Digital-first must not become digital-only: new study highlights digital exclusion among UK veterans
Digital services are now central to how people access healthcare, welfare advice, government support and social connection. For many veterans, online services can make support easier to reach, especially when specialist provision is geographically dispersed.
In the Veterans’ Digital Needs Study, we surveyed 1,607 UK Armed Forces veterans to understand their digital access, digital barriers and digital needs. The findings show that digital exclusion is not simply about whether someone owns a smartphone or can connect to the internet. Many veterans had access to devices and described themselves as confident using digital technologies, but still reported cost barriers, data limits, privacy concerns and difficulties using online services.
What we found
Among respondents, 41.7% reported digital exclusion. This was measured by asking veterans whether they had ever felt excluded or disadvantaged because of a lack of digital access or skills. Those answering “yes, often” or “yes, occasionally” were classified as digitally excluded.
This is notable because the survey was completed online. Veterans with the most severe digital exclusion, including those without internet access or those unable to complete an online questionnaire, are likely to be under-represented. The findings therefore suggest that digital exclusion is present even among veterans who are already online.
| Finding | Result |
|---|---|
| Veterans included in the descriptive sample | 1,607 |
| Reported digital exclusion | 41.7% |
| Reported a cost barrier | 60.2% |
| Sometimes or often ran out of phone data or minutes | 57.7% |
| Accessed healthcare services online in the past year | 52.2% |
| Accessed government or public services online in the past year | 48.7% |
| Experienced difficulties using digital platforms for essential services | 26.3% |
The findings challenge a narrow understanding of digital exclusion. A veteran may own a smartphone, have internet access and still be digitally excluded if they cannot afford enough data, cannot complete online forms, are worried about privacy, or feel unable to use digital systems when anxious, depressed or isolated.
Digital exclusion was linked to poorer mental health and loneliness
We also examined whether self-reported digital exclusion was associated with probable depression, probable anxiety and probable loneliness. After accounting for a range of factors, those who reported digital exclusion had higher odds of screening positive for depression, anxiety and loneliness.
| Outcome | Adjusted association among digitally excluded veterans |
|---|---|
| Probable depression | 38% higher odds |
| Probable anxiety | 63% higher odds |
| Probable loneliness | 85% higher odds |
These findings do not prove that digital exclusion causes poorer mental health. The study was cross-sectional, so the relationship could work in both directions. Poor mental health may make it harder to engage with digital systems, while digital exclusion may also make it harder to access support, maintain social connection or complete essential tasks.
However, the pattern is consistent and important. If public services, healthcare, welfare support and charity provision move online without adequate safeguards, people already experiencing depression, anxiety or loneliness may face additional barriers.
Why this matters for veteran services
Digital innovation has considerable potential for the Armed Forces community. Online services can support mental health, alcohol reduction, transition from service, social connection and access to specialist advice. They can also reduce geographical barriers and allow people to access help at a time and place that suits them.
For some veterans, the issue is not whether a digital service exists. The issue is whether that service becomes the only practical route into support. If appointment systems, forms, triage, welfare applications and charity support are increasingly online, those who struggle digitally may experience delayed help-seeking, incomplete applications or disengagement.
What should change
The findings point to several practical actions for government, the NHS, local authorities, the Office for Veterans’ Affairs, the Ministry of Defence, Armed Forces charities and veteran-facing organisations:
- Digital needs screening should become routine. Services should ask about affordability, access to data, confidence, privacy, trust and whether someone has help available. Simply asking whether someone has a device is not enough.
- Telephone, postal, community-based and face-to-face routes remain essential for people who cannot use digital routes easily or safely.
- Data, connectivity and device reliability affect whether people can access support. These barriers should be recognised in service planning.
- People should be given plain-English explanations of how their data is handled, who can see it and how confidentiality is protected.
- Digital services should work on older devices, minimise data use, use plain language and offer assisted-use options.
- Digital services should not only measure who uses them. They should also assess who they fail to reach.
Conclusion
Digital-first services can be effective, convenient and scalable. But they are only equitable if digital inclusion is built in from the start. For veteran-facing services, continue digital innovation, but pair it with practical safeguards. Routine digital needs screening, support with affordability and skills, privacy reassurance and genuinely available non-digital routes should be central to digital-first public services. Digital-first must not mean digital-only.