A minimum digital living standard (MDLS)

CRSP has been working on the MDLS research since 2021, together with the University of Liverpool and Good Things Foundation. The project has been funded by the Nuffield Foundation and Nominet, with follow up studies commissioned by the Welsh Government and the Scottish Government.

Digital inequalities - in access to digital devices and internet, as well as digital skills and capabilities - impact all aspects of peoples’ lives, be that work, education, leisure, communication, health, or wellbeing. The MDLS research draws on CRSP’s Minimum Income Standard (MIS) methodology to develop a Minimum Digital Living Standard that is based on public consensus and sets out what people need to feel included in today’s digital world. The MDLS definition embodies the standard’s holistic approach, in that households require a combination of digital goods, services, knowledge and skills to meet this benchmark.

MDLS Definition
A minimum digital standard of living includes having accessible internet, adequate equipment, and the skills and knowledge people need. It is about being able to communicate, connect and engage with opportunities safely and with confidence.

 

Developing a minimum digital living standard for households with children

As a starting point, the first MDLS study, focussed on households with children. The CRSP team conducted a series of deliberative discussion groups with parents and young people to establish what they think households with children need to meet the MDLS benchmark. This includes devices, internet connection, practical digital skills, and critical skills for understanding and managing risks.

Further elements of the project included:

  • A UK-wide survey to identify where households with children are in relation to MDLS, and statistical and geographic analyses to explore variation in reaching MDLS.
  • Consultations with stakeholders to explore intersectionality with dimensions such as disability, ethnicity, rurality, poverty and housing circumstances.
  • Engagement with stakeholders from across sectors to explore using MDLS as a tool to inform policy development and practical actions.

Outputs

Extending MDLS to other households and a review of families with children

Following the development of the Minimum Digital Living Standard for households with children, the Nuffield Foundation funded additional research to extend the work to other household types - working-age adults without children, and older households of retirement age.

The research includes groups with households living in rural as well as urban areas to explore any differences in digital needs and/or challenges related to type of location. The research also includes discussion groups with parents and young people to review the contents of the initial MDLS for households with children, to capture any changes in the intervening two years. 

This element of MDLS started in 2024 and is due to report in Summer 2025.

Developing a Minimum Digital Living Standard for Wales

The Welsh Government commissioned the MDLS project team to help develop a Minimum Digital Living Standard for Wales (in 2022/3).

The CRSP team held focus groups with parents and young people in Wales to explore the relevance of the MDLS definition and the contents of the UK MDLS for households with children in Wales, including in rural areas. Interviews with families experiencing challenges reaching MDLS provided an in-depth insight into the issues they face in meeting their digital needs.  The research also included a survey and interviews with stakeholders to gain their perspectives on barriers to MDLS and approaches that could better support digital inclusion in Wales. 

Outputs from this research

 

Developing a Minimum Digital Living Standard for Scotland

The Scottish Government have funded further research to look at a Minimum Digital Living Standard (MDLS) for Scotland. It builds upon the UK-wide and Welsh MDLS studies to explore how digital needs may vary for families living in Scotland, the challenges households may face in meeting MDLS in the Scottish context, what might help, and possible approaches to implementing a Scottish MDLS.

The research involves focus group discussions with parents and young people, in-depth interviews with families, and interviews / group discussions with policymakers and representatives of civil society organisations working in digital inclusion in Scotland. The project is being conducted by CRSP, the University of Liverpool and the University of Glasgow during 2024/25.

Outputs from this research

Blackwell, C., D'Arcy, J., Harris, R., Hill, K., Polizzi, G. and Yates, S. (2025) Towards a Scottish Minimum Digital Living Standard: Interim. Edinburgh: Scottish Government.

The final report will be published in Spring 2025.

 

 

Further information and MDLS project and related outputs can be found at the Minimum Digital Living Standard website