Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to reduce digital exclusion.

Everyone should be able to benefit from the digital world – helping families save money, get a better job, and access services like the NHS more easily.

But we know some people face real barriers. In 2025, 5% of UK adults were offline and many homes don’t have a suitable device: 6% of UK households didn’t have a smartphone, and 26% didn’t have a laptop. Whilst 8% of adults in the UK lack the essential digital skills for life.

That's why we published the Digital Inclusion Action Plan, and why we’re now delivering the foundations: better connectivity with a range of affordable options, direct support to build digital access, skills and confidence in communities across the UK, and more devices reaching people who need them. The Government is clear that everyone should be able to benefit from the digital world – and more is needed to ensure this.

Findings from DSIT’s Public Engagement Survey, which will be published in summer 2026, will provide updated, high-quality evidence on the incidence and drivers of digital exclusion across the UK.