Citizens Advice Scotland has contributed evidence to Audit Scotland’s review of how public bodies within Scotland are tackling digital exclusion, drawing on data and insights from across the Citizens Advice network in Scotland.

Citizens Advice Scotland recommends that in order to ensure that public services in Scotland are digitally inclusive and effectively support those impacted by digital exclusion, it is essential that:

Public bodies and services in Scotland should have effective channel choice, that is fully resourced, to allow service users to access digital and online services if they choose to do so or utilise another channel if that is more suitable.

If public bodies and services in Scotland are signposting digitally excluded service users to Citizens Advice Bureau, or other organisations that support those impacted by digital exclusion, then such organisations should receive additional funding to support the additional capacity and resource needs being placed on them.

All digital and online services run by public bodies and services in Scotland should be subject to comprehensive user testing to ensure that such services are designed in an inclusive manner with ease of use built in.

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