The DG Cities team is working on a new project funded by DSIT (Department for Science, Innovation & Technology) to explore how an innovative approach called Behavioural Systems Mapping (BSM) can help councils and community partners design more effective, place-based strategies to improve digital inclusion for older people (aged 60+). Older adults remain one of the UK’s most digitally excluded groups, facing barriers such as low confidence, limited skills, accessibility challenges and lack of trust in technology. The project aims to uncover what really works to support better access to online services in ways that are relevant to people’s everyday lives.

How does it work?

BSM combines insights from behavioural science (understanding why people make certain choices) with systems mapping, which explores how different factors interact within a community. By applying this proven environmental policy tool to digital inclusion for the first time, the project helps local authorities and charities identify root causes, effective intervention points and opportunities for collaboration.

Building local capacity for lasting impact

Led by DG Cities on behalf of the Royal Borough of Greenwich, the project brings together councils, voluntary sector organisations and older residents through participatory workshops and training.

The approach is being trialled in Greenwich, Haringey, Ealing, Leicester, and North East Lincolnshire, each representing diverse local contexts and priorities.

Outcomes will include neighbourhood-specific intervention blueprints, a national BSM toolkit, and robust evidence on what drives meaningful, sustainable digital inclusion. By building local capability and sharing national learning, the project supports more targeted, effective use of public resources and helps ensure that everyone, regardless of age or background, can confidently take part in the digital world.