The impact of screentime is well documented, but what about digital exclusion? We seldom discuss how a lack of internet access, or a mobile phone, can impact our wellbeing and ability to go about everyday life.

As the price of essentials continue to soar, families are being caught between keeping themselves fed, warm or online. Like a loaf of bread, connection is one of life’s essentials.

A new report commissioned by Tesco Mobile has laid this bare, revealing how 32% UK adults use their phone to pay bills, 24% to book medical appointments, and 22% to order groceries.

Meanwhile, more than half (56%) admit that, if it wasn’t for their phone, they would hardly communicate with anyone at all, while 57% agree that a digital connection is vital for wellbeing.

Seven in ten (71%) go as far as saying they “couldn’t go without” the internet, as they would feel disconnected (38%), isolated (27%), and lonely (25%).

Millions around the UK increasingly find themselves disconnected, locked out of life changing services and support as well as cut off from loved ones. More than a third (35%) surveyed know someone who doesn’t have their own access to the internet, such as via a mobile with data, or WiFi at home.

To develop his understanding of digital exclusion and understand the many ways technology plays a vital role in our lives, TV personality Dom Joly recently undertook a weekend without digital connection.

Famed for his use of a giant mobile phone on Trigger Happy TV, when Dom found himself disconnected from the world without his phone or the internet, he was burdened by feelings of isolation and frustration.

To address this issue, Tesco Mobile has partnered with the Trussell Trust to help tackle digital exclusion, pledging to connect 50,000 more people facing hardship by 2025 through its Little Helps Databank. The mobile network has also donated devices and data to the Trussell Trust’s food bank network to help them provide services to their communities with the best practical tools