Minimum Digital Living Standard (MDLS) is a response to the significant challenges experienced by households in accessing digital technology whether it be for work, education, leisure, health, or wellbeing.
We define a MDLS as the basket of “digital goods, services and skills” that facilitate an individual’s digital capabilities to effectively live a life they value.
COVID-19 laid bare long-standing challenges of digital inequalities in the UK. Inequalities with very real consequences for people and places. Inequalities with implications across all areas of policy, provision, business and civil society. Yet standard policy measures of digital exclusion significantly underestimate the challenges faced by households.
To deliver the Minimum Digital Living project we are utilising the proven and innovative Minimum Income Standard (MIS) methodology to undertake a participatory assessment of digital needs.
The orientation stage develops a shared definition. This comprised four focus groups with members of the public during early 2022.
Through employing an approach based on deliberative engagement with households, the team has developed a framework that encapsulates digital needs and will explore the implications of not having these.
The project seeks to move digital inclusion policy and research debates beyond simple measures of access and skills.
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In addition to the website we will be updating our followers on the development of the project on our social network. Let’s link up!