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 an illustration with statistics about digital inequalities in the UK. The illustration shows a river between two banks to convey the digital divide. The right bank (coloured green) shows the  benefits of being online and fully digitally included. The left bank, (coloured with a gradient of red to amber), shows  the scale of digital exclusion, why being digitally included is important, who is most likely to be affected and what the public think. Three bridges cross the river – each has a banner displaying one of 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. Six signposts on the left bank – devices, connectivity, capability, confidence and trust – are key aspects of support people need to cross the divide.

Scale of the digital divide

The following statistics are displayed in signposts on the horizon of the left bank: 

• 3.7 million families are below the Minimum Digital Living Standard
• 8.5 million lack basic digital skills
• 2.4 million households can’t afford their mobile phone contract
• 7.5 million working age adults lack basic digital skills for work
• 0.6 million young people lack home internet or a suitable device
• 1.5 million don’t have a smartphone, tablet or laptop.

Our changing digital world

The following statistics are displayed within the left bank, alongside illustrations of people and buildings that represent the four themes of health, money, work and internet. 

Health:

• 33% of those offline say its difficult to interact with NHS services
• 39% of UK adult population not registered on NHS App.

Money: 

• 50% higher food costs without internet access
• 4m+ older people are not managing their money online
• Banking takes 1.5 hours longer without an internet connection.

Work: 

• 92% of UK businesses say there is a digital skills gap
• 40% of jobs will be affected by AI, worldwide.

Internet: 

• 33% unaware of local access point for device access or internet connection
• 8% of eligible households signed up for social tariff.

People left behind

These statistics are also on the left bank, with illustrated characters to represent some of the communities affected by digital exclusion: 

• 24% of those not working lack basic digital skills
• 25% of those with a disability or health condition lack basic digital skills
• 48% of those with no formal qualifications lack basic digital skills
• 37% of those over 65 lack basic digital skills.

What the public think

At the bottom of the left bank , a group of illustrated characters hold placards displaying the following statistics: 

• 64% believe there’s not enough support for people who can’t get online
• 92% think most essential services require internet access
• 76% want government investment in digital skills training
• 21% feel left behind by technology.

Digital inclusion benefits

The following statistics are on the right bank, along with illustrations of people, devices and buildings: 

• 5,000 community access points
• 46k devices collected to date, CO2 saved equivalent to 328k trees
• 13.7 billion benefit to the economy.

Some characters on the right bank have speech bubbles, describing further benefits to individuals:  

• I’m happier: 76% say the internet helps them connect with family and friends following support
• I’m healthier: 68% can use online tools to help them manage their health as a result of support
• I’m more employable: 68% saw a work or skills related benefit as a result of support
• I’m better off: People with high digital engagement save £900 more a year.

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: https://www.goodthingsfoundation.org/policy-and-research/research-and-evidence/research-2024/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