Digital services are now part of everyday life. They shape how people book healthcare appointments, order prescriptions, access welfare advice, engage with government services, connect with charities and maintain social contact.
For many people, this can be positive. Online services can be faster, more flexible and easier to reach, especially where specialist support is geographically dispersed. This is particularly relevant for the Armed Forces community, where veterans may live far from military-specific services or may prefer to access support privately and at a time that works for them.
But our recent work also points to a clear warning: digital-first must not become digital-only.
In the Veterans’ Digital Needs Study, we surveyed 1,607 UK Armed Forces veterans to better understand digital access, digital barriers and digital needs. The findings showed 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.
The study found that 41.7% of respondents reported digital exclusion. Cost-related barriers were also common, with 60.2% reporting a cost barrier and 57.7% saying they sometimes or often ran out of phone data or minutes before the end of the month. These findings matter because digital services are increasingly becoming the route into healthcare, welfare support, public services and charity provision.
We have published a short briefing note summarising the findings and their implications for policy and practice.
Download the Veterans’ Digital Needs Study briefing note
Moving from evidence to practical action
One of the main messages from the study is that services need to ask better questions about digital access. It is not enough to ask whether someone has a device. A person 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, have no one to help them, or feel unable to engage with digital systems when anxious, depressed or isolated.
This is why we are also sharing two short questionnaires that can be used by researchers, charities, healthcare providers, local authorities and community organisations. These tools were developed to support more structured conversations about digital inclusion, digital capability and access to essential services.
They are not intended to replace detailed digital inclusion assessments where these already exist. Instead, they are designed as practical, accessible tools that organisations can adapt and use to better understand whether digital-first services are genuinely reaching the people they are intended to support.
Digital Access and Capability Questionnaire
The Digital Access and Capability Questionnaire is designed to help organisations understand whether people have the practical means and confidence to use digital services.
It asks about access to help, confidence using digital technology, internet access, device availability, shared devices, data and phone-minute limits, digital skills training, difficult online tasks, cost barriers and wider personal or cultural barriers to using digital services.
This questionnaire may be useful for:
- veteran-facing charities assessing digital access among service users
- healthcare teams introducing online booking, video consultations or digital triage
- local authorities and community organisations designing digital inclusion support
- researchers collecting information on digital access and capability
- services wanting to understand whether online routes are creating hidden barriers
Download the Digital Access and Capability Questionnaire (DACQ)
Digital Access to Essential Services Questionnaire
The Digital Access to Essential Services Questionnaire focuses more specifically on whether people can access core services online, including healthcare, government and public services.
It asks about online healthcare access, use of government or public services, difficulties using digital platforms, preferences for online or in-person access, comfort sharing personal information, whether online services feel designed around people’s needs, experiences of digital exclusion, preferred forms of support, privacy concerns and whether generative AI tools have been used for health-related information, advice or support.
This questionnaire may be useful for organisations trying to understand whether digital services are working in practice, not just whether they exist.
Download the Digital Access to Essential Services Questionnaire (DAESQ)
Why this matters for the Armed Forces community
Digital innovation has considerable potential across the Armed Forces community. It can support mental health, alcohol reduction, transition from service, access to welfare advice, social connection and engagement with specialist services. It can also help overcome geographical barriers and make support more flexible.
However, if digital routes become the only practical way to access help, they may unintentionally exclude people already facing disadvantage.
Our briefing note highlights that self-reported digital exclusion was associated with higher odds of probable depression, probable anxiety and probable loneliness. 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, complete essential tasks or stay socially connected.
Either way, the implication is important. Digital inclusion should be treated as part of service quality, safeguarding and health-equity work.
A practical ask to the community
We are sharing these questionnaires so that others can use, adapt and build on them.
If you work in a veteran-facing service, health service, charity, local authority, research team or community organisation, we encourage you to consider how digital access is assessed in your own setting.
Some practical questions to ask are:
- Do we know whether people can afford the data, connectivity or devices needed to use our services?
- Do we ask whether people feel confident completing online forms or using apps?
- Do we provide telephone, postal, community-based or face-to-face alternatives?
- Do we explain clearly how personal data are handled?
- Do we evaluate who our digital services fail to reach, not only who uses them?
Digital-first services can be effective, convenient and scalable. But they are only equitable if digital inclusion is built in from the start.
Digital-first must not mean digital-only.
Further resources
Read the KCMHR article on the Veterans’ Digital Needs Study
Download the Veterans’ Digital Needs Study briefing note
Download the Digital Access and Capability Questionnaire (DACQ)
Download the Digital Access to Essential Services Questionnaire (DAESQ)