Towards a Scottish Minimum Digital Living Standard: Phase 2

2 Background

This report is intended to be read alongside the details in the Phase 1 report. However, to provide context for this report, we present some background information on the project and the MDLS.

2.1 Background: What is MDLS?

Key aspects of MDLS include:

• Conducting focus groups to bring together members of the public who deliberate and decide on household digital needs and how those needs can be met – this inductive or ‘bottom-up’ approach informs all MDLS work.
• Working to a definition (see below) of a minimum acceptable standard of living. It is about what households ‘need to have’, so more than the ‘bare minimum’ as it should enable people to feel included in the digital world around them – if they wish to.
• Identifying a benchmark level to recognise individuals and households who may fall below it and to explore potential risks and barriers.

2.1.1 The MDLS definition

All MDLS research builds on the MDLS definition, which was developed with members of the public from different household types.

A minimum digital standard of living includes having accessible internet, adequate equipment, and the skills and knowledge people need. It is about being able to communicate, connect and engage with opportunities safely and with confidence.

The definition was built on several key principles. First, it needed to be multi-faceted, encompassing digital devices, connectivity, knowledge, and skills. Second, it required a holistic approach, recognising that households would need all these components in combination. Third, devices and connections should be adequate and fit for purpose. Finally, it should reflect that these components are essential because of what they enable people to do: connect and interact with others, access services and information, engage with opportunities, and participate in society and culture.

2.2 Digital inequalities

The MDLS was developed to assess the digital needs of UK households, particularly to understand the challenges of digital inequalities and their impact on everyday life. In recent years, the ways in which people interact with one another and engage with services have notably and rapidly digitalised. In this context, digital inequalities—such as gaps in digital access, skills, and attitudes—have significant tangible consequences for citizens, households, and communities. A lack of digital access and skills can leave already vulnerable individuals significantly disadvantaged, socially disconnected, economically struggling, and unable to access benefits, health services, and government assistance, or to make online payments. The MDLS and broader research have revealed the complexity of relative digital exclusion. They have highlighted challenges that extend beyond a lack of access (e.g., no internet connection or internet-enabled devices) to those faced by “limited” users. “Limited” users are the millions of UK citizens who have digital access but struggle to fully benefit from digital technologies due to insufficient digital skills and/or support (Yates et al., 2020).

The Scottish Government has been aware of these issues for some time and is actively committed to tackling digital exclusion in Scotland. In 2021, they published their most recent digital strategy, aiming to achieve “world-leading levels of digital inclusion” (Scottish Government, 2021, p. 29). In addition, as a response to the COVID-19 lockdowns, the Scottish Government established the Connecting Scotland programme, supporting and funding organisations to distribute devices, data, and digital skills support via a digital champions model (Brown et al., 2024) focused on individuals with low incomes. While this programme has since altered its method of delivery, evidence shows that it was very well-received by organisations (D’Arcy et al., 2024) and highly beneficial in combating digital exclusion. According to a survey commissioned by the Scottish Government (2023a), 86% of participants reported that their digital skills had improved thanks to Connecting Scotland and that they were better able to stay in touch with family and friends. Despite these efforts, issues of digital exclusion are far from resolved in Scotland. Alarmingly, more than four in ten households with children do not meet the full MDLS in the UK (Yates et al., 2024). This implies that 3.69M households with children in the UK do not meet our MDLS definition.

This report builds on a body of MDLS work and focuses on Scotland. It delivers evidence at a time when Scotland’s approach to digital inclusion is under review. This report presents findings from the second phase of MDLS Scotland research.