Research and analysis

The Economic Impact of Equal Opportunities in the Digital Economy

Research estimating the potential economic gains from fully removing barriers, unrelated to skills or productivity, faced by under-represented groups in the UK digital economy.

• From: Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
• Published: 6 July 2026

Documents

The Economic Impact of Equal Opportunities in the Digital Economy: executive summary

Ref: DSIT 2026/008

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The Economic Impact of Equal Opportunities in the Digital Economy

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The Economic Impact of Equal Opportunities in the Digital Economy

PDF, 1.1 MB, 40 pages

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Details

This work builds on previous DSIT-commissioned research that identified under-represented groups in the UK digital economy and highlighted barriers to their participation. Rather than examining the causes of those barriers or how they might be addressed, this analysis estimates the potential economic impact of removing them. The model assumes complete removal of these barriers. We recognise that questions about the nature of barriers and how feasible they are to address remain important and are the focus of other research.

Published 6 July 2026