Imagine your life without the web. Well, for 10.5 million UK adults and 1.58 million small businesses and charities, this is a reality.
They don’t have the Basic Digital Skills to complete everyday tasks such as communicating, finding the right information, or carrying out a transaction safely online or via an app.
Despite having lower barriers in terms of access and cost than many similar European countries, the number of adults aged 16-24 in England without Basic Digital Skills is double the number in Germany and triple the number in France. In total, one in five UK adults still don’t have the Basic Digital Skills they need to benefit from the digital world.
Lack of Basic Digital Skills is a significant social issue, and reducing the numbers has huge potential benefits. It has been estimated that the annual social value of every individual getting online for the first time is £1,064.
This issue also affects the UK’s businesses and charities, with 31% of organisations still lacking Basic Digital Skills. Booz & Co estimated in 2012 that a fully digital nation would be worth an extra £63 billion to our annual GDP and that digital technology could unlock £18.8 bn in revenue for UK small and medium-sized businesses.
The opportunity is clear, and so is our vision. We want to empower everyone in the UK to reach their digital potential.