The UK has slipped from eighth to thirteenth in a global league table that gauges nations’ ability to use IT for social and economic development.

The research from the Economist Intelligence Unit shows that all but nine of the 70 countries analysed have seen a decline in their e-readiness over the past year as the effect of the recession hits hard.

But the UK’s decline has been faster than most – among the top 20 ranked nations only Hong Kong has slipped further.

Denmark leads the global rankings, followed by Sweden, The Netherlands, Norway and the US – the latter dropping from first last year to fifth as it also sees the effects of the downturn.

However, the research points out that in the long term, IT in developed countries is likely to benefit from the the recession, as governments increase spending on major technology infrastructure projects as part of their economic stimulus plans.

"The results of this year's research underscore the fact that digital development does not take place in a vacuum," said Robin Bew, editorial director of the EIU.

"Tough economic conditions can constrain the drivers of technology adoption and use. Policymakers can help maintain the momentum of digital advancement, but above all they should refrain from introducing protectionist measures, which will only make matters worse," he added.

The study also notes that developing countries are making big advances in their IT connectivity, with the number of people able to connect to communications networks growing fast in regions such as the Middle East, Africa, Eastern Europe and Latin America.