End Digital Poverty Week 2026: Turn concern into action
Annie Mannion | 01 Sep 2026
As End Digital Poverty Week approaches this 7-13 September, it is worth reflecting on where the UK stands in 2026 and what still needs to change.
At AbilityNet, we have driven and also seen encouraging progress.
More organisations recognise that digital access is not a luxury but a necessity. Banks, healthcare providers, employers, charities and public services are investing in digital transformation and working harder to reach the people they serve.
Equal access for all
Despite progress being made, digital poverty remains a stubborn challenge.
Every week, AbilityNet hears from people who struggle to access essential services, use technology with confidence, or afford the connectivity and equipment needed to participate fully in modern life.
For many older people, disabled people and those on low incomes, barriers remain both practical and personal.
Free webinar: How to access TV, films, music and podcasts onlineJoin us: take practical action
Digital poverty is often discussed as a technology issue. We see it differently. It is an issue of opportunity, independence and inclusion. When someone cannot access the digital world, the consequences can affect employment, education, health, financial wellbeing and social connection.
As one person told us: "I am an 82 year old widow and am finding it hard to cope with the problems with my phone, my only lifeline." Another described being "very, very stressed, filled with anxiety having to turn on my computer" and often losing hours trying, and failing, to make it work. These are not minor frustrations; they show how crucial, and how excluding, technology can be.
That is why AbilityNet's focus remains firmly on people and practical action. AbilityNet's 500+ strong network of Tech Volunteers around the UK helps thousands of people build confidence with technology.
As one client put it: "IT came along late in my life, I really appreciate kind hearted volunteers like Karen who care about the older generation and help us to keep up as best we can." That human support is what turns technology from a barrier into a route back to confidence, connection and independence.
Where does your organisation stand?
Complete AbilityNet's Digital Accessibility Survey and help benchmark progress across the UK.
Power of partnerships
AbilityNet's partnerships, including with BT, Capgemini, Deloitte Reading and more, put devices, skills and support directly into the hands of people who need them most. And AbilityNet’s expertise in digital accessibility helps organisations create digital products and services that work for everyone.
Feedback from people AbilityNet has supported shows the difference this makes in everyday life.
One digital skills session attendee said:
“These sessions have opened up a whole new world to me without having to bother busy people with my endless questions.”
Another said:
“A big thankyou to the team. Without them I don't think I would have gone forward - they have given me more confidence.”
Others described the practical impact even more simply:
“I can now forward a photo to friends and loved ones”, “I don't panic when using phone numbers anymore”, and “I had no clue when I first started but when I started having support I've progressed massively.”
For people receiving free technology support from our volunteers, the impact can be just as powerful:
“My volunteer got the printer working and reconnected to me the outside world. Without the help from volunteers. I would be stranded. Thank you to all volunteers who offer assistance. It’s invaluable.”
As we support End Digital Poverty Week 2026, our ambition is simple: to ensure that digital inclusion becomes everyone's responsibility. Governments, businesses, charities and communities all have a role to play. Awareness matters, but action matters more.
Join us to delete the digital divide
Over the coming year, AbilityNet will continue to champion accessible technology, expand digital skills support and work with partners across every sector to remove barriers to participation, for example via our work as a key advisory partner within the Connection Project.
Progress is possible, but only if we recognise that digital inclusion is no longer a specialist issue. It is a social and economic necessity.
The goal is not simply to get more people online. It is to ensure everyone can benefit from the opportunities that technology creates. That is the future AbilityNet wants to help build. Join us!
Digital inclusion applies to everyone
Amy Low, CEO, AbilityNet comments on how End Digital Poverty Week helps to shine a light on a very real need for widespread digital skills support:
"One of the things that I find hard in this work is how often the people we support apologise for needing help. They'll tell us they're 'hopeless with technology' or that they don't want to be a burden to their family. Then, a few weeks later, having received support from AbilityNet, they're video calling grandchildren, ordering prescriptions online or applying for a job they couldn't previously access.
That's why I find the term 'digital poverty' both useful and frustrating. Useful because it shines a light on a very real problem. Frustrating because it can make this feel like an issue that belongs to somebody else. In reality, it affects our colleagues, neighbours, friends and family members every day.
I've spent over a decade working in digital inclusion and accessibility, and I've never been more convinced that this is a challenge we can solve. We know what works: affordable access, practical skills, accessible technology and, perhaps most importantly, patient human support from someone who takes the time to help.
During End Digital Poverty Week, I hope more organisations will get involved. By sponsoring organisations like AbilityNet, joining our volunteer force or simply raising awareness of the support services we can offer. Because nobody should be locked out of opportunity, independence or connection simply because the digital world wasn't designed with them in mind, or because they didn't have the support to get started."
