Research suggests UK workers missing out on £5.6bn in extra pay due to lack of digital skills

UK workers could be missing out on additional earnings amounting to more than £5.6 billion due to a lack of digital skills, new research suggests.

More than a third of Brits (34 per cent) feel a lack of digital skills training has held back their earning potential already, and almost a third say they need digital skills so that they can shop around for deals and save money, according to the report from Virgin Media O2, which used economic modelling by CEBR. In response, Virgin Media O2 and digital inclusion charity, Good Things Foundation, are providing hundreds of free sessions during “Get Online Week”, which runs until October 23.

During the week, hundreds of community centres across the UK will hold free sessions to help people with low or no digital skills get online. It comes as the research finds a lack of digital skills is costing the economy £12.8bn in GVA (gross value added), with an estimated 5.4 million Brits unable to carry out simple digital tasks such as using a computer to write a letter or sending an email, despite wanting to.

Almost a third (31 per cent) of people believe that they have been passed over for a promotion or pay rise because of a lack of digital skills, while a quarter of those in the lowest earning pay bracket feel their skills would be inadequate to secure them a similarly paid role if made redundant.

More than a third of Brits feel a lack of digital skills training has held back their earning potential already. Picture: AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez

Virgin Media O2’s support of Get Online Week is part of the group’s three-year partnership with Good Things Foundation, where it has donated £2 million to help disadvantaged people across the UK to get online and gain vital digital skills. It builds on the pioneering National Databank initiative, which launched in July 2021 and has been likened to a food bank for free mobile data, texts and calls.

Nicola Green from Virgin Media O2 said: “With the cost- of-living crisis deepening and Brits facing rising bills, it’s more important than ever that people can gain vital digital skills, so they can apply for better paid jobs and increase their incomes, while boosting the UK’s economy by almost £13bn.”