Digital Exclusion: Explaining the Digital Divide in the United Kingdom
If you have access to the internet at home and mobile data while you’re out and about, you probably think that’s quite normal. You may even believe that these are things that everyone in the United Kingdom has.
Unfortunately, that’s not the case. Many people still don’t have access to reliable, stable internet connections. To make things worse, a lack of understanding around rapidly evolving smart devices means some people simply don’t know how to make the most of the technology at their fingertips.
With more and more essential services requiring online access, ensuring everyone has the right digital tools is critical. Yet across the UK, there remains a digital divide that leaves many people excluded and vulnerable.
Digital Divide: What Does it Mean?
The term “digital divide” refers to the gap in opportunity between people who can access digital and internet-based resources and those who cannot. Sometimes this gap is caused by financial disparity — after all, if you can only just afford food and clothes, where is the money coming from to fund a broadband connection?
However, at other times, the digital divide is caused by a lack of skills and education. Digital inclusion charity Good Things Foundation notes that in 2024, 8.5 million people across the UK lack basic digital skills. Just a decade or so ago this may not have been so problematic. However, today you require internet access and digital know-how to:
· Book a doctor’s appointment
· Arrange transport
· Cancel or create a phone contract
· Connect with friends and family who are far away
· Arrange the redelivery of a parcel
· Contact customer service for many organisations
If an elderly person, for example, misses the delivery of some medication, they may receive a card telling them to go online and rearrange the delivery. But if they don’t know how to do that or simply don’t have internet access, how can they do this? Many organisations and institutions assume everyone has the resources to get online — despite overwhelming evidence that this isn’t the case.
The Benefits of Digital Inclusion
The Guardian recently shared a video showing the personal impact of digital exclusion. Three people described their experiences and fears. One was bedbound, afraid that the rising cost of living would leave her unable to afford the internet and isolated from her only community — people she talked to online. There was a young asylum seeker who was unable to access sheltered accommodation whenever his phone lost power. Another was an elderly person afraid of being scammed because she didn’t understand various aspects of using digital devices.
Ensuring digital equity — equal opportunities for everyone to stay connected — has numerous lasting benefits. According to the Good Things Foundation, digital inclusion leads to:
· Increased happiness via connection — 76% of people say they use the internet to stay connected to friends and family.
· Healthier living — 68% use online resources to look up health information like nutrition and exercise plans.
· Financial stability — Regular internet users may save £900 each year compared to those with zero digital engagement.
Conversely, digital exclusion leads to poor life chances and increased inequality. Digital exclusion has a higher impact on those with disabilities, the unemployed, anyone without formal qualifications, and the elderly. Anyone from impoverished backgrounds may also struggle to get the connectivity and skills they need to help them move away from their current situation. It becomes a cycle — with no access to the digital resources they need, people become stuck with no way to access opportunities for education, training, or better social connections.
Bridging the Digital Divide
The last government set out a strategy to deal with the digital divide and the new administration also commits to improving the UK’s digital infrastructure. Three key points covered by government policy include:
1. Ensuring digital opportunities are inclusive and no one is left behind
2. Considering the safety and security of digital resources
3. Taking into account the sustainability of digital advancements
However, these points don’t address one of the primary root causes of the digital divide: a lack of early years tech education and financial support for those who don’t have access to the internet or internet-connected devices.
Some changes have been made, generally at a local level. If you visit many major cities, you’ll find that there is free Wi-Fi in some central areas. It’s easy to connect to and, if used properly, quite secure. You can help someone you know by telling them about available free Wi-Fi — it could help them get a job or the support they need.
Grassroots organisations help with the tech education side of the digital divide. Peer-to-peer learning about AI, robotics, climate tech, engineering, and more helps get young people into a technical mindset. They become used to technology, viewing it as an aid rather than a hurdle to overcome.
Looking Ahead: Future Challenges for Digital Life
The use of AI as a content generation tool has created another aspect of digital exclusion: the rise of misinformation. AI-generated images are passed around as if they’re real, and those with no experience of AI have no way of knowing that these images are false. Some seem harmless, like the famous “baby peacock.” However, others create “fake news” stories, such as the image of Princes Harry and William apparently reconciling at the coronation.
Learning to recognise the signs of AI-generated content can help internet users stay safe, stay informed, and avoid scams.
As technology advances, learning and sharing digital skills becomes more essential than ever. If you can find ways to get your young people interested in multiple aspects of tech, you could help create the first generation where the digital divide significantly shrinks.
Girls Into Coding hosts FREE tech education and engineering events for girls 10–14, helping transform the girls in tech of today into the women in tech of tomorrow.
