The UK government has confirmed a £9.5 million scheme to tackle digital exclusion.
The government said there are 1.6 million people in the UK who can’t access online services. They may be locked out from some of basic opportunities such as mastering essential digital skills for work or facing higher costs for things like home insurance, train travel and food – with people paying up to 25% more than consumers who are online.
The government added that tackling digital exclusion will be crucial to raising living standards across the UK – for example by helping people apply for jobs online, using the NHS app to book doctor’s appointments, or getting advice on government services through tools like GOV.UK Chat.
The Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund follows the government announcing a new Digital Inclusion Action Plan in February. The new scheme could include putting on workshops to familiarise people with tech, and schemes donating devices like phones and laptops to the digitally excluded, all led by local councils, charities and other bodies working in the heart of their communities.
In England, local government, charities and research organisations can apply for funding worth £25,000 to £500,000 to help boost digital inclusion and skills in their local areas. The devolved governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will determine their own arrangements for the distribution of funding to best support local digital inclusion initiatives.
“It is unacceptable that in 2025, millions of people across the UK simply can’t access the vast opportunities that technology and the online world offers. Digital inclusion is an essential for modern life and work, not just something that’s nice to have, and it forms a critical part of our Plan for Change,” said telecoms minister Sir Chris Bryant, in a statement.
“Making technology widely accessible could be the thing that means a sick patient can speak to a GP remotely, or that helps a young person successfully apply for a job. Through this funding we’re moving further to empower local leaders and groups nationwide, who are already working tirelessly to get their communities connected and change countless lives for the better.”
Allocations for the Devolved Governments for this financial year have been calculated on a per capita basis and amount to:
• £400,368 for Wales
• £764,020 for Scotland
• £267,249 for Northern Ireland
