Misconnected
Our first report explores how the UK can choose a better digital future
Digital services now shape everyday life.
A successful digital society relies on wide participation. But the UK’s digital investment isn’t yet delivering its full value.
Digital technology now underpins almost every aspect of everyday life in the UK.
Banking, healthcare, communication, business and public services are increasingly delivered through digital systems.
For many people, these changes have brought more convenience, faster services and access to new opportunities.
But for too many people, the digital experience is difficult too often – limiting participation and the value these systems can deliver.
Our new report explores why digital participation remains lower than it could be — and what needs to change to build a digital future that works better for everyone.
Misconnected:
How the UK can choose a better digital future
Misconnected finds that many people can complete some tasks digitally but struggle with others, particularly during high-stakes activities like managing their money, proving their identity or recovering access to their accounts.
Millions of people rely on others to help them carry out everyday tasks, often finding workarounds because services aren’t designed for their needs.
Others are excluded by poorly designed services, put off by fear of fraud, unable to afford reliable connectivity or unable to have it installed in rented accommodation.
As a result, participation remains much lower than it could be, which means the UK is not making the most of the opportunities new technology provides.
At the same time, the pace of digital change is accelerating. Public and private sector services are digitising rapidly, old analogue systems are disappearing, and AI is changing the face of services faster than ever before.
This means the UK is not yet realising the full economic and social value of its digital systems.
Government, industry and the third sector have all made important efforts to address gaps in digital participation through skills programmes, technology support and targeted initiatives for groups at risk of being left behind.
These efforts have helped many people, but they have not solved the national challenge. This is partly because responsibility for digital participation does not sit in any single sector.
The systems people rely on every day are increasingly interconnected, but no one is responsible for thinking about how they work together, how they are sequenced, or how they are experienced by citizens in the round.
No one sector can solve this challenge on its own.
To increase participation, we need to look at the system as a whole. And as the pace of technological change accelerates, the UK can’t afford not to bring everyone on the digital journey.
Our research highlights three important insights about why the UK’s digital transition is not yet delivering its full value.
1. The UK’s digital investment is not yet delivering its full value
The UK compares well internationally in terms of digital infrastructure and usage. But this investment is not yet translating into the levels of participation, trust and confidence needed to unlock its full economic and social value.
2. Mass participation in digital services is essential
Digital participation is often treated as a moral extra, a social policy issue or a “nice to have”. Our research suggests something different. Wide participation is essential for digital systems to deliver their full economic and social value for consumers, businesses and the wider economy.
3. The scale of the challenge is bigger than many people assume
This is not an issue affecting a small, static group of people. Between 14 and 22 million people experience at least one challenge navigating digital systems. This is therefore a widespread national challenge.
To increase participation, we need to recognise the many ways people are excluded or put off from digital services, remove practical barriers, and create better experiences for them.
The UK can choose a better digital future. This is less about major new investment and more about making the most of the investment we have already made.
With the right leadership and coordination, we can put in place the conditions we need for a successful digital society.
Our report finds that these are:
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Reliable and affordable access – with connectivity treated as an essential service
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Usable design – services that are simple, accessible and safe by design
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Practical support – so people can get help, recover from mistakes and delegate safely
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Careful sequencing of change – ensuring new systems work before older ones are retired
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Accountability and assurance – with clear ownership, standards and redress when systems fail
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Get involved
The challenge is immense, but so is the prize: better services for everyone at lower cost, less time wasted on systems that don’t work, and more independence and dignity for the people who currently struggle.
Achieving this will take bold action and joint working. No one company or sector has all the answers, and the absence of coordination has made progress harder.
In the coming months we will move from diagnosis to practical responses, and we would welcome contributions from anyone interested in helping.