Tag: digital divide

SCVO and partners launch Scotland’s Digital Inclusion Charter

A trailblazing partnership between the national membership body for Scotland’s voluntary organisations and the Scottish Government has launched a milestone charter to improve digital inclusion.  

Scotland’s Digital Inclusion Charter is a collaborative initiative between the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) and the Scottish Government, aiming to ensure that, if they choose to, every individual and community across Scotland can benefit from the digital world. 

The Charter, hosted and managed by SCVO, states that digital inclusion is “everyone’s responsibility”, and demonstrates how people can get involved in supporting further digital equity in Scotland. 

The initiative commits organisations to tackling digital exclusion in any way that they can. By providing a framework for action, organisations can use the Charter to structure and resource digital inclusion work regardless of who they work with. 

Currently, around 700,0001 people don’t have access to the Internet in Scotland. This significantly impacts their ability to access health services, banking, online shopping, better deals and savings and communicating with loved ones. 

Sally Dyson, Head of Digital and Development at SCVO, underscored the vital role of the voluntary sector in achieving digital inclusion. She said: “SCVO has been leading the charge for digital inclusion in Scotland for more than ten years now.  

“We work collaboratively across our sector and beyond to make sure that we drive home the message that everyone is responsible for digital inclusion 

“We know that the digital divide seems to be widening over time, and we think that every organisation in Scotland can get involved in supporting the people they work with.  

“SCVO is proud to have developed and established Scotland’s Digital Inclusion Charter in partnership with Scottish Government, and we’re looking forward to supporting organisations of all sizes to sign up and show their support.” 

Ivan McKee, MSP and Minister for Public Finance, represented the Scottish Government and highlighted the importance of this initiative for Scotland’s future. He said: “I pleased to see the relaunch of the Digital Participation Charter as Scotland’s Digital Inclusion Charter.

“The Charter has been a collaborative effort between Scottish Government and SCVO and includes five new pledges to support organisations take ownership of digital inclusion.

“Digital inclusivity is fundamental to the Scottish Government in achieving our key priorities, and through working with SCVO we are able to support organisations to make substantial impact on the lives of people vulnerable to digital exclusion.” 

The launch event, held at Standard Life House and hosted by Standard Life, brought together key stakeholders in a united effort to bridge the digital divide. 

Andy Young, representing Standard Life, part of Phoenix Group, said: “We are a digital-first organisation,  but we recognise that digital can be a barrier for some people, so we’ve made it a priority to help those who need extra support through delivery of our digital inclusion strategy.

“We welcome and support the work that SCVO is doing in this space, and are pleased to commit to the principles outlined in the Digital Inclusion Charter, which will provide a vital framework for organisations across all sectors to help those who want to become more comfortable using technology in their everyday lives.”   

Find out more about Scotland’s Digital Inclusion Charter at digitalinclusion.scot.  

One in five households in Scotland will still lack high-speed broadband in 2040

Broadcast 2040+, a campaign which aims to protect access to broadcast TV and radio, is highlighting worrying predictions laid out in a new report by EY*, that show 81% of premises in Scotland will still not have high-speed broadband in 2040.

The report TV Distribution After 2034 predicts that take up of high-speed broadband will still leave 19% of premises without the service in 2040. This highlights a critical issue in accessibility, affordability and usage of broadband services in the region.

The report forecasts a concerning trend in broadband take-up in Scotland with take up currently at 68%. By 2035, it is expected to slightly increase to 80%, followed by a further minor increase to 81% by 2040, despite higher levels of coverage.

Scotland is expected to be among the worst affected regions by the low broadband take-up, alongside Northern Ireland, Wales and the North East.

The digital divide has significant implications, especially for vulnerable groups in Scotland, such as the elderly, disabled individuals, rural communities, and low-income households. Nationally, the report says some 5.5 million UK premises will still be without a high-speed broadband subscription by 2040.

The report also focuses on the barriers to broadband take-up, such as affordability and a lack of digital skills, particularly among older and disabled residents. Currently, 34% of people aged 65 and over in the region do not have internet access at home, and affordability issues affect a significant number of households.

In response to these findings, the Broadcast 2040+ campaign is advocating for the Government to extend the protection of traditional TV and radio services beyond the current 2034 cut-off year. This action is seen as crucial in guaranteeing that everyone, especially those in vulnerable groups, maintain access to essential information and entertainment. 

The full report entitled “TV Distribution After 2034” can be found here. 

The report was commissioned by Arqiva, a broadcast infrastructure company and a member of the Broadcast 2040+ coalition. 

Elizabeth Anderson, CEO of the Digital Poverty Alliance and part of the Broadcast 2040+ coalition said: “The Broadcast 2040+ campaign’s mission to safeguard the future of broadcast TV and radio is critical to helping bridge the digital divide that the UK faces.

“As today’s report makes clear, unless we protect these platforms, we risk putting 5.5 million households at greater risk of digital exclusion and the harms that this will cause. The government must take urgent and decisive action to ensure vulnerable people across the nation are protected and no one is left behind.” 

David Coulson, Partner, Economic Advisory at EY commented: “The EY study indicates that, despite widespread broadband coverage, universal access for all viewers should not be taken for granted.

“It is crucial those least likely to have high speed broadband in 2040 continue to have access to television, particularly vulnerable groups such as the elderly, disabled individuals, low-income households, and rural communities.”

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* Ernst & Young Global Limited, trade name EY, is a multinational professional services partnership. EY is one of the largest professional services networks in the world.

It primarily provides assurance, tax, information technology services (including managed services in areas like Cybersecurity, Cloud, Digital Transformation and AI), consulting, and advisory services to its clients.

Digital Divide: Older people struggling to pay for broadband at risk of further financial losses

Nearly half (44%) of older people in Scotland on a low income1 have struggled to keep up with their broadband bill in the last 6 months, according to new research from the older people’s charity Independent Age.

Of that number, 18% found it a constant struggle, and 26% struggled from time to time.

Independent Age says the findings from YouGov commissioned polling raise fears that the cost of living has deepened the ‘digital divide’ and warns that older people in financial hardship may become even more isolated and could face additional costs if they are forced to shut off their internet access.

The survey also found:

  • More than 1 in 3 (35%) older people in financial hardship said they are worried they will not be able to pay their broadband bill over the next 6 months.
  • 36% are currently having to cut back their spending on their internet, phone or TV subscription services a great deal or a fair amount.
  • Almost 1 in 10 (9%) have already cancelled broadband and phone services over the winter in an effort to save money and 6% had already taken this action before the winter began, to save money.

The charity warns that not being able to go online could mean that older people on low incomes are unable to access information about financial entitlements or services, miss out on savings by not being able to search for the best deals and lose vital social connections.

It’s calling on broadband providers to further promote their social tariffs so that older people in financial hardship are aware that support for their internet costs is available. The charity also believes the Government has a role to play in  promoting social tariffs as part of the support available during the cost of living crisis.

Social tariffs are cheaper broadband contracts for those receiving means tested benefits, such as Pension Credit (the State Pension top-up for those on a low income). However, current take-up is low, with just 5.1% of eligible households using them2,and Independent Age say that eligible older people are going without as a result.

Morgan Vine, Head of Policy and Influencing at Independent Age, said: “The choice to engage online shouldn’t be taken away due to cost. We’re hearing from people in later life who are struggling to pay their broadband bills, cancelling their services, or making considerable sacrifices to afford this expense, such as going without fresh food.

“Cancelling broadband can mean someone misses out on the best deals, social connections with friends and family or on finding information about financial support they could be entitled to, such as Pension Credit or Attendance Allowance. 

“Independent Age is calling on broadband providers to do all they can to support vulnerable customers. We also think the Government has a role to play when promoting the options available now and thinking about consistency in the longer term. At the moment it’s a confusing picture for older people on low income, with each provider offering different options.

“While broadband social tariffs are available from most major providers, and can be a great help for those in financial hardship, take up is extremely low. Independent Age wants providers to proactively promote their social tariffs and target their activity at all eligible groups, including ensuring older people on a low income are not missed out.”

Details of all available social tariffs can be found on Ofcom’s website here: https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-telecoms-and-internet/advice-for-consumers/costs-and-billing/social-tariffs#full-list-of-available-tariffs, or people who think they might be eligible can contact their provider to find out more.

Case study – Maggie’s Story

“There’s a growing assumption that we can all do everything online now, but because of my financial situation, I’ve had to cancel my phone and Internet contracts. So now if I want to do anything that involves being on the Internet, I need to get hold of a library that’s open at certain times.

“I don’t know what’s happened in other parts of the country, but we used to have access to Wi-Fi on Greater Manchester’s buses and trams. That disappeared during COVID. I’m assuming it was taken off as a cost-saving thing because people weren’t traveling on the buses, but they’ve never put it back.

“And that doesn’t just impact older people who don’t have Wi-Fi — it impacts young families who are trying to do stuff whilst they’re out and about because they can’t afford to pay for the subscription at home.”

Closing the Digital Divide for Good

CARNEGIE UK Trust are pleased to announce the launch of Closing the Digital Divide for Good – An end to the digital exclusion of children and young people in the UK, a new report published today by Carnegie UK Trust and the UK Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF UK).  

The report reiterates the need to eliminate the digital exclusion of children and young people for good, and sets out a 10-point action plan to ensure that all have an opportunity to access the benefits of the digital world, both to ensure their right to education and for the sake of their wellbeing.

Closing the Digital Divide for Good notes the increased awareness of digital exclusion during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in light of the shift to remote learning, and commends the rapid responses put in place to get more children and young people online.

However, the report also underlines the need for a continued focus on digital inclusion, to ensure that learning from the crisis period is maximised, and that a long-term strategic approach is put in place, given that challenges remain.

The 10 recommended actions include implementing a co-production process to develop a nationally agreed definition for digital inclusion, recognising that a device, suitable connection, skills and a safe online environment are essential components.

The report also calls for regular measurement of the levels of digital inclusion amongst children and young people, and the development of proactive solutions such as working with teachers and education staff to identify gaps in skills and revising teacher training requirements and curricula accordingly.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss further, please feel free to contact Anna Grant (Senior Policy and Development Officer, Carnegie UK Trust) via anna.grant@carnegieuk.org.

Closing the digital divide

Around 23,000 people will be given new online skills and training to help improve their chances of securing a job or to reduce isolation.

The £26 million Connecting Scotland programme, which helps those on lower incomes and groups like the elderly, will offer online training skills as well as providing people with devices like iPads and Chromebooks, and unlimited data for two years.

This builds upon previous funding aimed at helping more people access the internet, include those who were at high risk from COVID-19, care home residents, disadvantaged families with children and young people leaving care. This latest funding also provides an existing group of 36,000 recipients with another year of unlimited data.

Organisations can apply for phase 3 funding until 5 July.

Finance and Economy Secretary Kate Forbes said: “We are committed to seizing Scotland’s economic potential, creating secure, sustainable and satisfying jobs and supporting businesses recover from the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

“With technology playing an increasingly important role in our society, ensuring people can get online and have the right skills and training is even more important to Scotland’s recovery from the pandemic.

“The Scottish Government committed to helping more people get online within our first 100 days plan and that is why we are providing an additional £26 million to help a further 23,000 households experiencing difficulties with online access.

“This investment will help thousands of people get online, making sure they are not further disadvantaged by providing the necessary hardware, data, and skills they need to get connected and get the skills they need to enter the workforce.”

One recipient of the Connecting Scotland Programme was Cath MacInnes from Inverness, a single mother of four children under 12, who received a Chromebook during an earlier round of funding.

Ms MacInnes said: “It has been a huge benefit to our online schooling and lockdown. The device enabled my children to independently work on their google classrooms, which in turn increased their confidence and helped improve their school work.

“There was also a positive effect on their wellbeing in general by being able to connect digitally with friends and family during lockdown.”

Since launching in May 2020 the programme has delivered to over 36,000 households including:

Families with children: 17,289

Isolating and high vulnerability group: 8,061

Young care leavers: 4,120

Older and disabled people: 4,899

Other vulnerabilities: 1,695

Connecting Scotland is delivered in partnership with the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) and local authorities in collaboration with a broad range of local, public and third sector organisations.

Individuals can be nominated to receive a device by local public or third sector organisations.

There will be two application routes, one aimed at boosting employability and a fast-track process targeting those isolated as a result of the pandemic, particularly single parents, older or disabled people.

Government efforts to narrow digital divide will still leave disadvantaged children in the cold

Education expert welcomes new help but says inevitable rush by schools to access what’s on offer will slow delivery

The UK Government’s last-minute decision to close schools to the vast majority of children has again highlighted the so-called digital divide – the large number of homes where there are insufficient digital devices for pupils to work on – or no broadband connection at all. 

About 9% of children in the UK – between 1.1 million and 1.8 million – do not have access to a laptop, desktop or tablet at home, according to Ofcom. More than 880,000 of them live in a household with only a mobile internet connection. 

But pupils in England who have no access to laptops have now been designated ‘vulnerable’, the Department for Education has said, meaning that they can continue to attend school for face-to-face learning during lockdown. 

And Three UK, which has an 11% market share of mobile subscriptions in the UK, said on Tuesday that it would provide unlimited data upgrades to disadvantaged schoolchildren in England until the end of the school year in July, amid pressure on others to do the same. 

There is an existing DfE scheme for disadvantaged children who do not have access to a home broadband connection to temporarily increase their mobile data allowance. Schools, trusts and local authorities need to request the support on a pupil’s behalf.

As for the tablets themselves, the Department for Education says it had delivered more than 560,000 devices to schools and councils in England between the start of the pandemic and the end of last year, though there have been widespread complaints from schools that the numbers promised have not arrived. 

Ministers say they aim to have delivered a further 100,000 laptops and tablets to schools by the end of this week to help it reach its overall target of 1 million devices.

Former primary school teacher Oli Ryan of education resources experts PlanBee, which has produced learning packs to help parents having to home-school their children, says: The government scheme looks pretty good – at least in theory.

‘In addition to laptops and tablets which schools and local authorities can order, they can also get 4G routers, apply for extra data allowances on parents’ mobile phones, and get their entire school set up on either Google or Microsoft’s virtual classroom learning platforms,’ he says.

He continued: ‘There’s training available for staff on distributing, setting up and using all the tech, too. The site says that once a school has registered that they are closed due to outbreak, or supporting a vulnerable child learning from home, they can get the tech delivered within two days of placing an order.’

But he warns that although the government technology offer is now better established than during the first lockdown, there are likely to be significant delays getting the technology into the hands of those who need it most: disadvantaged children.

‘It’s bad enough that learning is being interrupted for all pupils, as teachers scramble to prepare remote learning materials, but even worse is the fact that, once again, it’s the children in poorer families who will suffer for longer while they wait for laptops, tablets and 4G routers to arrive.’

He says that had the decision to close schools been made sooner, and more notice given, schools could have placed orders in time for the start of the new term.

‘Now, many primary schools and local authorities will all be applying for laptops at the same time; there are bound to be issues with delivery as a consequence.’

PlanBee’s Learn at Home Packs each contains eight lessons with teacher-led teaching input videos, parent-friendly friendly lesson plans, slideshow presentations and printable worksheets.

‘We hope these packs will take some of the pressure off parents who are new to home schooling. They’re designed specifically for mums and dads, so there’s no educational jargon. Educating your children at home can seem a pretty daunting prospect, but with these packs, we think we’re helping with the heavy lifting.’

He added: ‘We have kept the need for technology to an absolute minimum, but all education providers have to rely on it to some extent, even if it’s only to download PDF worksheets.

‘The Government needs to get the digital divide sorted – and fast.’

PlanBee have put a lesson videos up online for FREE, so you can get a taste of what’s included in the packs. And there are lots of free teaching resources for parents here.

Locked out before Lockdown

One in four Scots lack basic digital skills

One in four people in Scotland were unable to use the internet by themselves prior to lockdown, lacking the basic skills required to communicate, shop or bank online, the latest Lloyds Bank Consumer Digital Index (CDI) has revealed.

Technology is now a necessity for keeping connected, working remotely and accessing vital information. Research carried out before the introduction of lockdown restrictions showed three in ten (28%) of those surveyed in Scotland lacked the digital skills needed for everyday life, with 18% unable to connect a device to a Wi-Fi network, and 15% unable to turn on a device and log into accounts or profiles they have.

However, in a separate poll carried out after lockdown measures were introduced, more than a third (35%) of people said they have now taken action to boost their digital skills for work, health and well-being during the crisis. 

Philip Grant, Chair of Lloyds Banking Group’s Scottish Executive Committee, said: “During this unprecedented time, it’s encouraging to see so many people taking the time to learn new skills with the help of family and friends.

“Learning to use more online services will not only be hugely useful during lockdown, but also for the future too, both in the home and workplace.

“Across Scotland we have many remote communities and digital skills are essential to keeping businesses operating smoothly and helping people to stay in touch.

“We hope that by helping to each other to improve our digital know-how, whether by informal training, or more structured courses like those on our Lloyds Bank Academy, we’ll all be well placed to benefit from being online in the years to come.”

Even before lockdown, people in Scotland with high levels of digital engagement recognised the benefits of these skills, with eight in ten (81%) saying it helps them stay connected to friends and family, two fifths (43%) say it improved their ability to get a job, and more than a third (37%) reporting it helps manage and improve their physical and mental health.

Up-skilling in lockdown

In the last few weeks of UK lockdown, more than eight in ten (83%) of people surveyed in Scotland believe that the situation has escalated the need to be online and almost nine out of 10 people (85%) have felt that technology has been a vital support during the outbreak.

One in three (35%) across Scotland have taken action and boosted their digital skills, with almost a third (31%) reporting they have up-skilled for work reasons, while two fifths (41%) are using technology more than usual to help with health and wellbeing.

Of those who have improved their skills, over half (59%) are self-taught, nearly a quarter (23%) are calling upon family members for support and one in five (19%) are relying on friends.

Two fifths (40%) of people in Scotland have also helped other people improve their digital skills during this period. Staying in touch with others is the most popular reason to ask for help, with almost two thirds (65%) of people helping their family members to use apps such as Zoom or WhatsApp. This is followed by banking and shopping cited by a fifth (19%) of people.

Encouragingly, more than half (58%) of people in Scotland want to continue to boost their skills beyond the current climate, with a fifth (19%) having used the time at home to do online learning to improve digital skills.

Stephen Noakes, Managing Director, Retail Transformation, Lloyds Bank, said: “The impact of lockdown has brought into sharp focus just how important digital skills are, when all of a sudden it may be the only way for some people to stay connected to loved ones, buy food or get hold of other essential items such as medicine.

“While this unprecedented situation may have a greater impact on those who remain digitally excluded than those who are online, it is encouraging that this has focused people’s attention on digital capability as a vital life skill.

“We and many others have responded to this with extra support, including free training through our Academy, but more needs to be done to close the digital divide.” 

Helping to address the digital divide

The latest Consumer Digital Index also shows that without any intervention, by 2030, a quarter of the UK will still have a very low level of digital engagement.

To help people up-skill Lloyds Bank is running online digital skills training via the Lloyds Bank Academy.

Free webinars are held each week providing access to digital experts, training on key skills and opportunities for virtual networking to support individuals, local businesses and charities. Everyone can access free online resources at www.lloydsbankacademy.com.

In addition, through a new partnership with WeAreDigital, a specialist phone line has been introduced to help up to 20,000 customers access the internet and learn new skills to help with everyday digital tasks such as online shopping and connecting virtually with family and friends, as well as online banking.

Over 20,000 of the Group’s Digital Champions are also using online volunteering platforms and telephone services to help the most vulnerable in society during this difficult time.

Power Up: closing the digital divide

J.P. Morgan, with Good Things Foundation, has launched Power Up, a pioneering £1.3 million initiative to help people, businesses and communities to participate by helping people in under-served communities build the digital skills needed to qualify for in-demand jobs. Glasgow and Edinburgh are two of the four areas identified for support. Continue reading Power Up: closing the digital divide