We’re working to reduce the barriers that make it difficult for residents and businesses to access and use digital services.

What is digital inclusion?

Digital inclusion is about ensuring everyone can access and use digital technologies, with the right devices, connectivity, skills and support.

Why is addressing digital inclusion important?

Digital inclusion gives people the ability to access and use services and opportunities in a practical, equitable and meaningful way, thus ensuring the benefits of the internet and digital technologies are available to everyone. In our increasingly digital world, digital inclusion is essential to bridging the digital divide.

What are our goals and objectives?

Our approach to digital inclusion supports the West of England Growth Strategy and Child Poverty Action Plan, helping ensure everyone can benefit from and participate in an increasingly digital society. We want to:

  • Reduce digital exclusion, focussing on those most affected.
  • Improve access to reliable and affordable digital connectivity to support inclusion, economic participation and growth
  • Improve digital skills at all levels so that:
    • Residents have the foundation skills they need to get online.
    • Residents have the digital skills for life.
    • Residents have the digital skills needed for work.
    • Residents and businesses can benefit from advanced digital skills.
2 older people taking a selfie

Understanding Digital Exclusion in the West of England

The West of England Mayoral Combined Authority commissioned the Good Things Foundation, Cosmic, Better Places and University of Liverpool to produce a snapshot of issues, provision and opportunities to improve digital inclusion in the West of England.

Read the report (pdf, 3mb)

Mapping digital inclusion support

The West of England Mayoral Combined Authority commissioned Tech4Good South West to map digital inclusion provision across the region, creating a publicly accessible Directory covering Bristol, Bath & North East Somerset, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset.

Find out more about the directory

Did you know?

Around 1.9 million (+/- 500,000) UK households with fixed broadband found it difficult to afford their fixed broadband service, and 1.6 million (+/- 400,000) UK households with a mobile phone had difficulty affording their mobile phone service.

Ofcom, Oct 2024

Around two-thirds of households that found it difficult to afford communications services also experienced affordability issues with other household items.

Ofcom, Oct 2024

Thirty-one per cent of decision makers who are eligible to apply for a social tariff were aware of broadband and/or mobile social tariffs.

Ofcom, Oct 2024

One in 20 people aged 16+ do not have access to the internet at home with more than a quarter citing affordability as the main issue.

Ofcom, Oct 2024

Almost a fifth of internet users only use a smartphone to go online, and some feel disadvantaged by this.

Ofcom, Oct 2024

Digital exclusion due to lack of skills/capability disproportionately affects older generations more.

Lloyds, Nov 2024

Nationally, 8.5m people lack basic digital skills.

The Good Things Foundation, Apr 2024

92% of UK businesses say there is a digital skills gap.

The Good Things Foundation, Apr 2024

76% say the internet helps them connect with family and friends.

The Good Things Foundation, Apr 2024
Person walking through light installation Image credit: Submergence – at The Eye, Bristol by Squidsoup, coordinated by Watershed © Paul Blakemore

Digital transformation in the West of England

Digital technologies are revolutionising almost every aspect of our lives. The Mayoral Combined Authority is committed to ensuring the benefits of digital technologies and the internet are available to everyone.

Our ethos is that digital transformation must put people first, be ethical and be fair. We want digital transformation to deliver better outcomes for people and place.

Discover digital transformation