Digital Inclusion “Is” Employability
May 02, 2025Posted by:
And employability isn’t possible if you can’t even log in.
At PeoplePlus, we help people get ready for work, for training, for independence. But over the past few years, we’ve seen a hard truth up close:
Digital access decides who gets to participate and who gets left out.
From job applications to GP appointments to benefits, being online isn’t a bonus anymore. It’s the baseline.
And for millions across the UK , especially those we work with every day, that baseline still isn’t met.
Let’s talk about what that means for people who are unemployed, under pressure, or trying to build a better future and what we’re doing about it.
The hidden cost of being offline
Digital poverty affects people across every demographic, but especially those already facing barriers.
- The jobseeker retraining after redundancy.
- The mum returning to work after years of unpaid care.
- The prison leaver trying to start again.
- The young person in supported accommodation with no internet and no device.
We work with people like this every day. And for many, step one isn’t writing a CV or enrolling in a course.
It’s getting connected.
Because without broadband, data, or a working device:
- You can’t access Universal Credit properly
- You can’t complete a digital course or job search
- You can’t learn the digital skills most employers now expect
That’s why digital access is an employability issue.
A social value issue.
A life issue.
It’s not about age. It’s about income.
The stereotype says older people struggle with tech.
But here’s the reality:
- The most digitally excluded age group in the UK is 18–24 year olds
- 44% of adults earning under £10k report digital exclusion
- Half of the UK’s lowest-income households don’t have internet access at home
- Unemployed individuals are 2–3x more likely to be offline
- If you’re struggling to pay for rent or food, data plans and devices don’t make the list.
Digital exclusion is about affordability, not ability.
That’s why we’re calling for digital inclusion to be designed into public services, not bolted on after.
Our response: the Digital Poverty Pot
We’re not just raising the issue. We’re doing something about it.
At PeoplePlus, we’ve launched a Digital Poverty Pot dedicated funding that helps individuals we support overcome one of the most overlooked barriers to progress: digital access.
We’re using it to:
- Provide devices to learners and jobseekers
- Fund connectivity and mobile access in low-income households
- Support digital access in prisons and independent living programmes
- Embed digital inclusion into our training, recruitment, and advisory services
Because if you’re serious about tackling economic inactivity, reducing reoffending, and supporting lifelong learning , you can’t ignore digital poverty.
So what now?
This is a national problem and we can’t fix it alone.
We’re inviting employers, funders, councils, and policymakers to stand with us, help us, talk to us.
We need:
- Business sponsorship of devices or data plans
- Local partnerships to improve infrastructure
- National policy that prioritises access as a right, not a perk
You don’t need a massive budget , just the will to help people unlock their potential.
Because here’s the truth:
We’ve worked with over 115,000 people through LearningPlus.
We’ve supported 1,700+ businesses with inclusive recruitment.
And we know, the difference between thriving and falling behind is often as simple as a Wi-Fi signal.
Let’s stop making digital access a privilege.
Digital poverty isn’t new.
COVID just made it visible.
Now it’s time to act, before we slide back into silent exclusion.
Let’s make sure no one’s locked out of opportunity just because they couldn’t afford to connect.
Join us. Let’s close the digital divide for good.
May 02, 2025Posted by:
