What Is the UK’s Minimum Digital Living Standard

31 Oct

Imagine if we could define exactly what households truly need to feel included in a digital society, not just access, but connection, confidence and safety. That’s what the UK’s Minimum Digital Living Standard (MDLS) aims to do, it’s a benchmark grounded in public and household voices, rather than abstract policy goals.

What Is the MDLS?

Website link and TLDR below:

MDLS is part of a research collaboration led by Good Things Foundation, working with the University of Liverpool, Loughborough University, and funded by the Nuffield Foundation, Nominet and the Welsh Government, Scottish Government and City of London.
It is based on the Minimum Income Standard methodology, MDLS uses deliberative focus groups and door‑step surveys of over 1,500 UK households with children to define what "enough" looks like.
It defines inclusion broadly: having accessible internet, adequate equipment, plus skills, knowledge and support—the combination needed to communicate, engage, and participate with confidence and safety

What the Research Found

You can read summaries of the findings on the Good Things Foundation website:

4 in 10 UK households with children fail to meet the MDLS benchmark—often due to poverty, single-parent status, disability, or living in a deprived area.
Equipment gaps are common: nearly one-quarter of families lack sufficient broadband, multiple large-screen devices, or both.
Digital safety is a major concern: 27% of parents lack critical skills needed to manage online risk. This highlights that safety must be part of any inclusion benchmark.

Should New Zealand Follow Suit?

The UK’s MDLS model offers more than just a checklist—it provides a national reference point for what digital inclusion actually looks like in people’s day-to-day lives. So, should Aotearoa do the same?

We think it’s a conversation worth having.

Adopting an MDLS-style approach in New Zealand could help us:

Set consistent targets for funders and policymakers – Right now, we all talk about “digital inclusion” and “digital equity”, but without a shared understanding of what that means in practice, it's hard to prioritise funding or hold ourselves accountable. An agreed minimum standard would give everyone—from government to philanthropy to community providers—a common goal to aim for.

Track progress over time – With a defined standard, we could measure shifts in digital inclusion more meaningfully. Are households better equipped? Are skills improving? Are people feeling safer and more confident online? Data aligned to a national benchmark would let us see where we're making gains and where support is still needed.
Focus support where the need is greatest – A standard would shine a light on the real gaps. It could help target resources and funding to those most at risk of being left behind, and allow providers to design solutions that reflect lived realities rather than assumptions.

None of this replaces the localised, whānau-led mahi already happening across Aotearoa. But it could give all of us, our government, communities, and sector partners, a shared foundation to build from. What do you think?