Our research into how well communications services meet the needs of consumers, especially those who may be in vulnerable circumstances.
Communications services are increasingly essential for citizens and consumers. Ensuring everyone can easily access the communications services they need is at the heart of what Ofcom does.
The ability to participate in the communications and postal markets may be affected by different factors and anybody can face circumstances that lead them to becoming vulnerable – temporary or permanently. This might include a limiting or impacting condition (physical, neurological or mental health), specific characteristics such as age, socio-economic group, literacy skills or changes in personal circumstances such as bereavement, job loss or change in household income.
Here we present a range of our data on communications service and device access, ownership and usage, digital exclusion, affordability of services, consumer engagement and switching and satisfaction/complaints handling, looking at the experience of those in circumstances that may make them vulnerable. This helps us understand how well the communications sector is meeting the needs of consumers.
Select a topic to see our published research.
Previous access and inclusion reports
In 2018, we published our second report on vulnerable consumers’ experiences with the communications market. In this report, we present a range of data on the availability, take-up, use and affordability of communications services.
Access and Inclusion in 2018: full report (PDF, 659.9 KB)
Mynediad a Chynhwysiant yn 2018 (Crynodeb gweithredol)
(PDF, 217.0 KB)
Research summary: disabled consumers (PDF, 1.6 MB)
Research summary: hearing-impaired consumers (PDF, 2.2 MB)
Research summary: consumers with learning difficulties (PDF, 1.5 MB)
Research summary: mobility-impaired consumers (PDF, 1.4 MB)
Research summary: multiple-impaired consumers (PDF, 1.5 MB)
Research summary: visually-impaired consumers (PDF, 1.4 MB)
In 2016, we published a report on outcomes for consumers in vulnerable circumstances in the sectors we regulate. In this report, we present a range of data on the availability, take-up, use and affordability of communications services