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Digital Inclusion Action Committee summary minutes: 16 December 2025

Published 1 May 2026

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Plenary summary minutes

Meeting attendees:

  • Rt. Hon. Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top, Chair
  • Jess Flack, Essex County Council
  • Caroline Abrahams CBE, Age UK
  • Natalie Ceeney CBE, Cash Access UK
  • Simeon Yates, University of Liverpool
  • Jocelle Lovell, Cwmpas Cooperative
  • Jason Tutin, 100% Digital Leeds
  • Patrick Melia OBE, Sunderland City Council
  • Antony Walker, techUK
  • Helen Milner OBE, Good Things Foundation
  • Helen Burrows, BBC

Officials:

  • Rebecca Stephens, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT)
  • Sarah Connolly, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT)
  • Rebecca Stephens, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT)
  • Elizabeth Kohorn-Hill, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT)
  • Mark Griffin, Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS)
  • Jack Cole, Cabinet Office
  • Relevant Secretariat Officials

Summary

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), including Director General Sarah Connolly, provided updates on ministerial engagement, organisational changes and ongoing delivery of the Digital Inclusion Action Plan. Members welcomed confirmation that digital inclusion remains a ministerial priority and noted planned restructuring within DSIT’s senior leadership, with continued commitment to embed digital inclusion across government.

Officials from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) presented on the Government’s Future of TV Distribution Project, providing an update on progress to date regarding the project. DIAC members highlighted the significant implications for digital inclusion, stressing affordability, clear public communications, and coordinated cross‑sector preparation as essential to ensuring all citizens can access TV and online services. The Committee agreed that the project represents a major opportunity to accelerate progress towards a digitally inclusive UK.

Subcommittees reported on their priorities:

  • The Local Delivery subcommittee continue to focus on assessing local authority capability, identifying scalable best practice, and improving segmentation of at‑risk groups.
  • The Inclusive Digital Services subcommittee are examining standards, accessibility, segmentation and affordability across public and private services.
  • The Industry Leadership and Partnership subcommittee are taking forward work on Digital ID, device donation, affordability and social value.

DIAC agreed a more formal governance structure for subcommittee outputs, with future plenaries extended to enable full review and endorsement. Members also supported establishing a dedicated working group on data and metrics to strengthen evidence‑based policy.

The Cabinet Office provided an update on the development of the national digital ID System, with DIAC offering early feedback on inclusion, accessibility and public trust.

Meeting actions included strengthening work on affordability, updating Terms of Reference, connecting DIAC with relevant DSIT teams, and preparing for the full‑day DIAC event in March 2026.

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