Population at risk of digital exclusion

Digital exclusion could be a barrier to access services and opportunities that are only accessible, or more easily accessible, online.

The Digital Exclusion Risk Index (DERI) created by the GMCA expresses the risk or “likelihood” of digital exclusion by area (Lower Super Output Area - LSOA) compared to other areas (LSOAs), nationally or within a local authority, using a score.

The DERI score is based on the combination of scores of 11 indicators related to 3 topics: Broadband, Demography and Deprivation covering risk factors such as broadband connectivity, older age, disability, deprivation, poverty, and skills levels that are considered to influence digital exclusion.

At a local authority level the areas are scored in each of the indicators according to their level among the maximum and minimum values of the areas within the local authority from 0 to 10. Each of the indicator’s scores for the area is then weighted and combined to create the DERI score.

In Trafford there are pockets of higher risk of digital exclusion in Bucklow-St Martins and Bowdon. 7.7% of the population of Trafford (~18,460 residents) live in an area (LSOA) with a DERI score of 5 or 6 representing a high risk of digital exclusion, whilst 53.2% (~126,500 residents) live in an area with DERI score of 1 or 2 representing a low risk of digital exclusion.