Guidance
Essential digital skills standards: 2026
Standards setting out the essential digital skills needed for life and work.
Applies to England
Documents
Details
Who this guidance is for
The standards are for organisations that design, deliver or support essential digital skills provision, including:
- education and training providers
- commissioners of essential digital skills provision, including:
- strategic authorities
- employers
- awarding organisations
- digital inclusion charities and other organisations supporting people to develop essential digital skills
Overview
The standards set out the digital skills that adults need to:
- participate fully in life
- undertake most jobs
- engage in further study
The content has been updated and expanded in response to technological change, including artificial intelligence (AI).
The revised standards apply to:
- Entry Level 1
- Entry Level 2
- Entry Level 3
- Level 1
- Level 2
They are aligned with the essential digital skills framework.
Qualifications
Essential Digital Skills qualifications (EDSQs) and Digital Functional Skills qualifications (DFSQs) remain in place.
We will provide further information in due course on how:
- the revised standards should be used with existing EDSQs and DFSQs
- we intend to update our approach to qualifications
Updates to this page
Published 15 July 2026