New data from the Office of National Statistics shows that 17 per cent of the UK population don’t have access to the internet.
Four million UK homes are not connected to the internet according to the ONS, with reasons ranging from expenses to lack of technology savvy.
Out of the four million UK homes, 59 per cent said they wished to stay unconnected as they had no need to be online, the majority of these being the older generations.
However, 20 per cent admitted they didn’t possess the technical skills to use a computer online and get connected and 10 per cent said broadband contracts are too expensive for their budgets.
Rising 3 per cent from 2012, 83 per cent of the UK or 21 million households have internet access.
The ONS data showed that 75 per cent of British adults use the internet on a daily basis. It was also evident that mobile internet use is rising with the greatest speed.
Half of the UK population say they access the internet using their mobile devices, which is more than double that of the figures recorded for 2010, due to the rise in popularity and availability of tablets and smartphones.
Reading the newspapers, banking and doing the weekly food shop are all activies increasingly being carried out more online than offline.
“The internet has changed the way people go about their daily lives,” the ONS said.
To help improve internet adoption in the UK, the government has put schemes in place to bring at least 2Mbps broadband speeds to all British homes by 2015.
A third of people aged 65 and over are already online at home, but some suggest that more work still needs to be done to assist the older UK citizens.
“It is important that ongoing training and support are available for the five million people aged 65 and over who have never been online,” said Michelle Mitchell, the director general of charity Age UK. “As well as for those who are online but who may need additional help to undertake certain activities.”
Next, read our best routers round up.
Via: BBC
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
