Why digital inclusion matters now more than ever
We must take digital inclusion seriously as a public health and equity issue, particularly for older groups. Despite increasing internet use overall, millions remain offline or lack the skills and confidence to navigate an increasingly digital world.
With the NHS 10 Year Health Plan placing digital transformation at the heart of healthcare, we need urgent action to ensure no one is locked out of vital services, writes Valerie Kaufmann, Research and Policy Officer at the Centre for Ageing Better.
Despite increasing internet use, older adults remain offline in disproportionate numbers. Of the 4.5 million people in the UK who have never been online, 94% are over 55. A further 684,000 older adults who once used the internet have now stopped.
The Covid-19 pandemic accelerated the shift online- including how we access voluntary sector and government services. As our lives become ever more digitally driven-from how we book GP appointments to how we pay for a bus ticket-the risk of exclusion for those who are not online is only getting bigger.
While technology brings huge potential benefits, it also deepens existing inequalities if access and skills aren’t equitably distributed. With artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies continuing to reshape the digital landscape, it’s essential that ageism is already a concern in many areas of technology is not hard-wired into the future.
The government’s 2025 Digital Inclusion Action Plan and the Women and Equalities Committee’s Rights of Older People report have acknowledged the critical challenge, and powerful opportunity, presented by this digital divide. They also acknowledge that not all groups experience the digital divide equally – while gaps have narrowed, older people, people on low incomes, and disabled people are still among those who are most likely to be digitally excluded.
The recently published 10 Year Health Plan for England places a strong emphasis on digital transformation- most notably through the expansion of the NHS App as the central access point for services. The plan must take care to align with the government’s stated goals on digital inclusion, or risk excluding the very people most likely to need healthcare support.
What needs to change?
We all risk digital exclusion as we age. Age-related impairments, unfamiliarity with new technologies, or the loss of workplace-based training mean that digital exclusion is a life course issue-not just one faced by others. But there are ways forward.
1. Design for everyone, not Just the digital native
Digital services must be built on universal design principles. This means offering large fonts and screen reader compatibility, but also ensuring that essential services-such as banking, ticketing, and healthcare-continue to offer offline options. A one-size-fits-all digital model simply doesn’t work.
2. Support digital skills that support real lives
We need to stop promoting digital skills for their own sake. Instead, help older people see how being online can support what matters most to them – whether that’s connecting with family, managing their health, or shopping for groceries. Practical, long-term support works better than short courses that don’t reflect real needs.
3. Invest in people and places that are already making a difference
Libraries, community centres and local hubs already reach people who are at greatest risk of exclusion. Digital inclusion should be key to community health and wellbeing offer and community groups should be empowered to embed digital help in broader social inclusion work.
4. Create affordable and accessible digital infrastructure
Affordability remains a major barrier. Owning or borrowing a device, and accessing a simple, affordable data plan, should be possible for everyone – regardless of postcode. That means ensuring rural and remote communities are not left behind.
5. Use co-production to build better solutions
We must develop services and digital solutions with older people. By embedding co-production in how we design digital tools and services, we can make sure they reflect the needs, preferences and experiences of those whose problems they’re intended to address.
6. Acknowledge that some won’t get online
While closing the digital skills gap is key, we must acknowledge that even with the best efforts there will be some people who choose not to get online and struggle with technology. We need to continue to provide options for everyone in offline format – including paper tickets and cash payment methods, retaining access to face-to-face or telephone contact for those that need it most.
Digital inclusion isn’t simply a question of access. It’s also about skills, confidence, and design. For many, especially those already facing inequalities due to low income, disability, or ethnic background, the digital world is not built with them in mind.
A digitally enabled NHS must not come at the cost of leaving people behind. For the 10 Year Health Plan to succeed, it must align with the Digital Inclusion Action Plan and actively address the barriers facing older people and other digitally excluded groups. That means designing services for real lives, investing in skills and infrastructure, and preserving offline access for those who need it.
Digital transformation can improve health outcomes and help us live full and connected lives- but only if we ensure that everyone, regardless of age, income or ability, can access and benefit from the systems we build. That's why we're working with the UK Network of Age-Friendly Communities/node/1491 to make sure people can access the digital skills support and non-digital resources they need to live well and age better locally, now and into the future.
