Technology
Digital Literacy Programs Transform Banking and Health Access Across Camden
Free training programs and new apps are altering how locals handle banking, health records and community events in neighborhoods across the borough.
How we reported this
Camden Council recorded a 112 percent rise in residents completing digital literacy modules through its online portal between January and June this year, with 4,872 people finishing courses on secure data handling and app navigation.
The increase comes as more city services move online and as local employers require basic tech skills for entry-level positions in the growing tech corridor along Euston Road. Camden residents without these skills face barriers to benefits applications and job listings posted only through digital platforms.
Training reaches Camden Town and Kentish Town
Workshops now run twice weekly at the Camden Town Library on Crowndale Road, where participants practice video calls with family members and set up two-factor authentication on banking apps. The same sessions operate at the Kentish Town Community Centre on Leighton Road, drawing older adults who previously relied on paper forms for council tax payments. Both sites added evening slots after demand from shift workers at nearby markets exceeded daytime capacity.
One Camden High Street café owner reported switching his supplier orders to a tablet-based system after completing the four-week program, cutting weekly paperwork time from six hours to under one. Nearby residents in the Stables Market area now use shared digital calendars to coordinate street-cleaning rotas that once required printed flyers posted on lampposts.
Usage data shows measurable daily shifts
Camden Council’s June 2026 progress report showed that 68 percent of course graduates now manage at least three government services through the MyCamden app, up from 29 percent before enrollment. The same document listed average household savings of £47 per month from reduced travel to council offices for form submissions. These figures come from anonymized usage logs collected between March and May.
Next month the council will open registration for the July cohort at both library and community-centre locations. Residents can sign up in person at either site or through the council website using the same login already required for council-tax accounts. Slots fill within 48 hours of release, according to staff at the Crowndale Road branch.