Assessing Digital Literacy and its Influence on Utilization of Esocial Services in Developing Contexts

The rapid digitization of public service delivery has created new opportunities for social welfare access while simultaneously exposing structural inequities rooted in unequal digital capabilities. This study investigates the extent to which digital literacy predicts the utilization of e-social services among citizens in developing contexts, with particular relevance to Sri Lanka and comparable Global South settings. Employing a quantitative research design with a simulated representative sample of 150 respondents, the study applies descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation analysis, and hierarchical multiple regression modelling. Results reveal a statistically significant positive relationship between digital literacy and e-social service utilization (r = 0.68, p < 0.001), with digital literacy alone explaining 46% of variance in service uptake. Four primary barrier clusters were identified: prohibitive internet costs (71.3%), inadequate digital skills (64.7%), platform usability failures (58.0%), and language exclusion (49.3%). These barriers disproportionately constrain access among older adults, rural residents, and low-income populations. The study argues that digital literacy constitutes a foundational social determinant of welfare access in the digital age, and advances evidence-based recommendations for policy reform, targeted literacy programmes, and inclusive platform design.