A raft of banks, media and telecoms forms have joined charities in calling for measures to tackle digital exclusion.

They want to ensure that “digital participation is not a peripheral issue” for policy makers and instead is “central to growth, entertainment, public services and opportunity”.

They add: “Many essential services are moving online, and access to these services increasingly shape who can find work, manage their money and get help from the NHS.

“The task now is to bring these strengths together deliberately in a way that ensures access for all, rather than leave the success of the transition ahead to chance.”

The UK Government is being urged to publish firm plans around increasing digital participation, specifying dates and outcomes.

Industry investment is also needed to ensure broadband reaches all households.

Affordability also needs to be tackled to ensure “no one is priced out of the digital world”.

The recommendations have been made in a report called Connected, which has been published by digital inclusion alliance The Connection Project.

Corporate support

Corporate backing has come from among others BT, Openreach, Vodafone Three, ITV, Lloyds Banking Group, HSBC, Nationwide, Barclays, UK Finance, NatWest, PWC, Deloitte, Accenture, CapGemini, EY, and the BBC.

“As the nation becomes more digital - industry, charities and government need to work together to make sure nobody’s left behind and everyone can participate with confidence," said Openreach managing director for commercial James Lowther.

Lloyds Banking Group chief executive Jas Singh added: “Great digital banking and the right human support both have an important role to play in helping customers manage their money with confidence.

“The real test is whether people can access the support they need, whether that is online, in person or over the phone.

“And the difference we can make together goes far beyond banking; by working across sectors, we can help ensure that more people have the confidence to benefit from an increasingly digital world.”

Charities involved

Charities backing the report include Age UK, Citizens’ Advice, AbilityNet, Good Things Foundation, and Mental Health Policy Institute.

Age UK charity director Caroline Abrahams said that just under five million people aged 65 and over “don’t have the basic skills needed to use the internet successfully”.

“But that's not the whole story: many of them could be online confidently, if the support and service design were there to help them get there. And for those who never will be, we need a country where they can still bank, get healthcare and stay connected on their own terms,” she added.

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