Understanding who is most at risk of being digitally excluded is an important part of ensuring that everyone can benefit from digital services, connectivity and technology.

A new report based on the Digital Exclusion Risk Atlas (DERA) has been produced by Connecting Cambridgeshire, bringing together a wide range of data to help identify communities across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough that may face greater barriers to getting online and using digital services.

DERA, a national online mapping tool launched by NHS England in April 2026, combines information relating to connectivity, affordability, digital skills, access to devices and wider demographic factors into a single picture of digital exclusion risk at neighbourhood level.

Being digitally excluded is about much more than internet access alone. People can face challenges because they can’t afford devices or connectivity, lack the digital skills or confidence to use them, have accessibility needs, or don’t feel able to engage with online services.

As public services, healthcare, education and employment opportunities continue to become more digital, understanding these barriers and how they can be overcome is becoming increasingly important.

For organisations across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, the report provides an evidence base that can help inform decisions about where support, investment and targeted interventions may have the greatest impact.

This report provides a useful snapshot of digital exclusion risk across the region and will help inform future planning, investment and partnership activity. By identifying where barriers exist today, it can help organisations target support more effectively and ensure more residents can benefit from an increasingly digital world.

Read the full Digital Exclusion Risk Atlas report for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.