More than half of UK workforce lacks essential digital skills, says Lloyd’s
.jpg)
More than half of UK adults do not have the essential digital skills needed for the workplace, despite 54% of UK workers using the internet as part of their jobs.
A benchmarking report from Lloyd’s, called the UK consumer digital index, found that 53% of UK adults don’t have all of the essential skills the modern workplace demands.
Some of the skills Lloyd’s deemed “essential”, which more than half of the UK’s working population didn’t have, included the ability to avoid potentially harmful links or popups, being able to share documents as email attachments and knowing how to use online payments.
It also found that a third of the UK’s workforce lacked basic cyber security skills.
“With UK productivity in mind, it is concerning to see that 53% of UK employees do not have the essential digital skills required for the workplaces of today and tomorrow,” said Stephen Noakes, retail transformation managing director of Lloyds Banking Group, in the report’s foreword.
“On the whole, the 2019 UK consumer digital index finds that while more people are doing more online, a concerning proportion of the population are lacking the skills they need to truly succeed.”
Lloyd’s developed the benchmark in partnership with organisations such as DCMS, Google and BT to measure the level of digital skills its respondents have. The benchmark was broken down into three tiers – foundation skills, essential digital skills for life, and essential digital skills for work.
Each of these segments has a number of tasks people should be able to complete if they have that particular level of essential skill, from turning on a mobile device as part of the foundation skills, to using digital collaboration tools in the workplace.
Research by Lloyd’s found a number of disparities between different segments of the population and the likelihood of those people having the digital skills needed for work and day-to-day life.
For example, it found those who are “digital first” – people who are highly digitally capable – are 73% more likely than those who have little or no digital activity to recognise that digital skills can improve their employability.
The digitally savvy are also more likely to agree that being online helps them save money, manage their physical and mental health, and organise their lives more than those who are not online.
But not everyone has the means to access the internet or the money to buy digital devices, in many cases leaving those from more disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds to suffer.
People in a higher earning bracket were more likely to have the digital skills needed for the workplace – 61% of people earning more than £25,000 a year have a majority of the skills needed for the modern workplace, as opposed to only 25% of those earning under £11,499 annually.
Those who are unemployed are also more likely to lack digital skills than those who have a job, Lloyds found.
Despite the government trying to ensure people’s basic digital skills are up to scratch via the UK’s computing curriculum and various other initiatives, there are still barriers in the way of many without the skills needed for modern living.
Since its research in 2018, Lloyd’s found the percentage of people with almost no use of digital has dropped from 15% to 12%. The bank expects this number to fall to 8% by 2030 as the UK has seen an increase in people over the age of 60 adopting technology for activities such as shopping.
Around 22% of people don’t have the essential digital skills needed for day-to-day usage of tech, including 11% of people being unable to turn on a device, and 13% being unable to open an app.
Out of the 8% of UK adults who are completely offline, 75% said they had no interest in being online, citing fears over cyber security as a top concern.
While many believe the largest segment of those who are not digitally savvy are older, that is not always the case.
Almost half of people who are not online are under the age of 60, and 47% of people who are not online come from low-income households.
A small segment of the population (8%) couldn’t complete any of the tasks required in the foundation digital skills segment, which included turning on a device, using a mouse, keyboard or touch screen, connecting a device to Wi-Fi and using a device’s menu settings.
Those with disabilities also find it difficult to get online, with 35% lacking the digital skills needed for day-to-day tasks despite having the essential skills needed for the workplace.
One-fifth of those with a disability said there is no technology to help people in their situation to use online tech more easily.
While a lack of basic digital skills poses a threat to modern living, those in the technology industry are also concerned about the lack of soft skills in the talent market – with uncertainty surrounding Brexit leaving many with the fear that both skills gaps may widen.
source computerweekly
Industry: Cyber Security News

Latest Jobs
-
- Account Manager - IT Services
- Germany
- €90000 plus OTE and Car
-
Are you a deal closer with a hunter mindset? Do you know how to uncover business pain points, and turn them into long-term digital transformation partnerships? Our Client are growing their sales force across Germany and looking for an ambitious, straight-talking Account Manager to take the lead on new client acquisition. You’ll focus on mid-sized to large enterprises across Germany helping to shape their digital future with tailored IT solutions in Workplace, Cloud, and Security. • Drive Growth: Own the full sales cycle for new business across your region. • Solution Sell: Build bespoke offers in Security, Digital Workplace and Cloud solutions • Build Relationships: Establish a solid pipeline through smart prospecting, marketing-driven leads, and your own network. • Represent a brand known for trust, delivery, and tech excellence—with 4,000 employees globally and a growing team within Germany. What You Bring • Proven new logo sales experience in the IT services space (not hardware!) • Deep knowledge in one or more of: Cybersecurity, Digital Workplace, or Cloud • Confidence to lead enterprise deals and pitch directly to senior stakeholders • Fluent German and good English skills Sind Sie ein Abschlussprofi mit Hunter-Mentalität? Wissen Sie, wie man geschäftliche Pain Points identifiziert und in langfristige Partnerschaften zur digitalen Transformation verwandelt? Unser Kunde baut derzeit sein Vertriebsteam in ganz Deutschland aus und sucht eine ambitionierte, ehrliche Persönlichkeit als Account Manager, die den Lead bei der Neukundengewinnung übernimmt. Ihr Fokus liegt auf mittelständischen bis großen Unternehmen in Deutschland, denen Sie mit maßgeschneiderten IT-Lösungen in den Bereichen Workplace, Cloud und Security den Weg in die digitale Zukunft ebnen. Ihre Aufgaben • Wachstum vorantreiben: Verantwortung für den gesamten Vertriebszyklus im Neugeschäft Ihrer Region. • Lösungsorientierter Vertrieb: Entwicklung individueller Angebote in den Bereichen Security, Digital Workplace und Cloud-Lösungen. • Beziehungen aufbauen: Aufbau einer stabilen Pipeline durch gezielte Ansprache, marketinggenerierte Leads und Ihr eigenes Netzwerk. • Marke repräsentieren: Werden Sie Teil eines Unternehmens mit 4.000 Mitarbeitenden weltweit und einem stark wachsenden Team in Deutschland – bekannt für Vertrauen, Verlässlichkeit und technologische Exzellenz. Was Sie mitbringen • Nachgewiesene Erfahrung in der Neukundenakquise im Bereich IT-Services (kein Hardwarevertrieb!) • Fundiertes Wissen in mindestens einem der Bereiche: Cybersecurity, Digital Workplace oder Cloud • Selbstbewusstes Auftreten im Umgang mit Enterprise-Deals und Entscheidungsträgern auf Top-Level • Verhandlungssichere Deutschkenntnisse und gute Englischkenntnisse
-
- Senior SOC Analyst Level 3. Microsoft Security stack | Ability to achieve SC Clearance
- London
- To attract the right person
-
Job Title: Senior SOC Analyst Level 3. Microsoft Security stack | Ability to achieve SC Clearance Location: Hybrid remote | London / Berkshire Overview: Senior SOC Analyst Level 3 to join a specialist Managed Security Services business. You will be responsible for advanced threat hunting / triage, incident response etc with a strong focus on the Microsoft Security Stack. Key Responsibilities: Lead and resolve complex security incidents / escalations Conduct advanced threat hunting using the Microsoft Security Stack. Build, optimise and maintain workbooks, rules, analytics etc. Correlate data across Microsoft 365 Defender, Azure Defender and Sentinel. Perform root cause analysis and post-incident reporting. Aid in mentoring and upskilling Level 1 and 2 SOC analysts. Required Skills & Experience: The ability to achieve UK Security Clearance (SC) – existing clearance ideal. (Sorry no visa applications) Current experience working with a SOC environment Microsoft Sentinel: Development and tuning of custom analytic rules. Workbook creation and dashboarding. Automation using Playbooks and SOAR integration. Kusto Query Language (KQL): Writing complex, efficient queries for advanced threat hunting and detection. Correlating data across key tables (e.g., SignInLogs, SecurityEvent, OfficeActivity, DeviceEvents). Developing custom detection rules, optimising performance, and reducing false positives. Supporting Sentinel Workbooks, Alerts, and Playbooks through advanced KQL use. Deep understanding of incident response, threat intelligence and adversary techniques (MITRE ATT&CK framework). Strong knowledge of cloud and hybrid security, particularly within Azure. Additional Requirements: Must hold or be eligible to achieve a minimum of Security Clearance (SC) level. Nice to have certifications (e.g., SC-200, AZ-500, GIAC) are desirable. Strong problem-solving and analytical skills. Excellent communication for clear documentation and team collaboration. Please follow Wheaton’s Law.
-
- New Business Sales Hunter | Cyber Security (UK Based)
- London
- To attract the right person
-
New Business Sales Hunter needed | Cybersecurity (UK Based) Are you looking for uncapped commission, a fun and sociable team that drives success with no politics? If so...You must Be UK based - and able to achieve UK SC clearance. (sorry no visas) Have a demonstrable history of sales success in Cyber Security Follow Weatons law. The role: Seeking a proven New Business Sales Hunter to join an established, successful and expanding cyber security firm. New business focused - £1m GP year one target (ramped). Sell a blend of security services & professional services. Ideal experience selling some or all of the following Cyber strategy & risk management Managed detection & response (MDR) Penetration testing Compliance & audit support You: Strong cybersecurity/IT services sales track record. Confident selling into mid-market & enterprise. UK based - London commutable 1x per week. Hunter mindset, full sales cycle ownership. Don't just send an email to apply give me a call on 07884666351
-
- CyberArk Architect
- London
- Upto £110,000 plus bonus and benefits
-
Are you ready to lead from the front and drive innovation in the Identity & Access Management (IAM) space? We’re looking for a seasoned CyberArk Architect who has CDE-CPC ideally or experience with privilege Cloud, someone who can lead with vision, execute with precision, and inspire teams to deliver excellence. As a key leader in our organisation, you’ll bring your strong business acumen and a technology-focused, innovative mindset to the table. You’ll be driving strategic initiatives, shaping transformation programs, and empowering teams to think big and deliver even bigger. Acting as a subject matter expert in CyberArk Leading strategic transformations in: Identity Governance Privileged Access Management (PAM) Access Management Customer Identity and Access Management (CIAM) Building and maintaining strong, collaborative relationships within the team Communicating clearly and confidently — both written and verbal — to deliver updates, raise potential issues, and share insights If you are interested in the above position we are looking for people with: deep expertise and a successful track record in IAM strategy, delivery, or assurance with CyberArk Hold relevant certifications such as CDE in Privileged Cloud or Guardian Have experience in a client-facing role (preferred, but not essential) Thrive in a hybrid working environment and are available to work from our or client London office three days a week Lead with clarity, communicate with impact, and adapt quickly to changing priorities