Charities say websites vital for daily tasks must be easier to use

The design of websites and apps vital for daily tasks, from car parking to booking NHS appointments, should be regulated to avoid digital exclusion for millions of people who struggle with life online, campaigners say.

- Robert Booth

The Digital Poverty Alliance (DPA), a coalition of charities, is calling for greater help for an estimated 11 million UK citizens who lack digital life skills, and believes "basic, inclusive design requirements must be enforced for all essential services".

The DPA wants tech companies to sell devices with operating systems that go out of date less often, low-cost "social tariffs" from all broadband providers and for digital access to be classed as an essential utility.

The call comes as frontline advisers warned growing numbers of people feel "lost in a digital world". Age UK has estimated that 40% of over-75s do not use the internet. People faced with choices between heating and eating are first cutting online access, a Citizens Advice Bureau manager said.

New figures also show the number of people accessing the internet only via mobile phone - which is slower, more expensive and less effective at handling complex transactions - doubled between 2019 and 2021. A study by the Fabian Society and backed by BT found 5.8m households now rely on mobile coverage, forcing families to ration time spent online.