Introduction
Since the introduction of the internet in the 1980’s the digital revolution has gathered pace year on year with more elements of everyday life shifting online and people managing more of their lives online. There appears to be no limit to the ways people can live and better their lives, by being online.
However, we know that not everyone is online. In the UK there are 10 million people who lack the very basic foundation skills needed in a digital world, and one in 20 UK households have no home internet access.
Compared to people who are digitally included, excluded people, or limited internet users are:
- Four times more likely to come from low-income households
- Ten times more likely to be over 65 years
- Eight times less likely to have post-18 education
In the North East, 28 per cent of people are limited internet users (digitally excluded).
People are typically impacted by four key barriers that prevent them from being digitally included:
- Access to a device to get online or access to the internet, particularly because of affordability. 20 per cent of people in the UK who are offline say it’s too expensive
- Having the skills to get online. 21 per cent of people in the UK saying it’s too complicated
- Having the confidence to go online affects 11 per cent of people in the UK, who say they worry about online safety
- Motivation also impacts 21 per cent of people in the UK who say they are simply not interested in being online and don’t see the benefit
We know from listening to our residents and partners in North Tyneside there are people who feel left behind in this increasingly digital world, and who face barriers to taking part and getting online. There are also people who want choice in what they do online and how much they do online; choice is the key theme running through this Strategy.
- Digital by choice means that people can choose how and when they go online as well as what they do online, and that organisations and services don’t force them online by default