Understanding Digital Exclusion in the West of England

Why is digital inclusion important?

Digital inclusion means being able to access the internet and engage online - safely and confidently - when you need and want to. 

With opportunities and services increasingly online, digital inclusion is a basic need. At a minimum, it requires a combination of access to a device and data connectivity, basic digital skills (also confidence, motivation, trust), and access to support when needed. 

Awareness is rising about the damaging impacts of digital exclusion for economic growth, and for people’s access to opportunities, services, and social and economic participation. 

What the data tells us

• The West of England compares well against many parts of the country. According to the 2024 UK Consumer Digital Index, the South West has the highest number of people able to complete all 8 Foundation Level tasks for everyday life. However, there is still a significant digital exclusion challenge for the region. 
• Bespoke analysis of Ofcom data on population internet usage estimates that over 14% of adults in the region are non-users or very limited users of the internet. This equates to over 100,000 residents.
• The total population across non-users, very limited users, and limited users who don’t use social media is around 204,000 adults. This contrasts starkly with the population of 227,000 adults who are extensive internet users. This paints a picture of “Two Gorges” - Silicon Gorge and a digital divide.
• Regional analysis of national data using a holistic benchmark, the Minimum Digital Living Standard for Households with Children, estimates 39-41% of households with children in the region fall below this. These families lack some or all of the devices and connectivity, practical skills, or critical thinking skills needed to engage safely and effectively online today.
• Digital exclusion is deeply intertwined with other forms of disadvantage, including poverty, unemployment, lack of education, life-impacting conditions, and living in areas of deprivation. There is also a clear link between older age and being offline. Given the region’s geographic and demographic make-up, this means there will be digitally excluded households in more affluent areas (like Bath), as well as in areas of greater deprivation (like South Bristol).

What we heard about challenges facing residents and businesses

• Affordability: Poverty is a significant barrier to digital inclusion, with individuals often choosing between basic needs (such as food, medicine, heating) and digital access. Concerns were raised about a ‘poverty premium’, where people pay more for mobile or broadband services they cannot afford; and the costs of buying or replacing devices which get broken or out-of-date.
• Awareness of digital inclusion support: Several residents have had support from libraries and local charities to get online. Some said it is hard to find out what is available. People wanted provision to be better publicised, and better coordinated efforts to help people find the support they need. 
• Access to digital inclusion support: Specific challenges for people in rural areas and less well-connected urban areas were raised, as well as the lack of support for particular groups (e.g. older people who seek digital support for social inclusion rather than for employment; people seeking asylum).
• Accessibility and design: Frustrations about poorly designed online services were high. These present extra barriers for people with accessibility, language, or literacy needs. Several residents described experiences of navigating online systems (e.g. health, welfare, job seeking) as time-consuming and frustrating. 
• Concerns about digitalisation: Concerns ranged from the challenges, and costs, of keeping pace with digital hardware and software; to keeping up with future workforce skills, and fears about the negative impacts of artificial intelligence (AI) on economic opportunities; to concerns about social media, risks of online abuse, time-wasting, and temptation to overspend.
• Businesses face challenges too: Analysis of digital skills audits across a number of sectors identified common challenges: low digital confidence in some roles and sectors (e.g. charities, social care); underuse of productivity features; challenges related to digital connectivity and remote access; a need for role-specific training; and a lack of digital strategy awareness.

A snapshot of digital inclusion provision in the West of England

Nearly 200 providers of digital inclusion support (including libraries, community organisations, contracted providers) were identified. Type, level, and availability of support varies widely (e.g. help with devices and/or connectivity; with digital skills and online safety; with using online services or the NHS App). 

Mapping provision against the Digital Exclusion Risk Index and Minimum Digital Living Standard for Households with Children, we found broad alignment between the location of provision and areas with the highest likelihood of need, although there are some gaps that would benefit from further exploration led by those who know the localities best.

Over 60 organisations are already in the National Digital Inclusion Network; around half use the National Databank to access free mobile data for people who cannot afford this. Some use Learn My Way (free basic digital skills learning tool), or have had devices from the National Device Bank, or attended training sessions. There is scope to grow the use of these, and other, free resources to tackle digital exclusion in communities; and to raise awareness of support such as discounted ‘social tariffs’ for broadband and mobile.

Some digital inclusion support is embedded in wider programmes (e.g. help with cost of living, employability, small business support), and often directed towards more deprived areas and marginalised communities. There are several positive examples of good practice, innovation, and partnership working, such as the Bath Digital Divide Collective.

Digital inclusion providers face challenges, including:

• Funding: Short-term funding and lack of coordination between funding streams were highlighted, alongside particular challenges for small organisations without capacity to manage large grants, despite their deep community connections. 
• Digital capabilities in the voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise (VCFSE) sector: Limited digital capabilities and capacity in voluntary, community, faith, and social enterprise organisations are preventing these organisations from providing better support to digitally excluded people - even though these are the organisations which have the reach and relationships.  
• Intermediate digital skills: Some flagged a gap in support for people who are seeking careers beyond entry-level but do not yet have higher digital skills. In some areas, such as South Bristol, people felt there is little provision beyond entry-level.

Opportunities for the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority

Digital inclusion is now a priority for the UK Government, held by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, and across several combined and local authorities.

Hallmarks of effective digital inclusion approaches include: taking a holistic, cross-sector, collaborative approach; embedding digital inclusion as a cross-cutting theme in wider strategies and programmes (e.g. skills, health); recognising the need for community support; and seeing digital inclusion as ‘everyone’s business’ - a whole-of-society issue.

Across the region, many stakeholders are positive about the combined authority’s engagement with the digital inclusion agenda to date. Five areas emerged with scope for adding value and impact: Leadership, Funding, Partnership, Evidence, and Ecosystem. Recognising the constrained funding environment, and the interrelated nature of potential opportunities, stakeholders identified the following as potential priorities:

• Establish a West of England digital inclusion network or taskforce, open to a wide range of stakeholders, to foster collaboration
• Explore ways to use existing regional and local funding to deliver more digital inclusion support in communities
• Co-produce regional digital inclusion goals and priorities
• Leverage the potential contribution of regional ‘anchor institutions’ - such as NHS Foundation Trusts, universities, local businesses
• Raise awareness of nationally available resources which could be used to benefit more people in the region 
• Raise awareness of digital exclusion and inclusion to secure buy-in from local and regional stakeholders. 

In summary

Commissioned by the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority, building out of the West of England Digital Plan, this discovery project has revealed a strong appetite among a wide range of stakeholders to work together, with leadership from the Combined Authority, to tackle the digital divide. The region’s creative and tech industry strengths risk masking the realities of the digital divide, so there is work to be done in bringing others on board; but there is also already a solid foundation of existing provision, and some positive examples of good practice and partnership working.