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The UK’s largest study of digital and financial lives and the Essential Digital Skills measure.
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.
“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
“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
“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.
Previous reports and resources
Consumer Digital Index 2021 (PDF, 3.5MB)
Essential Digital Skills 2021 (PDF, 4.5MB)
Consumer Digital Index and Essential Digital Skills 2020 (PDF, 3.5MB)
Consumer Digital Index and Essential Digital Skills 2019 (PDF, 3.9MB)
UK Consumer Digital Index 2018 (PDF, 3.2MB)
UK Consumer Digital Index Appendix 2018 (PDF, 491KB)
Digital Access for all 2018 (PDF, 622KB)
UK Consumer Digital Index 2017 (PDF, 2.86MB)
UK Consumer Digital Index 2017 appendix (PDF, 1.1MB)
UK Consumer Digital Index 2016 (PDF, 3.92MB)
Business Digital Index 2021 (PDF, 3.62MB)
2020 Transformation with Tech Report (PDF, 1.7MB)
UK Business Digital Index 2019 (PDF, 2.9MB)
UK Charity Digital Index 2019 (PDF, 3.6MB)
UK Business and Charity Digital Index 2018 (PDF, 3.6MB)
UK Business and Charity Digital Index 2018 Appendix (PDF, 887KB)
UK Business Digital Index 2017 (PDF, 4.7MB)
UK Business Digital Index 2017 Appendix (PDF, 335KB)
UK Business Digital Index 2016 (PDF, 2.9MB)
UK Business Digital Index 2016 Appendix (PDF, 289KB)
Links to key research reports and strategy papers regarding digital and financial capability.
Family Resources Survey 2016-17 (PDF, 462kb)
Toynbee Hall: Financial Inclusion research and trends
Department for Digital 10 Tech Priorities
Parliamentary Office for Science and Technology
Links to technical notes for our Essential Digital Skills reports.
Ipsos Essential Digital Skills for Work 2022/2023 Technical Notes (PDF, 816KB)
Ipsos MORI Essential Digital Skills 2022 Technical Notes (PDF, 2.6MB)
Ipsos MORI Essential Digital Skills 2021 Technical Notes (PDF, 404 KB)
Ipsos MORI Essential Digital Skills 2020 Technical Notes (PDF, 268kb)