Our world is increasingly hard to navigate without access to the internet, and the skills needed to use it safely. Many people find themselves digitally excluded, and struggle to access basic information and online resources such as healthcare services, banking and educational opportunities.
The problem is exacerbated by all the conditions that need to be met to keep those individuals out of digital poverty, such as reliable device access, a broadband connection and comprehensive, ongoing training. Therefore, while the extent of the issue is well known – with recent estimates suggesting that 1.6 million people in the UK are living offline, and up to a quarter have very low digital capability – there is a long road ahead of us.
Back in June, the Digital Poverty Alliance (DPA) launched its updated National Delivery and Advocacy Plan (NDAP). The event brought together people with lived experience of digital exclusion, alongside community organisations and delivery partners, to set the stage for a more coordinated approach.
The National Delivery and Advocacy Plan in 2025
The plan itself hinges on structured, joined-up action. Its aim is to shift from short-term fixes and isolated efforts to lasting systemic change. To do this, the DPA have identified six principal focus areas designed to offer a common framework for implementation, through which to accelerate progress and target long-term impact:
- Affordable connectivity
- Inclusive design
- Lifelong digital skills
- Strong local capabilities
- Sustainable funding models
- Improved evidence
A renewed focus
Throughout the event, the speakers highlighted a number of central themes, but the day was centered around two main discussion topics:
Digital upskilling as a lifetime investment: The need to build and maintain digital capability over a person’s lifetime, including how to add digital skills into the curriculum alongside other foundational skills (literacy, numeracy) and to promote lifelong learning. This also includes individual and corporate device donations of disused IT, which can go hand in hand with government funding and initiatives, to get people on the digital ladder and accessing learning resources and job opportunities.
The role of charity sector/industry partnerships: With a focus on the DPA’s relationship with Curry’s PLC, and particularly the “Tech for Families” initiative, the discussion reinforced how key cross-sector collaboration is to driving meaningful progress. The ongoing project has already helped over 2,000 families to access a computer, while also raising awareness among Curry’s customers and staff members of the scale of the digital exclusion problem in the UK.
A call to action – how can we help?
As discussions at the DPA’s event came to an end, a couple of the closing comments really hit home, bringing the issue into sharp focus: “Digital skills are not a luxury, but a right”; “It is a privilege not to know about digital inclusion”.
Since then, momentum has only grown – with September bringing End Digital Poverty Day and a renewed focus across the sector.
But with a call to action for all of us, regardless of sector or role, to play our part in championing large-scale change, it was arguably a different sentiment that we should take with us from this session: “know where you’re aiming for, and then start walking.”
At Reconome, we are embracing that challenge. We know what a key role we play and we are already walking with intention and delivering against our goals. We repurpose corporate tech for use by communities experiencing or at risk of digital poverty. As part of this, we recognise different aspects of digital poverty, such as amongst the homeless, vulnerable asylum seekers and young carers, and we partner with charities, companies and public service providers to drive change and tackle digital exclusion.
By signing the Digital Inclusion Charter, or simply getting involved with Reconome, the DPA or similar charities, we can all play our part in making change happen.
Interested in being part of this journey? Get in touch – we’d love to chat.
Meanwhile, you can also watch the full webinar here.