People are being left behind as more services move online and reliance on digital technology increases
One in six Scots don’t have the digital skills needed for everyday life, leading to a widening of inequalities.
An Audit Scotland report has laid bare the reality of digital inclusion in this country, saying that public bodies must work out a clear plan to improve the situation.
It says that as more key services move online, all public bodies must deliver on their responsibilities to ensure everyone can access the services they need.
The report says that some people are being left behind as more services move online and reliance on digital technology increases, causing unintended harms and further widening inequalities.
Failing to address digital inclusion intensifies the impacts felt by already vulnerable people – due to poverty, age or because they have a disability.
Those most left behind are the estimated 15 per cent of adults who don’t have digital skills and those living in the nine per cent of homes without internet access.
The report stated that the Scottish Government had previously worked well with councils and the third sector to tackle digital exclusion, notably at the outbreak of the Covid pandemic in 2020.
Then, £50 million was invested to provide access to devices, data and skills.
But since then, momentum has slowed, national leadership weakened, with less funding available.
Audit Scotland says that to help mitigate the harms caused by inequalities, by the end of 2024/25 the Scottish Government and COSLA need to develop a clear action plan, with clarity on leadership, roles and responsibilities. This must also include detail about the funding needed and available to deliver this plan.
Clarity is needed across local and Scottish Government, and the third sector, about who is responsible for delivering Scotland’s national digital strategy.
The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) has recently launched a milestone charter to improve digital inclusion.
Scotland’s Digital Inclusion Charter is a collaborative initiative between SCVO and the Scottish Government, aiming to ensure that every individual and community across Scotland can benefit from the digital world.
The Charter, hosted and managed by SCVO, states that digital inclusion is “everyone’s responsibility”, and demonstrates how people can get involved in supporting further digital equity in Scotland.
Responding to the Audit Scotland report, David McNeil, SCVO strategic director of development, said: “This report shows that while government aims to save money through developing digital services, the burden of support often falls to local community organisations and charities, without additional resource or recognition.
"If the Scottish Government is serious about its mission to tackle poverty, these recommendations should focus minds on practical action which can be taken to tackle digital exclusion as both a consequence of poverty and a major contributor to people being unable to escape its trap.”
Stephen Boyle, auditor general for Scotland added: “Digital technology is at the heart of public service reform. Increasing efficiency is vital to ensure services can be delivered cost-efficiently, at a time of ever-intensifying budget and service pressures.
“To achieve this, the Scottish Government must have clear actions to tackle and mitigate the impacts of digital exclusion. Failing to do so risks marginalising the most vulnerable people in our communities. Those who most depend on public services must be at the forefront of the government’s plans to reform how services are delivered.”
You can find the Audit Scotland report here.
