Digital exclusion is a health problem – how Xyla and Good Things Foundation are closing the gap

At Xyla, we’ve long understood that reaching the people who need our support isn’t just about having the right programme. It’s about removing the barriers that stand between them and it.

That’s why we’re excited to share that we are working with Good Things Foundation, the UK’s leading digital inclusion charity, as part of our expanded Healthier You programme.

The challenge of digital exclusion in health

Earlier this month, Sarah Mair, Client Propositions Manager at Xyla, attended a special event at the House of Lords as a guest of Baroness Harding of Winscombe. The occasion brought together supporters of Good Things Foundation to hear Accenture, one of the charity’s strategic partners, present their latest research on digital exclusion and the practical steps being taken to close the gap.

Sarah was there representing Xyla as we develop our working relationship with Good Things Foundation alongside the next phase of Healthier You.

Accenture’s findings make for important reading. 3.45 million people in the UK currently live in digital poverty, and when broader digital literacy is considered, that number rises to 8 million.

Three barriers came up repeatedly in the research:

These concerns sit right at the heart of health inequality.

Why this matters for Healthier You

Healthier You is a free, NHS-backed programme delivered by Xyla that helps people make lasting lifestyle changes for better health. Alongside prevention services, it also supports people living with Type 2 diabetes to reduce their blood sugar, improve wellbeing and work towards remission. The free programme combines expert coaching, structured phases and evidence-based behaviour change techniques, empowering people to take control of their health and reduce pressure on healthcare services.

Support is available in multiple formats: in-person group sessions at local venues, a fully digital pathway with app-based support and health coach access, and a tailored remote option for people who need BSL interpretation, language support or adjustments for visual impairment.

Participants like Alan, who joined in January 2025, have seen transformative outcomes, reducing blood sugar levels, coming off medication and building fitness habits that have lasted well beyond the programme itself.

The people who could benefit most from Healthier You are frequently the same people facing the greatest digital and social barriers. If we want the programme to reach everyone who needs it, we cannot assume that a digital offer alone is sufficient.

About Good Things Foundation

Good Things Foundation is a charity focused on helping people who are left behind by the digital world to get online, stay safe and build confidence. They work through a network of around 8,000 community organisations and hubs across the UK, reaching some of the most excluded groups in society, including elderly people, those experiencing homelessness, asylum seekers and refugees. Their model is built on trust and local connection, qualities that align closely with how Xyla approaches health coaching and community engagement.

Xyla’s commitment

Through our work with Good Things Foundation, we are connecting Healthier You service users with their network of community hubs, so that digital inclusion support sits alongside, rather than separate from, their health journey. We are also working to donate used technology to the charity, putting devices into the hands of people who need them most.

Tackling health inequalities requires us to think beyond the clinical. This is a practical, community-rooted response to a challenge we know is holding people back, and we look forward to sharing more as our work together develops.

Find out more about the impact of Healthier You and how it is helping people across England live healthier, longer lives.

Read the programme’s success stories here.