Millions of children in the UK are being held back because of digital inequality, new research has found.
Figures from the Digital Poverty Alliance and Deloitte, shared exclusively with the Big Issue, show that one in five children across the UK are impacted by digital poverty.
This means they may not have access to an electronic device or broadband activity, and they lack digital skills in comparison to their classmates as a result.
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Elizabeth Anderson, chief executive of the Digital Poverty Alliance, said: “Digital exclusion remains a critical issue across the UK, made worse by the cost of living crisis squeezing household budgets and forcing families to make a choice between dinner or devices.
“This digital inequality is holding millions of school children back as they lack access to a device to complete online lessons or homework, causing their education to suffer.”
The latest data comes after major broadband providers have hiked up their bills this month. Major providers including BT, EE, O2, Sky, Virgin Media and Vodafone have increased charges by up to 8.8%.