Today, I (Nicola) attended the Digital Inclusion APPG in the House of Commons where we listened to powerful speeches that reminded us why digital inclusion matters so deeply. The stories shared,  from older people reconnecting with family through video calls (I think it might have been Mable) to communities finding confidence online for the first time captured everything we believe in at Starting Point.

But as inspiring as those moments are, we were left thinking: is it time to go further?

For years, digital inclusion has been about helping people get online, supporting them with devices, skills, and confidence. And that work is vital and we will continue to do it. But digital equity asks a different question: what if we designed our systems so that everyone could participate from the start?

Digital equity means making access, safety, and fairness part of the design, in education, in health, in employment, in implementation. It means not just helping people adapt to the digital world, but shaping a digital world that works for everyone.

At Starting Point, we see the difference this approach makes every day. When people feel included by design, not just by support, they gain more than digital skills; they gain agency, confidence, and connection.

It’s time to move from inclusion to equity and build a society where no one is left behind, because everyone was considered from the beginning. Clare, we have an emerging Stockport plan and it’s time to get busy!