Ministers are set to tackle the scourge of digital exclusion plaguing the UK public, as millions of people in Britain are set to gain greater digital skills to boost their employability and access vital services.

With daily tasks like speaking to a GP, applying for jobs, or renting and buying a house becoming increasingly digitalised, improved digital skills and access to technology hold the key to many of the government’s commitments in the Plan for Change.

Businesses are also set to gain from greater skills, with too many employers currently struggling to recruit candidates with the digital skills required to help them grow their business and ultimately boost economic growth.

Research shows that people who are digitally excluded can face higher costs for things like home insurance, train travel and food – with people paying up to 25% more than consumers who are online.

The Technology Secretary Peter Kyle has now set out urgent actions to begin fixing digital exclusion, publishing a new Digital Inclusion Action Plan that will help people in Britain reap the benefits of the online world.

This includes funding for local initiatives targeted to the most digitally-excluded groups, including the elderly and low-income households and partnering with inclusion charity Digital Poverty Alliance to provide laptops to people who are digitally excluded.

“The technological revolution we are living in is not only transforming everyone’s lives, but is advancing at breakneck speed, and will not slow down any time soon,” secretary Kyle said.

“Leaving people behind in the process could threaten our mission to maximise technology for economic growth and better public services, which is central to our Plan for Change.

“Only by making technology a widely accessible force for good can we make it a positive catalyst for societal change – whether that means helping a sick patient speak to a GP remotely or giving a young person the devices they need to apply for online jobs or renting a flat.”

Recommended reading

• UK Government’s Response to Digital Exclusion is Lacklustre, Lords Committee Says
• Digital Exclusion Growing in Scotland
• BCS Launch New Digital Skills Talent Pipeline Platform

Charities, local and combined authorities will have access to funding for digital inclusion programmes, boosting communities’ digital access, skills and confidence in the online world. This new funding will empower Mayors and other local leaders to develop local solutions for the most digitally excluded groups in their areas, recognising the challenges they face will be different across the country.

It also includes pledges by key technology companies to help the government achieve its mission of breaking down the digital divide. Google and BT have pledged to deliver digital skills training to thousands in the UK while Vodafone has committed to help one million people by donating connectivity and technology, affordable services, and upskilling communities.

“Leadership from government, combined with tangible support for charities and local authorities and firm commitments from industry, sets a firm basis towards tackling an issue that prevents millions of people from accessing key services online and achieving their potential,” Elizabeth Anderson, CEO of the Digital Poverty Alliance said.

The news comes after several years of a lacklustre approach from government to tackle the issue of digital skills. A Lords Committee had “no confidence” in the previous government’s ability or efforts to tackle the dire issue.

Reports from last August also show that the issue of digital exclusion was actually growing in Scotland, as a growing number of Scots were unable to access essential services that had moved online.