Digital Inclusion Action Plan: First Steps
The Digital Inclusion Action Plan aims to close the digital divide in the UK, ensuring that the benefits of technology can be felt by all.
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We know that digital exclusion is a significant challenge in the UK today and that it takes many forms, such as people who may not have:
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access to a stable and affordable internet connection
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the right sort of device
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the skills needed to complete tasks confidently and safely online
Over the next 12 months, this action plan will kickstart our drive to improve digital inclusion. Digital inclusion means ensuring everyone has the access, skills, support and confidence to engage in our modern digital society and economy, whatever their circumstances.
The first 5 actions are:
1. Local-level support: Launch a new Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund to support local community initiatives to get people online.
2. Skills: Enhance the support for the framework that helps people and businesses get the essential skills they need to get online safely and with confidence.
3. Devices: Pilot a proof-of-concept multi-department device donation scheme with the Digital Poverty Alliance to provide re-purposed government laptops to those that need them.
4. Accessible government services: Make government digital services easier to use with a renewed focus on digital inclusion, for example by improving the whole experience for users and increasing the number of services that use GOV.UK One Login.
5. Evidence: Measure what works on digital inclusion, identify where the need is greatest, and establish the economic and social value of upskilling adults with digital skills.
To tackle digital exclusion, the government will focus on 5 groups of people:
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young people
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older people
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people with disabilities
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people currently out of work
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low-income households
We have also identified 4 focus areas as the framework for future work. These are:
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open up opportunities through skills
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tackle data and device poverty
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break down barriers to digital services, and
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build confidence
The action plan initiates our commitment to work with the digital inclusion community; listening to experiences; learning from innovative scalable projects; and inviting challenge on a long-term ambition to drive meaningful change. It builds on a long term approach to reach everyone across the country, in partnership with industry, charities, devolved governments and local authorities.
Call for evidence
Working in partnership is essential, so we are asking for your views in our call for evidence. We welcome comments on the action plan and on our next steps.
The call for evidence is open until 11:55 pm on 9 April 2025.