Understanding the Relationship Between Social Housing and Digital Poverty in 2025

The Impact of Digital Poverty

Many of us take for granted the ability to instantaneously check the news, look at the weather forecast, hear from our friends or family, or even solve a Worldle puzzle online. Increasingly more rarely, during a technical failure or a powercut, do we experience the sobering and curious reality of disconnecting from the rest of the world. But do we appreciate the full impact that being off the grid could have on our lives, if it lasts longer than an afternoon or two?

A majority of our days revolve around being able to access the Internet. To book an appointment, check your bank account, pay your bills, you have to use, as well as constantly update, your digital literacy. Even more importantly, you need to get online to find, apply for and interview for jobs. During the COVID 19 pandemic, it was the only way to do our jobs. 

And yet, this isn’t even scratching the surface. Without a phone, laptop, or ability to get online, individuals become increasingly more isolated from society, opportunities, information and other resources (including support, public services and benefits). In the UK, eVisas are already a fact, with many applicants struggling to navigate the transition from physical evidence of status to a digital one. This month, similarly, the British government announced its intention to introduce virtual document wallets (containing essential records such as driving licenses and veteran cards) by the summer, meaning that the move away from tangible IDs is gaining momentum (see: BBC website). So, what does this mean for people who have neither the means, nor skillset to keep up with these changes?

According to The Digital Poverty Alliance, digital poverty is characterised by the absence of 5 key facets: devices, access/connectivity (e.g. Internet access), capability, support and participation, and motivation. In the UK alone, 13-19 million people (see: Digital Poverty Alliance website) over 16 years old experience some type of digital poverty, including approximately 20% of British children and 1 in 2 older adults. 

And, perhaps unsurprisingly, digital poverty is especially prevalent in social housing communities.

Social Housing

Social housing are council and, increasingly, not-for-profit housing associations-owned properties that are significantly more affordable than those in the private sector. These accommodations are designed to provide a place to live for those in need who are in no position to access housing otherwise (individuals who are vulnerable, low-income, disabled, victims of abuse or violence, etc.). Social tenancies are more secure than private, and can help people and families find their feet, contributing to society and the economy as a whole.

Governmental data indicates that 17% of UK households live in social housing, with 1.21mil people currently on a waiting list for one (GOV.UK, 2024c). Figures also suggest that homelessness is the leading cause of needing social housing, currently exacerbated by the cost of living crisis which finds more and more people struggling to pay their rent (see: Shelter), and 1 in 3 spending more than half their income on it. Even more concerningly, Crisis found that 2023-2024 has seen the highest number of households facing homelessness on record, attesting to the compounding risks and challenges faced by struggling communities (Crisis, 2024).

In 2014, the UK Government’s 2014 Digital Inclusion Strategy (GOV.UK, 2014) reported that 37% of the people experiencing digital poverty were in social housing. In the decade since then and in the light of the recent economic hardships that many experience, that figure is only likely to have grown. With nearly 60% of those living in social housing remaining there for 3-5 years (GOV.UK, 2024b), digital exclusion can have a tremendous impact on social and economic mobility, education and opportunities. In fact, addressing digital poverty directly aligns with the purposes of social housing: to support vulnerable people in overcoming the very challenges that have led to needing to apply for an affordable home.

Why is digital poverty a problem in social housing?

A 2022 report by the Cambridge Center for Housing & Planning research examined the landscape of digital poverty in social housing to better understand the challenges faced by families and individuals in those communities.

As the cost of living continues to rise, pushing record number of families to apply for social housing, many are forced to make the choice between essentials such as food and bills, and access to a mobile plan, appropriate devices, and internet connection. Poor insulation also disproportionately drives heating costs, with 43% of social housing having a D score and 9% facing a score below that (GOV.UK, 2024a) . The problem of fuel poverty - estimated to affect 4.5mil UK households in 2021 (NEA, 2023) - has also been exacerbated following the Grenfell tragedy of 2017, which brought to light the combustible cladding used in the construction of many high-rise buildings. Efforts to remove this dangerous cladding are understandably underway, but many blocks have not obtained a replacement yet, leaving them to struggle with rising utility bills during the coldest months of the year, at a time when those costs are already extremely high. 

Another common issue is infrastructure, as installations in blocks of flats are more challenging than in houses, especially when needing to ensure compliance with regulations (fire safety precautions emerge here, too). Paired with the uncertainty of the number of possible customers who may agree to use the service, many providers are reluctant to invest in the operation in the first place. As a result, as well as to streamline construction, developers set up deals with specific providers, limiting residents’ choices to a pre-set collection of plans that may not necessarily be the most affordable options available out there (Reddick et al., 2020). On the flip side of the problem are, of course, older properties, where executing the installation process is harder in the first place, due to the materials and architecture of the buildings (Cambridge Center for Housing & Planning Research, 2022) and temporary accommodations, which, while known to house almost 100,000 people in 2021, lack certainty, making it difficult to for residents to commit to a long-term contracts (see: Shelter). Some anecdotal accounts even attest to there being additional barriers for those living in a transitional home, with certain addresses being blacklisted by Internet companies (e.g. due to viewing those properties as a risky investment).

At the tail-end of attributes to digital poverty are also issues of poor connectivity when too many individuals attempt to use the broadband (for instance, in houses of multiple occupation), issues of privacy, or having to incur costs in travelling to public spaces in order to access the Internet in the first place (Ofcom, 2018). 

Addressing Digital Poverty in Social Housing

In the last couple of years, housing associations have become increasingly concerned with the challenge of digital poverty, particularly following the COVID 19 pandemic which hugely expedited transition to online or in-app  processes for many services. Of the 41 social housing organisations interviewed for a 2022 Hyperoptic-commissioned study on the topic, 39% indicated that they were ‘much more concerned’ now compared to pre-2020, while 38% said they were ‘somewhat more concerned’. Naturally, there is a bigger focus on trying to provide solutions and support for tenants - with only 6% of the surveyed organisations reporting that they have not yet implemented any interventions to combat digital poverty (HACT and Hyperoptic, 2022).

Among the strategies we see most are training and education programmes, closely followed by a focus on building appropriate infrastructure for secure and stable connection, and finally providing wi-fi-specific financial assistance (in the form of grants or vouchers) to counteract affordability challenges. Beyond direct interventions, some organisations, (e.g. Platform Housing) use incentives such as awards for individuals who ‘developed their own skills, helped others, or used digital knowledge to make a difference’, while others offer grants for community projects (e.g. Clarion Housing), all with the hope to invigorate and motivate social housing communities and beyond.

Though these efforts have begun the battle for digital equality for many affordable home tenants, a huge amount of work remains. The Cambridge Center for Housing & Planning (Cambridge Center for Housing & Planning Research, 2022) and the Hyperoptic reports (HACT and Hyperoptic, 2022), highlight one of the biggest challenges faced today: that there needs to be a fundamental change in governmental and social mindset to rethink internet access in social housing as ‘essential’ rather than a ‘luxury’ that’s ‘nice to have’. 

But what can be done, in a practical sense, to improve the current situation?

What seems clear is that there is a burning need for coordinated local policies that ensure buildings and services are fit for purpose: construction regulations to stop the use of materials that impact connectivity, limitations for development streams that impose specific broadband providers on tenants, and commitment to improving energy efficiency in homes. In temporary housing, the problem of interrupted or nonexistent internet access also needs addressing, whether via governmental funding or special deals with internet companies (Cambridge Center for Housing & Planning Research, 2022; HACT and Hyperoptic, 2022). 

Infrastructure, however, is only one side of the coin. As the hyperbolic report argues, each individual tenant has distinct circumstances and digital skillbase: while the needs of an elderly person may focus on help with NHS appointments and benefits forms, working-age adults may be struggling with job searches and applications while a school student’s concerns could centre on something as simple as completing homework assignments. Personalised rather than ‘broad-stroke’ strategies, where a person’s own goals and interests drive training and education, could provide better results, especially where individuals feel disheartened or intimidated by technology. For example, coaching could focus on how online skills can help accessing cheaper goods and services, save time and energy, or help individuals stay connected (HACT and Hyperoptic, 2022) . Because each community and each individual face different challenges, conducting regular surveys, interviews and speaking to people is the key to maximising efficiency, especially in a living situation where empathy and consideration are essential.

Conclusions & What’s next?

Digital poverty in social housing is a compounded issue that is often overlooked, poorly understood or underestimated. Communities who struggle most with bills can end up living in the least energy-efficient houses, with least choices for affordable connection and the fewest options for obtaining provisions without expending extra funds. Tragically, where there is vulnerability and lack of security, access to facilities and support becomes doubly hard and expensive, and this is the case even when those very resources - like broadband and devices - could be the only way to lift people out of poverty. In 2025, as more and more people in the UK find themselves in need of social homes, serious work needs to be done to combat the stigma and consequences of digital and housing inequality.

Find out more about how we can provide free support to people with digital assisted services such as:

• Benefit Appeals - PIP, Universal Credit, Court Appeals + More - Click Here

• Applying for an eVisa - Click Here

References

Cambridge Center for Housing & Planning Research, Holmes, H., Karampour, K. and Burgess, G. (2022). Digital Poverty and Housing Inequality. [online] Available at: https://www.landecon.cam.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2024-02/digital_poverty_and_housing_inequality.pdf.

Crisis (2024). Record number of households facing homelessness across England. [online] Crisis. Available at: https://www.crisis.org.uk/about-us/crisis-media-centre/record-number-of-households-facing-homelessness-across-england/.

Digital Poverty Alliance. (n.d.). Digital Poverty in the UK: A socio-economic assessment of the implications of digital poverty in the UK. [online] Available at: https://digitalpovertyalliance.org/digital-poverty-in-the-uk-a-socio-economic-assessment-of-the-implications-of-digital-poverty-in-the-uk/.

Fraser, G. (2025). Government digital document app launching in summer. [online] 21 Jan. Available at: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy48vl3p0nyo.

GOV.UK (2014). Government Digital Inclusion Strategy. [online] GOV.UK. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/government-digital-inclusion-strategy/government-digital-inclusion-strategy.

GOV.UK (2024a). English Housing Survey 2022 to 2023: energy report. [online] GOV.UK. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/english-housing-survey-2022-to-2023-energy/english-housing-survey-2022-to-2023-energy-report.

GOV.UK (2024b). Social housing lettings. [online] www.ethnicity-facts-figures.service.gov.uk. Available at: https://www.ethnicity-facts-figures.service.gov.uk/housing/social-housing/social-housing-lettings/latest/.

GOV.UK (2024c). Social housing lettings in England, tenants: April 2021 to March 2022. [online] GOV.UK. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/social-housing-lettings-in-england-april-2021-to-march-2022/social-housing-lettings-in-england-tenants-april-2021-to-march-2022.

HACT and Hyperoptic (2022). Digital Poverty in Social Housing Solutions for breaking the cycle Prepared by Hyperoptic with HACT (Housing Associations’ Charitable Trust). [online] Available at: https://hact.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Digital-poverty-in-social-housing-2022-Whitepaper-LR.pdf.

Housing, C. (2022). Clarion Housing. [online] Myclarionhousing.com. Available at: https://www.myclarionhousing.com/help-and-guidance/digital-skills-and-support/digital-grants [Accessed 23 Jan. 2025].

Housing, P. (2023). Digital Inclusion Award | Platform Housing Group. [online] Platformhg.com. Available at: https://www.platformhg.com/digital-inclusion-award [Accessed 23 Jan. 2025].

Lennie, K. (2024). eVisa: Support With Your eVisa & What You Need to Know? [online] Makemore. Available at: https://www.make-more.org/post/support-with-your-evisa-what-you-need-to-know [Accessed 15 Jan. 2025].

NEA (2023). What is fuel poverty? [online] National Energy Action (NEA). Available at: https://www.nea.org.uk/what-is-fuel-poverty/.

Ofcom (2018). Adults’ Media Use and Attitudes Report. [online] Available at: https://www.ofcom.org.uk/siteassets/resources/documents/research-and-data/media-literacy-research/adults/2018/adults-media-use-and-attitudes-report-2018.pdf?v=323153.

Reddick, C.G., Enriquez, R., Harris, R.J. and Sharma, B. (2020). Determinants of broadband access and affordability: An analysis of a community survey on the digital divide. Cities, 106(102904), p.102904. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2020.102904.

Rich, H. (2022). Temporary accommodation: the new social housing? [online] Shelter.org.uk. Available at: https://blog.shelter.org.uk/temporary-accommodation-the-new-social-housing/ [Accessed 23 Jan. 2025].

Shelter (2024). The cost of living crisis. [online] Shelter England. Available at: https://england.shelter.org.uk/support_us/campaigns/cost_of_living_crisis.