Year Published: 2020
Date Published: 08/12/2020
Author/s: Patricia J Lucas, Rosa Robinson and Lizzy Treacy
Research Link: https://media.nesta.org.uk/documents/What_is_Data_Poverty.pdf
Key Takeaways:
Lucas, P., Robinson, R., and Treacy, L. (Nesta)
Most of the UK population is now within reach of fast broadband, 4G, or 5G signal and have the digital skills to go online. Around 93 per cent of people now go online at least sometimes, but one in three still have low levels of digital engagement. This is report is focused on those for whom cost is the main barrier to greater digital participation. Data deprivation has become a troubling and prevalent inequalities issue. People living in poverty have fewer opportunities to engage fully in the online world. As COVID-19 social distancing restrictions have increased, so has our reliance on online resources.1 Over lockdown, global internet traffic has tripled,2 but access to data can be costly. Nesta has pointed to the stark choices that
some people face: Data or dinner.3
In October 2020, we undertook a rapid review of literature and consultation with stakeholders in Scotland and Wales to understand more about data poverty. To date, there has been little formal research about how much it costs individuals or households to buy all the data they need: Household surveys and studies of internet coverage point to some of the groups who are less likely to be online. The Lloyds Consumer Digital Index suggests that average monthly broadband costs are likely to be affordable for many people with low incomes. However, we found no studies or reports about the affordability or sufficiency of broadband or mobile data for households or individuals.
• We do not know how much individuals and households pay for data, or how this varies according to their circumstances
• We do not know who or how many people are data poor
• We do not know which groups are most vulnerable to data poverty
Our stakeholders suggest that data poverty is a common problem among disadvantaged groups in Scotland and Wales. They told us the main barriers to accessing the data they needed were low income, not being able to get a data contract, lack of privacy, and local infrastructure. The impact of these barriers is greater in combination
and for those who have higher data needs. For example, those who are unemployed and looking for work have high data needs combined with a low income.
We believe that access to the internet is now essential. Many vital services such as education, welfare, health and work are now online, and those who cannot access enough data for their needs are data poor. By data poverty we mean, those individuals, households or communities who cannot afford sufficient, private and secure mobile or broadband data to meet their essential needs.
To build a strong understanding of data poverty, we believe that research is needed to:
• Identify which groups are most vulnerable to data poverty
• Understand the experiences of those who cannot afford enough broadband or mobile data for their essential needs
• Develop a standardised tool to identify those people experiencing data poverty across seven domains: affordability; choice; infrastructure; privacy and security; quantity; skills; and usability
• Estimate the number of people experiencing data poverty and understand the breadth and depth of poverty experienced