As the UK marks the third national End Digital Poverty Day, 19 million adults, along with 1 in 5 children, remain unable to fully participate in the digital world. This gap means far more than a lack of access to a device or broadband connection, but is a barrier to education, employment, healthcare and basic digital services.
Research shows 47 per cent of unemployed people and 55 per cent of retirees are digitally excluded across the UK, compared to just 24 per cent of those in work.
The economic implications and costs of this are huge as closing the digital gap could unlock £17bn in annual earnings, deliver up to £6bn in better financial management and save nearly £1bn in government spending.
The human costs of digital poverty are equally severe. For those living in deep poverty, 16 per cent have no internet access at all, while 44 per cent report severe social isolation linked directly to digital exclusion.
Closing the digital gap could even save up to 24,000 lives through improved access to health information for older people. In a world where everything from job applications, GP appointments, schoolwork and personal finances have all become digital, those without access aren’t just locked out of devices, but out of modern life.
Elizabeth Anderson, CEO of the Digital Poverty Alliance, commented: “Digital access is no longer a privilege, it’s a basic human right. Yet millions of people are still being left behind, unable to connect, learn, work or access essential services.
End Digital Poverty Day is a national moment to say enough is enough. We need urgent, coordinated action from government, industry and communities to ensure that no one is excluded from the digital society we all depend on. From national policy that prioritises digital inclusion to large scale device distribution programmes, investment in skills training and circular economy initiatives that ensure technology is reused and recycled.
This must go hand-in-hand with delivering on the ambitions of the government’s Digital Inclusion Action Plan and ensuring further investment supports its goals so that no one is excluded from the digital society we all depend on.”
In the lead up to End Digital Poverty Day, and throughout the day itself, organisations working at every level of digital inclusion are hosting a coordinated series of events. These include live webinars, skill-building workshops, roundtable discussions and educational sessions, both online and in-person, designed to share knowledge, build confidence and empower individuals and communities to get connected.
For more information about End Digital Poverty Day 2025, how to take part, or any other information regarding digital poverty in the UK, visit www.digitalpovertyalliance.org.
