are lots of factors at play when it comes to achieving UK-wide digital inclusion. However, if we can focus on the three challenges outlined above, we’ll be closer than ever before to providing everyone with the right tools to get online and keep pace with the shift to digital-first.
FAQs
The 3 pillars to digital inclusion
What is digital inclusion pdf? ›
Digital inclusion is the access and use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs)—like the internet and its infrastructure, hardware, software and digital literacy training—by all people, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, nationality, mobility, physical and cognitive abilities, cultural and socio- ...
What is digital inclusion and why is it important? ›
Digital inclusion is the active, ongoing work to ensure that all individuals and communities have access to the digital technologies they need to participate in modern society. This includes education, entertainment, healthcare, employment, and the increasing aspects of life that now require the internet.
What is the digital inclusion policy in Scotland? ›
The programme provides internet-enabled devices, connectivity and digital skills support to people who are digitally excluded. Our vision is to create digital opportunity for everyone in Scotland. We'll achieve this by: empowering people to thrive and improve their wellbeing through digital access.
Which of the following is a barrier to digital inclusion? ›
In conclusion, several barriers to digital inclusion exist, including the lack of internet access, affordability issues, the digital skills gap, language and literacy barriers, and digital discrimination and exclusion.
What is the theory of digital inclusion? ›
Digital inclusion involves the activities necessary to ensure equitable access to and use of information and communication technologies for participation in social and economic life including for education, social services, health, social and community participation.
What are the indicators of digital inclusion? ›
The Digital Inclusion Benchmark consists of 16 indicators equally divided into four measurement areas: access, skills, use and innovation. This document describes how the indicators and measurement areas are scored to result in an overall benchmark score.
What is the vision of digital inclusion? ›
A vision that all of us have what we need to participate in, contribute to, and benefit from the digital world. This defines digital inclusion as a desired end state, one in which everyone is included. Achieving this vision therefore requires setting out what it means to be digitally included.
How do you solve digital inclusion? ›
Strategies for digital inclusion
This might include subsidies for internet access or providing public spaces with free Wi-Fi and digital devices. Community-Based Programs: Local initiatives can play a pivotal role in teaching digital skills.
Why is inclusion so important now? ›
Reason 1: Inclusion Promotes Tolerance and Reduces Bullying
Exclusion fuels the fear of difference. Inclusion, on the other hand, fuels acceptance. At Special Olympics Unified Schools, students with and without intellectual disabilities learn and play side-by-side.
A plan includes designing intentional strategies and investments to reduce and eliminate historical, institutional and structural barriers to access and technology use.
Is digital inclusion the same as digital accessibility? ›
Inclusive Design. The difference between accessibility and inclusive design lies in their approaches. Accessibility aims to ensure usability for individuals with disabilities, while inclusive design seeks to create products and environments that cater to diverse user needs beyond disability.
What is the difference between digital inclusion and digital exclusion? ›
Digital inclusion is about ensuring the benefits of the internet and digital technologies are available to everyone. Digitally excluded people can lack skills, confidence and motivation, along with having limited or no access to equipment and connectivity.
What are the three aspects of digital inclusion? ›
Access and affordability of hardware and connectivity, as well as learning and skill acquisition are the foundational aspects of digital inclusion, to build other dimensions – participation in digital economy, engagement in civic and political life, as well as confidence and trust in the digital environment – that are ...
What is the biggest barrier to inclusion? ›
Attitudes: Societal norms often are the biggest barrier to inclusion. Old attitudes die hard, and many still resist the accommodation of students with disabilities and learning issues, as well as those from minority cultures.
What are the determinants of digital inclusion? ›
To sum up, digital inclusion requires connectivity, digital abilities, affordability, and accessibility (ITU, 2021). It also requires addressing socio-demographic factors, and issues of usage that would affect equitable use of technology in education.
What are the guidelines for digital inclusion? ›
A solid digital inclusion strategy is built on access and infrastructure, knowing your users and their needs, setting defined goals, and documenting a detailed execution plan. Inclusive content and digital literacy programs promote buy-in and engagement among the users you serve.
What is digital inclusion and how it is different from digital divide? ›
A Digital Inclusion Ecosystem is a combination of programs and policies that meet a geographic community's unique and diverse needs. Coordinating entities work together in an ecosystem to address all aspects of the digital divide, including affordable broadband, devices, and skills.
What are the problems with digital inclusion? ›
Digital inclusion is a social issue
The Australian Digital Inclusion Index (ADII) shows that while digital inclusion is slowly increasing across Australia, there remains a substantial digital divide in Australia. 1 in 4 people in Australia are still digitally excluded (ADII, 2023).
How can I be digitally inclusive? ›
Organisations of all kinds have a part to play in digital inclusion. This involves actions such as ensuring your website is accessible to all users, safeguarding users through cyber security, and improving stakeholders' access to devices and the internet.
