House of Lords presents digital exclusion report to end to Digital Poverty

The House of Lords Committee has published their report which calls for essential actions for ending digital poverty, as well as arguing for a new cross governmental unit to help address this pressing issue.

Earlier in the year, Thomas Lowe, DPA Head of Policy and Communications, gave evidence to the House of Lords, highlighting the need for a government Digital Inclusion Strategy, actions on social tariffs and support for those without essential digital skills.  The report reinforces the importance of these actions and calls for their implementation.

The report points out that whilst the government’s goal remains cementing the UK as a tech and science superpower, this ambition cannot be achieved without digitally inclusive communities and more support for households to gain basic digital skills.

The committee calls out political ‘lethargy’ and pledges to work more closely with partners such as the DPA to ensure actions are taken to achieve digital inclusivity and the report will act a spotlight for the government, shining light on this vital issue.

Elizabeth Anderson, Interim CEO at Digital Poverty Alliance commented:

“We live in a digital economy where participation in basic daily activities, that many of us take for granted, requires access to or skills relating to technology. For many, this is a given, however, there are 11 million people across the UK who are experiencing digital exclusion, and this means lacking access to equipment, connectivity and skills. For the UK to achieve their goal of becoming a tech and science superpower, more must be done to support those who lack access, which will not only provide them with increased opportunities, but will help support the growth of our economy.”

“It is encouraging to see the House of Lords Committee present the recent report on digital inclusion and support the ongoing work of the Digital Poverty Alliance as we work towards ending digital poverty for all, however, actions must now be taken to address this nationwide issue and create a more fair and inclusive society.”