Our Digital Nation

The latest update of our Digital Nation infographic was launched in April 2024. It uses updated analysis of the latest Ofcom data by Prof. Simeon Yates alongside key sources such as Ofcom’s Affordability of Communications Services research, Lloyds Banking Group’s UK Consumer Digital Index reports 2023, and data from research on ‘The Economic Impact of Digital Inclusion in the UK’ by Cebr 2022.

Please email our Research, Data & Insights team at research@goodthingsfoundation.org to access any of our reports from 2016-2023.

Our Digital Nation accessiblity description

Digital Nation 2024 is a picture with statistics about digital inequalities in the UK. The picture shows a river between two banks to convey the digital divide. The right bank (green) captures benefits of being online and fully digitally included. The left bank captures the scale of digital exclusion, why being digitally included is important, who is most likely to be affected and what the public think. Use of shading (from red to amber) reminds that digital exclusion is not binary; it is not a simple matter of online or offline, but a spectrum. Some people have no access, no skills, no support; others may be online but are ‘limited’ users of the internet. For example, someone who has a basic smartphone but cannot afford sufficient connectivity, or only has the skills to do basic messaging or social media. Six signposts on the left bank – devices, connectivity, capability, confidence and trust – are key aspects of support people need to cross the divide. Three bridges cross the river – capturing the three digital inclusion services delivered by Good Things Foundation with strategic and community partners: National Databank, National Device Bank and the National Digital Inclusion Network. The data used is from a variety of sources including Lloyds consumer Digital Index, Ofcom and Good Things Foundation. 

Digital Nation sharing and citation

Please use and share this free resource, crediting Good Things Foundation and linking to our webpage so others can also access the full list of sources. Recommended citation:

Digital Nation 2024, Good Things Foundation. Sources at: www.goodthingsfoundation.org/policy-and-research/research/digital-nation

Digital Nation sources and references 

Age UK (2023), You can’t bank on it any more

Cebr (2022), The economic impact of digital inclusion in the UK

Centre for Social Justice (2023), Left Out: How to tackle Digital Exclusion and reduce the Poverty Premium

Forbes (2023), IT skills gap report

Good Things Foundation (2023), Digital skills pathway for shared prosperity

Good Things Foundation (2024), Minimum Digital Living Standard

IMF (2024), AI will transform the global economy

Lloyds Banking Group (2022), UK Consumer Digital Index Report 2022

Lloyds Banking Group (2023), UK consumer Digital Index Report 2023

NHS Digital (2023), NHS App reaches record users on 5th Anniversary

Nominet (2023), Digital Youth Index

Ofcom (2023), Pricing trends for communication services

Ofcom (2023b), Affordability Tracker

Public First (2024), Public First (2024), Poll for Good Things Foundation. Online survey conducted 16th – 22nd January 2024; sample size 2,007 UK adults, weighted by interlocking age & gender, region and social grade to Nationally Representative Proportions

Virgin Media O2 (2023), One in five brits feel they are being left behind due to lack of digital skills

Vodafone (2023), Realities of the Digital Divide