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Digital Inclusion Action Plan: First Steps

Digital Inclusion Action Plan COVER

The Government has published this Digital Inclusion Action Plan and announced new funding will be available to help local and combined authorities to tackle digital exclusion. The 'First Steps' plan includes funding for local initiatives targeted at people who are most digitally excluded, including older people and low-income households.

It comes after the Government also announced a Telecare National Action Plan earlier this month and lays out that the government will:

  • Partner with the Digital Poverty Alliance to pilot a groundbreaking multi-department device donation scheme to provide re-purposed government laptops to those that need them.
  • Launch a new Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund this Spring to support and expand local community initiatives to get people online.
  • Call for evidence (by 9 April 2025) to gather views from those who are delivering vital services and working directly with digitally excluded people.
  • Create a Digital Inclusion Action Committee, an expert advisory group made up of industry, charities, local authorities and academics, to monitor progress.

The plan also touches on bringing high-quality, reliable telecoms infrastructure to every home, and on housing states: “We will explore innovative options and partnerships with housing providers, local authorities and others, to bring free or low-cost connectivity to areas of high social and economic deprivation”. As an example of this, it features the Glasgow City Region 5G connectivity trials on smart and connected social homes. They include:

  • Using smart speakers and voice recognition assistive technology to provide a more reliable and user-friendly way for some people to access help in social care settings.
  • Installing connected sensors to monitor temperature, humidity and CO2 levels in social housing to support net zero and energy efficiency outcomes

However, surprisingly, the First Steps plan makes no mention of the digital switchover taking place by January 2027. Therefore, if you found this of interest, check out our Going Digital webpages too, originally compiled in association with the LGA and ADASS Housing Policy Network.