Consumer Focus welcomes the Government’s drive to reduce the digital divide. The consumer champion will be launching its own research next week to highlight the further hurdles that need to be overcome if more consumers are going to get online.
Responding to Government’s National Digital Participation Plan, Jillian Pitt, digital expert for Consumer Focus, said:
‘We welcome the steps the Government is taking to target less well-off consumers. Web-based services and online discounts are becoming increasingly the norm, leaving the poorest consumers without internet access paying hundreds of pounds more for their bills each year.
‘However not all digitally excluded people will benefit from the extra help outlined in this plan and cost is not the only barrier to people using the internet. A worrying number of people don’t see the relevance of being online. Therefore it is important that the Government appreciates the mix of reasons why people don’t use the internet at home.’
ENDS
Factfile:
- Digitally excluded families are missing out on average savings of £560 per year from shopping and paying bills online.
- Over 12 million people in the UK do not have access to or cannot afford to access the internet.
- Under a third (29%) of households which earn £11,500 or below have internet access at home, compared to 69% of those with a household income of £30k or above.
- Consumer Focus Wales 2009 research showed that 2 out of 5 people without internet access didn’t want to use the internet as they didn’t see it as relevant to them.
