Government Launches £9.5 Million Fund To Tackle Digital Exclusion

The Government has announced a new £9.5 million Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund to support local councils, charities and community organisations in helping more people get online.

The fund is designed to tackle digital inequality by backing initiatives such as workshops to familiarise people with technology and schemes that provide devices to those without access. The funding will be delivered in partnership with devolved governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, building on local knowledge and expertise.

In England, local government, charities and research organisations will be able to apply for grants ranging from £25,000 to £500,000 to boost digital inclusion and skills in their areas. The devolved governments will set their own arrangements for distributing funding to local initiatives.

According to government figures, 7.9 million adults in the UK lack basic digital skills, while 1.6 million people live entirely offline. The government notes that people who are digitally excluded often face higher living costs, paying up to 25% more for goods and services such as insurance, train travel, and food.

The Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund follows the launch of the IT Reuse for Good charter in June, which encourages organisations to pledge to donate devices for reuse by those who are digitally excluded.

The fund is part of the government’s wider Plan for Change and delivers on commitments set out in the Digital Inclusion Action Plan, published earlier this year.

For more information, see the Digital Inclusion Action Plan: First Steps.

The Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund is now open for applications until 10 September, 15:00.

DSIT encourages all eligible organisations to consider applying and to share this opportunity with your networks.

The application form, guidance document and other supporting documents are available on the Find a Grant page via this link:https://find-government-grants.service.gov.uk/grants/digital-inclusion-innovation-fund-2. 

If you have any further queries regarding the Fund, please contact: [email protected].

Digital connectivity will be a key theme at this year’s National Rural Conference. Join us on Tuesday 16 September for the Digital Connectivity session, where expert speakers will explore the challenges and opportunities of improving digital access in rural areas. Eligible RSN members can book now - view the full programme here.