London to launch digital inclusion service

London’s Mayor Sadiq Khan launches the Digital Inclusion Service, aimed at helping digitally excluded residents by providing devices, skills, and affordable connectivity. The pilot, developed in collaboration with various entities, targets 75,000 people over three years and is funded by the London Recovery Programme. Khan emphasizes the importance of digital access for all Londoners, highlighting the barriers many face in accessing online tools essential for success.

To promote digital inclusion, London’s Mayor Sadiq Khan announced the Digital Inclusion Service, a new pilot that streamlines access to support digitally excluded residents get online and help people obtain devices, skills, and affordable connectivity. It will be developed in collaboration with the London Office of Technology and Innovation (LOTI) and the charity Good Things Foundation to create a sustainable ongoing service. The one-year pilot, which targets 75,000 people over three years, will be funded with GBP 545,000 (USD$ 667,000) from the London Recovery Programme. ‘Every Londoner should have digital access, but the sad reality is that too many Londoners lack the skills, technology, and infrastructure to get online easily, preventing them from accessing the tools they need to thrive,’ said Khan.