Digital Skills in Northern Ireland 2023-24

Date published: 29 January 2025

The Digital Skills in Northern Ireland 2023-2024 was published today (29th January 2025)

This paper examines the level of digital skills of people aged 16 and over in Northern Ireland for the period April 2023 to March 2024 (referred to as 2023/24), as sourced from the Continuous Household Survey (CHS). 

Additional analysis of digital skills levels is also provided for sex, age, labour market status, and deprivation quintile (least and most deprived).

Key points

• One quarter of people aged 16 and over in Northern Ireland had an advanced level of digital skills in 2023/24 (25% or 379,000 people).
• Over one in five people (23%) had no digital skills (344,000 people).
• A higher proportion of females reported having no digital skills (25%), and a lower proportion reported having an advanced level of digital skills (21%) when compared to males (21% and 30% respectively).
• Over half (55%) of those aged 65 and over had no digital skills, compared to less than 10% of those aged 16 to 49.
• Over two-fifths (43%) of those who were economically inactive had no digital skills, compared to only 10% of those that were economically active.
• The least deprived areas in NI had a higher proportion (37%) of respondents with an advanced level of digital skills when compared to the most deprived areas (15%).

The statistical bulletin and associated tables are available on the Digtial Skills in Northern Ireland page.