Bridging the Gap: Tackling Digital Exclusion in Scotland with Care Connect AI

In an increasingly connected world, having access to the internet and the skills to use it can feel like a basic necessity.

However, for a significant portion of Scotland’s population, this digital world remains out of reach.

This gap is known as digital exclusion, a hidden divide that prevents people from accessing essential services, opportunities, and information.

The Coronavirus pandemic cast a harsh spotlight on this issue, revealing how digital inequalities can profoundly impact lives when services like healthcare and education move online.

Digital exclusion is not simply a gap in access; it is a critical social justice issue for 21st-century Scotland. This article explains what digital exclusion is, who it affects, and why it poses a major challenge for building a fair and equitable digital nation.

What Does “Digital Exclusion” Actually Mean?

Digital exclusion is more than just not having a computer. It is a complex problem rooted in several interconnected barriers that prevent people from fully participating in the digital world. The core components include:

• Affordability: For many, the primary barrier is the high cost of devices and internet plans. As of 2017, over a third of low-income households in Scotland did not have any internet access, largely due to cost.
• Access: Even when affordable, reliable internet is not universally available. Slow internet speeds, particularly in rural areas, create a significant obstacle. Overall, 9% of Scotland’s households do not have an internet connection.
• Skills and Confidence: Having a device and connection is not enough; people also need the skills and confidence to use them. An estimated one in every six adults in Scotland lacks the essential digital skills needed for everyday life. This can range from basic tasks like turning on a device to more complex ones like completing online forms to access public services.

The human impact of these barriers, especially on the young, is stark.

“Many of our pupils do not have either a device or internet or both at home and as a result cannot access any learning.” — CEO of Young Carers Edinburgh

Understanding these barriers is the first step. The next is to see who is most affected by them.

Who is Being Left Behind?

Digital exclusion does not affect everyone equally. It preys on existing societal fractures, disproportionately targeting groups that already face disadvantage and deepening existing inequalities. The key demographic groups most at risk include:

• People in Lower Socioeconomic Groups: A person’s socioeconomic status is the single largest determinant of digital access. People experiencing poverty are among the most severely affected by all facets of digital exclusion.
• Older People: Older individuals are frequently identified as a key at-risk group, often facing barriers related to skills, confidence, and access to modern technology.
• Disabled People: Disabled individuals are another group disproportionately affected by the digital divide, facing unique challenges in accessing and using digital services.

For these groups, the consequences of being digitally excluded are not abstract; they have a tangible, daily impact on their ability to access essential services.

The Real-World Impact on Essential Services

As Scotland digitizes its public services, the digital divide is creating a two-tier system where those with access and skills can benefit from modern conveniences, while others are left struggling with outdated and often less effective alternatives. This is especially true in healthcare and education.

As healthcare services increasingly move online, digital exclusion creates significant barriers to receiving care. While digital services offer efficiency and convenience for many, they can lock others out.

• The ‘Connect Me’ Service: A remote monitoring service supporting over 113,000 people at home for conditions like hypertension, saving an estimated 400,000 unnecessary appointments.
• Digital Mental Health Therapies: Provides an alternative to face-to-face sessions, receiving 74,000 referrals in the past year.

These innovations stand in sharp contrast to the challenges faced by the digitally excluded. The cost of waiting on hold for a GP appointment, for example, is a prohibitive financial burden for individuals who cannot afford high phone charges, directly linking the affordability barrier to healthcare access. The common practice of a GP offering to call a patient back later in the day is a significant obstacle for those with inflexible employment or caring responsibilities.

Beyond these practical issues lie profound psychological barriers. Research shows some people avoid using services because they feel like a “burden on the NHS.” In a digital-first system, “more vulnerable individuals may lack the confidence, support and self-efficacy to position themselves as a candidate for care,” creating a hidden barrier of self-exclusion.

Widening the Gap in Education

The closure of schools during the pandemic brutally exposed and compounded educational inequalities. Pupils without the necessary tools or support at home fell behind, creating an attainment gap that could have lasting consequences.

1. Lack of Access: It is estimated that around 30% of pupils in Scotland do not have the necessary technology or internet access to complete their courses remotely.
2. Parental Support: Parents who have not had access to higher or further education may be less able to assist their children with schoolwork. This is often a direct result of the skills and confidence barrier, as they may struggle to access or understand online learning materials themselves.
3. Low Engagement: Even when technology is provided, engagement from pupils and their parents can remain low. This creates a risk of widening the educational attainment gap to a point that may be “impossible to reverse for some individuals.”

The stark reality of a deepening divide in healthcare and education forced an unprecedented public sector response, mobilizing millions to bridge the gap. Yet, the question remains whether this crisis-driven momentum can be sustained.

Scotland’s Response: A Story of Progress and Stalled Momentum

The pandemic spurred a major public sector effort to bridge the digital divide. The Scottish Government, working with councils and the third sector, launched several key initiatives:

• Connecting Scotland Programme: A £50 million investment that provided lifeline support in the form of devices, data, and skills training to 61,000 vulnerable households.
• Support for At-Risk Individuals: A £5 million programme targeting 9,000 at-risk individuals who were shielding, including older people and those with underlying health conditions, with technology and skills training.
• Support for School Children: A £9 million fund to purchase laptops, tablets, and data plans for 25,000 digitally excluded school children.

Despite this powerful initial response, momentum has slowed. According to a 2024 report from Audit Scotland, national leadership on tackling digital exclusion has weakened since the pandemic. The national digital strategy’s ambition to “leave no one behind” is a worthy goal, but it currently lacks a clear action plan to make it a reality. This weakened leadership and stalled momentum are occurring precisely when significant pressures on public finances make digital efficiencies seem most attractive, creating a dangerous paradox where the drive to save money could end up costing the most vulnerable.

This stands in contrast to promising local initiatives, such as Stirling Council’s free digital tablet lending library or Perth and Kinross Council’s funding for digital skills training, which demonstrate what is possible with focused, place-based support.

Scotland’s Response and the Path Forward: Care Connect AI

Pandemic initiatives like the Connecting Scotland Programme provided devices, data, and training to tens of thousands, demonstrating rapid progress. However, post-pandemic momentum slowed, with reports noting weakened national leadership.

Care Connect AI is addressing this challenge head-on by developing an AI-powered “No Wrong Door” approach for health, care, and social services. This agentic AI solution goes beyond basic tools to understand complex needs, combat loneliness, and seamlessly connect users to appropriate support—ensuring inclusive digital access while upholding human rights principles like meaningful choice between digital and non-digital pathways.

Digital exclusion is a social justice issue that innovative tools like Care Connect AI are poised to resolve. By providing intelligent, compassionate bridging of the digital divide, Care Connect AI will help create a fairer, more equitable digital Scotland where no one is left behind.