Four million households in the UK are still not connected to the internet, according to the Office for National Statistics

In Bristol, BT and Bristol City Council and Citizens Online are working together to run the Get IT Together Programme, a community development approach to digital inclusion.

Pete Britten  an apprentice from Get It Together – Bristol shares a summary of recent research published by The Office for National Statistics.
 

The Office for National Statistic’s data said the majority, 59%, of those unconnected said they simply did not need to be online.

 

Twenty per cent said they lacked the skills to get online, while another 10% said they could not afford it.
 

The ONS figures have shown that the amount of people getting online over the age of 65 has increased to 37% this year, up from 9% in 2006.

Figures also show that internet usage on mobile devices has increased from 24% in 2010, to 53% this year. Increased mobile connection speeds have helped boost the number of people getting online.

 

The data shows us that there have been significant improvements in Digital Inclusion over the last several years. However, there is still crucial work to be done to ensure people are not excluded. We need to provide ongoing training and support to people, and make sure there is affordable IT equipment, and broadband connections, available to those who need it.

Other figures from the ONS data:

 

• 70% of adults use a computer every day, up from 45% in 2006. For those aged 65 and over, this figure rose from 9% to 37%.
• The majority of households with children – and those made up of three or more adults – are hooked up to the web (97%).
• More than half of adults (55%) go online to read or download newspapers and magazines, compared with 20% in 2007. Those aged 25 to 34 (72%) are most likely to turn to the net for news. This figure stands at 49% for 55 to 64-year-olds.
• More than half (53%) of adults use social networks, up from 48% last year. Almost all of those aged 16 to 24 (93%) visit the likes of Facebook or Twitter. For those aged 45 to 54, this figure is 50%.
• There has been “significant growth” in the number of people who sell goods or services online. In 2007, only one in 10 adults used sites such as eBay or Gumtree. This has more than doubled in the past six years to 28%.
• Almost three-quarters (72%) of adults say they bought goods or services online this year – up on 53% in 2008. While younger age groups have traditionally embraced internet shopping, there has been “significant growth” among pensioners. More than a third of those aged 65 and over (36%) shopped online this year – more than double the 2008 estimate of 16%. 
• Almost all of those aged 16 to 24 (94%) have used a gadget to access the net “on the go”, compared with 17% of those aged 65 and over.
• Over a fifth (21%) of 16 to 24-year-olds use a games console or eBook reader to connect away from home or work. This figure stands at 10% for 45 to 54-year-olds and 11% for all adults.
• Three-quarters (76%) of those aged 25 to 34 access their bank accounts online. For adults of all age groups, the figure is 50%.
• The internet has become a “key tool” for jobseekers. Two thirds (67%) of unemployed adults said they looked for a job or submitted an application online this year.

Get IT Together in Bristol is supported by BT’s Connected Society programme, BT’s commitment to help people right around the world gain the skills and confidence they need to join the online community and Bristol City Council.