New Report Warns Many Children Being Left Behind by Digital Skills Gap

The report – An evidence-based plan for upskilling our children and young people for digital futures – warns that ‘digital exclusion’ is leaving many children behind and calls for a ‘digital vaccination’ to tackle fake news and disinformation.

This is the seventh report in a series by Child of the North – led by the N8 Research Partnership and Health Equity North – and the Centre for Young Lives that are being published throughout 2024. Each publication focuses on how the Government can put the life chances of young people at the heart of policy making and delivery.

The UK’s digital landscape is explored in the report, which details the scale and impact across society of children not having regular access to technology and the skills to capitalise on digital devices. This is evidenced by the fact that:

42% of young people (approx. 6 million) do not have access to either home broadband or a laptop/desktop computer.
By 2030, 5 million workers will be under-skilled in basic digital capabilities, while 75% of young people feel they lack the necessary skills to thrive.
Participation in IT subjects at GCSE level has dropped by 40% since 2015.
1 million people have either cut back or cancelled their internet packages due to financial constraints
Approximately 2.4 million (21%) of people from the lowest socioeconomic backgrounds do not use the internet at home.
12% of the population in the North East of England are classified as internet non-users, compared to 7% in London.
Digital skills shortages are estimated to cost the UK £65bn each year.