Report calls for UK digital participation
August 20, 2026

By Colin Mann



The Connection Project has published Connected, a report backed by Britain’s major banks, broadcasters, telecoms operators and leading charities, which argues that digital participation is not a peripheral issue, but central to growth, entertainment, public services and opportunity.

The report highlights that full-fibre broadband alone could add £73 billion (€85.3bn) to UK productivity; digital transformation could save government £45 billion a year; the BBC-commissioned research, in collaboration with Everyone TV, points to tens of billions more in economic and wellbeing value.


The report also touches on the reality that many essential services are moving online, and access to these services increasingly shape who can find work, manage their money and get help from the NHS. The task now is to bring these strengths together deliberately in a way that ensures access for all, rather than leave the success of the transition ahead to chance.

It is published as Government considers the Treasury’s review of access to banking, the future of television, and the steady move of public services online, with apps for services from the NHS to HMRC.

Connected also says the UK can draw on existing, significant investment in digital infrastructure, with full UK connectivity planned by 2032, alongside trusted national institutions; businesses experienced in large-scale change; and a strong civil society network to deliver this transition. It has delivered before — for example, the switch to digital television and contactless payments.

The report also examines international approaches. Other countries show what’s possible. In Denmark, connectivity is basic infrastructure — as standard as electricity or water – and digital services are made so simple with strong support that they are used almost universally. In Estonia, citizen-designed digital services save each person five working days a year, worth 2 per cent of GDP. The UK doesn’t need a new model — just to apply ideas already proven, at scale.

Success is not defined by the report as getting everyone online, acknowledging that some people never will be. Connected instead defines success as making sure everyone can manage their money, watch what they love and reach essential services, whether or not they go online themselves. It highlights that many as 22 million people in the UK face at least one meaningful barrier to digital life, but that these are not a fixed minority, suggesting they are instead a shifting one: almost anyone can be caught out by cost, a lost password, or a change in circumstances.

Organisations supporting the report include BT, Openreach, VodafoneThree, the BBC, ITV, Lloyds Banking Group, HSBC, Nationwide, Barclays, UK Finance, NatWest, PWC, Deloitte, Accenture, CapGemini, EY – alongside Everyone TV, Age UK, Citizens’ Advice, AbilityNet, Good Things Foundation, Money and Mental Health Policy Institute, FutureDotNow and Quarriers. Organisations that usually compete, or sit on different sides of the debate, agreeing what a coordinated approach would need.

The report calls on Government to:

• Agree a shared national ambition for high digital participation, with agreed outcomes, dates and milestones.

• Unlock industry investment — back broadband to the hardest-to-reach households, and legislate to remove barriers to connectivity and enable safe, delegated digital access.

• Deliver a new settlement on affordability, so no one is priced out of the digital world.

• Set clear expectations for inclusive transitions — empowering cross-sector coordinators, industry, local authorities, civil society and government’s own services.

The organisations behind Connected say they are ready to work with Government to deliver the report’s recommendations.

Natalie Ceeney, Chair of The Connection Project, said: “Technology has the power to improve millions of lives, but only if people are able to participate confidently in the digital society we’re creating. The UK has a rare opportunity to get this right. By bringing together government, industry and civil society behind a shared plan, we can ensure digital change leaves people feeling more connected, more capable and better off, not left behind.”

James Lowther, MD for Commercial at Openreach, said: “Building the UK’s new full fibre broadband network is one of the biggest and most successful infrastructure projects in a generation. But the job’s not done yet and success isn’t measured just by how many premises we reach. It’s measured by whether people can benefit from the opportunities that ultra-reliable connectivity creates. As the nation becomes more digital – industry, charities and government need to work together to make sure nobody’s left behind and everyone can participate with confidence.”

Jas Singh OBE, CEO Consumer at Lloyds Banking Group, said: “Great digital banking and the right human support both have an important role to play in helping customers manage their money with confidence. The real test is whether people can access the support they need, whether that is online, in person or over the phone. And the difference we can make together goes far beyond banking; by working across sectors, we can help ensure that more people have the confidence to benefit from an increasingly digital world.”

Alex Towers, Director of Policy and Public Affairs at BT, said: “Britain and BT have invested billions in world-class digital networks. But building that infrastructure is only part of the job. To get the full benefits of a digital society, we need to make sure nobody is left behind as services move online. That’s why BT is aiming to reach 30 million people and businesses with digital skills, tools and support by 2030, to help people make the most of the opportunities created by technology. There is much more to do though, and if we want  to connect the whole population that will require a shared national effort backed by collaboration across government, industry and civil society.”

Jonathan Thompson, CEO of Everyone TV, said: “Free, universal access to television has helped bring the UK together for generations. As viewing moves online, Everyone TV is helping ensure people can enjoy the benefits of TV in a digital world through Freely, making it simple, familiar and accessible, so everyone can continue to access trusted public service content that matters. Connected rightly shows that this kind of transition works best when access, inclusion and confidence are built-in from the start.”