The Minimum Digital Living Standard

Our work on the Minimum Digital Living Standard (MDLS) was launched on Monday 18th March 2024 at the Nuffield Foundation in London.

The MDLS is a benchmark for digital inclusion among families with children and the project was a collaboration led by the University of Liverpool, Loughborough University, Good Things Foundation, and others, with funding from the Nuffield Foundation, Nominet, and Welsh Government.

Critical conducted the quantitative research through a face to face in home/ doorstep survey among a nationally representative sample of 1,582 households with children aged 0-17, covering 2,605 adults with parental responsibility and 2,734 children.

We wanted to understand the equipment, services, skills, knowledge and support these households required to not only participate fully online, but to do so safely and with confidence.

More information about the study can be found on the MDLS website here: https://mdls.org.uk/publications/

Coverage in the Guardian is also featured here:  https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2024/mar/17/half-uk-families-excluded-modern-digital-society-study

For more information please contact Paul Sheppard.