One in five Brits feel they are being left behind due to lack of digital skills
One in five Brits (21%) feel like they are being left behind – due to a lack of tech skills, research has found.
Some of the top tasks people struggle to perform online include making a video call, booking medical appointments, and using photo-editing tools or PowerPoint.
The survey of 2,000 adults found that over half (54%) would class themselves as “tech savvy”, with email and Facebook among the online programmes they are most likely to have wrapped their heads around.
However, of those who don't feel this way, 38% say they have faced challenges due to their lack of digital knowledge – and 14% admit there have even been times when they have thought of themselves as “digitally illiterate”.
Over four in ten of those polled (43%) feel there are so many apps, online platforms, and software, they they can't keep up – which rises to 58% of over-65s who feel this way. However, 23% are motivated to learn, to help improve their digital skills, the research found.
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To help the nation learn and improve its online capabilities, Virgin Media O2 has teamed up with digital inclusion charity, Good Things Foundation, to host hundreds of free workshops across the UK to mark “Get Online Week”, from October 16-22.
Dana Haidan, chief sustainability officer at Virgin Media O2, said: “We know for many people technology can be daunting – especially with new apps, online services, and tools like AI appearing all the time.
“It can be hard to know where to get help with computers, phones, and tablets, and how to get the best from the internet.
“That’s why, as part of our goal to improve the digital skills of six million people by the end of 2025, we’re offering hundreds of free digital skills lessons.
“We want to help people feel more confident and capable online – whether it’s learning how to book online medical appointments, uploading a CV to a jobs site, or video calling a loved one.”
The study also found more than a third (37%) of Brits believe learning digital skills is more important than being able to read or write.
But three in ten (29%) said they had never had someone show them how to improve their digital skills, and 20% feel they missed out on an opportunity to learn how to do a basic online task – and it’s now too late to learn.
But Facebook and emails are among the online platforms people feel most comfortable using (Harun Ozalp/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)According to the OnePoll.com figures, of those who have struggled with a piece of technology, 17% report it has slowed down their life, and made it inconvenient.
And those in low-income households – earning between £15,000 to £30,000 – said they’d struggle to use AI tools like Chat GPT (39%), or take part in a virtual job interview (22%), while one in ten aren’t comfortable using a tablet.
Helen Milner OBE, CEO of Good Things Foundation, said: “Since the pandemic we’ve seen the digital divide deepen.
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“People excluded from the internet are locked out of all of the economic benefits it brings – like saving money, improved job prospects, and the ability to work flexibly – as well as the higher risk of loneliness.
“This research confirms what we already know about the digital skills gap, with one in five adults lacking the most basic digital skills needed for everyday life.
“That’s why during our annual national campaign, Get Online Week, the National Digital Inclusion Network is hosting events for their local communities to help them get online.
“This underpins the wider work Good Things Foundation is doing with Virgin Media O2 and our partners to get data, devices, and digital skills to the people who need help the most. Together we can help fix the digital divide – for good.”
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