Supporting digital inclusion in diverse populations: Co-located welfare advice in health and community settings

Abstract This paper examines how co-located welfare advice services in health and community settings address digital exclusion, that is, the inability to access digital services due to barriers of access and skills, among disadvantaged families in East London, an area with high levels of digital and child poverty (Tower Hamlets: 48%; Newham: 44%). Across three sites, a neuro-disability clinic, children and family centres, and a health-linked community centre, we conducted qualitative analysis of parent interviews (n = 55) and stakeholder interviews (n = 12), drawing on financial outcome data (n = 60) from a larger evaluation. Applying the Candidacy Framework, we identify three analytically distinct mechanisms through which co-located services enable digital inclusion: proactive identification of digitally excluded families by health practitioners; face-to-face application support that addresses both technical and psychological barriers; and sustained relational engagement in trusted settings that build digital confidence over time. Together, these mechanisms provide human infrastructure that enables, rather than replaces, digital engagement for families experiencing intersecting disadvantages of disability, language barriers, and economic hardship. As welfare systems digitalize, embedding welfare advisors within health and community settings offers a pragmatic and theoretically grounded approach to fostering digital inclusion for diverse and disadvantaged populations.