Towards a Scottish Minimum Digital Living Standard: Phase 2

Executive Summary

The report covers Phase 2 of a project to explore the implementation of a Minimum Digital Living Standard (MDLS) in Scotland, concentrating on families with children. This builds on prior UK and Welsh MDLS research and expands this to the Scottish context. The MDLS sets a baseline for households, defining digital inclusion as requiring accessible internet, adequate devices, and the skills to engage confidently and safely in contemporary digital society.

This report presents phase two of the research, which consists of two components. The first phase of the project also included two strands of research (reported here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/towards-scottish-minimum-digital-living-standard-interim-report/). Focus groups with parents and young people evaluated the relevance and differences in digital goods, services, and skills needed by families with children living in Scotland. Additionally, interviews with stakeholders explored potential approaches to implementing a Scottish MDLS.

Findings from the first phase highlighted the potential importance of a Scottish MDLS in tackling digital exclusion and promoting social inclusion. While there is enthusiasm for the initiative, there is also an acknowledgement of the challenges to be addressed, such as rural connectivity gaps, affordability, and the necessity for coordinated policy efforts. Implementing a Scottish MDLS is considered a crucial step toward achieving equitable digital inclusion across the nation. This report elaborates on these themes to further investigate and discuss these challenges, and to inform and support any measures moving forward.

Phase 2 of the study involved engaging stakeholders through surveys and conducting in-depth interviews with families in Glasgow and Dumfries and Galloway—areas chosen to represent both urban and rural settings. The research uncovered systemic barriers such as affordability, disparities in infrastructure, and low digital skills. Rural areas in Scotland may face inconsistent connectivity, disrupting daily life and education. Families also expressed feeling overwhelmed by complex digital systems, exacerbated by a lack of accessible, effective support.

Stakeholders and families identified the potential benefits of implementing MDLS as a policy framework. Enhanced digital inclusion can help bridge social inequality, improve access to services, and empower communities. Stakeholders advocated for MDLS policies that incorporate community-based trust anchors to deliver tailored digital support. Families stressed that reliable internet and resources should be viewed as essential household needs. In the context of MDLS, reliable internet is considered a level at which all household members can engage in core everyday activities simultaneously.

Recommendations identified in the report emphasise integrating MDLS into Scotland's broader social and digital policy agendas. This includes introducing cross-government collaborations around reserved matters, ensuring long-term funding for digital support initiatives, and addressing affordability barriers. A coordinated approach that embeds digital inclusion across sectors and policies is considered vital. The MDLS framework could position Scotland as a leader in digital inclusion strategies. By tackling the identified barriers and adopting a human rights approach to digital access, Scotland can create an equitable digital ecosystem that minimises exclusion and enables individuals to thrive in the digital age.