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Facts and figures of the digital divide in UK

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While the majority of people in the UK have access to the internet, there are still 10 million people who do not.

Of these people, 4 million are are the most socially and economically disadvantaged in the country.

"Those being left behind
with technology are being left behind across many spheres"

- Martha Lane Fox, Digital Inclusion Champion

1 in 4

adults in the UK have never used the internet

a third

of households in the UK don't have the internet

39%

of the people in UK without access are over 65

See how UK Online Centres provide millions of people with access to computers and the internet, along with help and advice on how to use them. They aim to connect people to digital skills and opportunities, using technology to improve lives and life chances.

Read further articles on the digital divide in the UK

49%

of people without access are in the lowest socio-economic groups (DE)

70%

of people who live in social housing aren't online

80%

of government interactions with the public take place with the bottom 25% of society, so failing to encourage everyone online keeps government costs high

[Martha Lane Fox, Digital Inclusion Champion]

£560

The amount digitally excluded households are missing out on per year from not shopping and paying bills online

15%

of people living in deprived areas have used a government online service or website in the last year, compared to 55% nationally

38%

people not online are also
unemployed

Comments

Larry Nardolillo said
8th October, 2009 at 12:45pm

17m sounds like a lot of people. How many people are in the UK?

cyberdoyle said
1st December, 2009 at 6:11pm

so 30% don’t use internet, and 33% haven’t got decent access to it. that must tell you something?

Vin Sumner said
3rd December, 2009 at 6:12pm

1) sort the plumbing out like the victorians did and you will make more progress
2) use of the internet is not always a knowing activity and is too often represented as someone with keyboard and mouse

ceri said
30th May, 2010 at 4:08pm

Our country will fail if we don’t address the digital divided. The gap between rich and poor is everyones problem.

Donna said
28th September, 2010 at 1:55pm

Our country will fail if we don’t address the digital divided. We need to sort out the problem.

James said
9th February, 2011 at 11:48am

We need to sort it out

Anonymous Rey said
6th April, 2011 at 1:46pm

James, I agree with you, i’m sure no one has been trying to get computers in that time so let’s sort it out! me and you! let’s work together and make sure this get’s sorted out

Michael said
3rd June, 2011 at 9:48am

Yes, there are those that are socially excluded, so put some computers in community centres, village halls, drop-in centres or even pubs.
There are also those (particularly the elderly) that neither want nor need the net. A lot of people want to go back to simpler times and computers don’t fit into that scenario.
If and when the latter group need this facility, it should come under the remit of government agencies. It can be just too difficult for someone over 80 to learn, and keep up with, new technology just for occasional use.

ben dodd said
14th October, 2011 at 1:39pm

i agree

Ryan silvers said
17th October, 2011 at 7:59am

nice but how many people are there in the uk.

izzy said
22nd January, 2012 at 9:19am

3 in four people have access to the internet 2 thirds of house holds have the internet. there is an old digital divide where people have access to technology and people dont, also there is the new digital divide where people use technology and where people dont use it but have access .the old digital divide needs to be bridged so that everyone has the option, however the new digital divide may be part of the statistics in the Uk, as many people do have access but do they actually use it? they could be choising not to use technology due to Technophobia or other such reasons.

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