The 2023 UK Consumer Digital Index, the eighth of its kind, offers critical insights into the nation’s digital and financial capabilities. This comprehensive study, based on the behavior of one million consumers, reveals a complex picture: increased digital proficiency among internet users, yet a decline in overall internet usage.
The Digital Landscape: A Mixed Picture
The report shows an encouraging trend, with 96% of UK residents going online in the last three months, indicating a near-universal adoption of digital technology.
However, a growing disparity is evident. While 14.1 million people demonstrate the highest level of digital capability, a significant 25% struggle with the lowest digital capability, potentially hampering their interaction with online services.
Addressing the Digital Divide
The Consumer Digital Index highlights three main challenges in digital enablement: cost of living, fear of fraud, and a lack of motivation to learn. Approximately 12.2 million people are seeking cheaper internet or mobile data plans due to financial constraints, indicating a rise in digital poverty.
Despite a high overall confidence in online safety, a substantial portion of UK adults cannot perform essential online safety tasks, and 7% avoid the internet due to fear of scams. Additionally, there’s a lack of interest in digital upskilling, particularly among those not currently online.
Financial Capability in the Digital Age
Financial capability is also lagging, with only 7% of the UK population having very high financial capability. This finding is crucial against the backdrop of rising costs, where improving financial resilience is more important than ever.
Towards a Digitally Inclusive Future
The report underscores the need for inclusive digital and financial training. It suggests embedding support in various learning formats and locations to cater to diverse preferences. The importance of intuitive and innovative design in digital products and services is also highlighted to engage even the less confident users.
Conclusion
The insights from the 2023 Consumer Digital Index are a call to action for all stakeholders to work together to close the digital divide in the UK.
By focusing on life-long learning, inclusive design, and understanding citizen needs, we can ensure a digital economy accessible to everyone.
Download a copy of The 2023 UK Consumer Digital Index here.
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