Consumer Digital Index Report

UK Consumer Digital Index 2022

The UK’s largest study of digital and financial lives and the Essential Digital Skills measure.

What is the Consumer Digital Index?

The Consumer Digital Index is the UK’s largest measure of digital and financial lives. First published in 2016, the report uses a blend of transactional and survey data allowing data-matching of behaviours with attitudes – to date over 25,000 consumers have been spoken to.

The report also contains the UK Essential Digital Skills benchmark; a measure of the fundamental tasks needed to access the online world, and the essential digital skills needed for life and work. Lloyds Bank commission this report on behalf of the Department for Education and to date over 16,000 individuals have been interviewed on the telephone or face-to-face.

Vodafone UK

“It is great to see more people are online, but still worrying that there is a large percentage of the population that will struggle to engage digitally. Our own research shows – a million families could find themselves on the wrong side of the digital divide in the next three months due to the cost-of-living crisis.

We cannot allow this to happen. As a business, we have put closing the digital divide gap at the heart of our business, and as part of our everyone.connected programme, we are committed to providing connectivity, skills and technology to those most in need.”

Nicki Lyons, Corporate Affairs & Sustainability Director, Vodafone UK

BT Group

“The data gathered in this year’s report is rich and revealing. While 99% of the population are now online – large numbers are worried about privacy and security; and a staggering 5.3 million people in this country don’t know how to keep login details and passwords secure.

There is clearly still so much more to be done in empowering people with the confidence and skills they need to protect themselves, and make the most of the digital world. As Chair of techUK’s Local Digital Capital Working Group, I am particularly grateful to Lloyds Banking Group for allowing us to include the data in our Local Digital Capital Index this year. This enables local and devolved governments to progress policies that will help make a difference to lives of people all across the UK.”

Professor Kerensa Jennings, Data Platforms Director, BT Group

Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations

“The Consumer Digital Index has been crucial in tracking how people across the UK are benefitting from being online in recent years. The fact Internet use is now almost universal is striking, but perhaps unsurprising given how essential it has become for learning, life and work; particularly since the start of the pandemic.

However, as more services are delivered digitally, it is important to recognise that more than a quarter of the population have very low digital capability. Digital access doesn’t equal digital capability. We all have a role to play in building confidence and skills in our workplaces and communities.”

David McNeill, Digital Director, Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations

Every data point is a person, and the telephony surveys and case studies undertaken are important for contextualising the large dataset.

This short video illustrates the story of Russell, who has overcome a difficult period in his life and grown his confidence and capability online through the Digital Helpline – a unique service created in partnership with We Are Digital. For more information, click here to view our digital skills training support page.

Consumer Digital Index Case Studies

Previous reports and resources