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Manifesto for a networked nation
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Chapter
Building a networked nation
The Challenge

The Summary

We are one of the most digitally sophisticated countries in the world and most of us consider the internet an essential part of daily life. However,

OVER 10 MILLION ADULTS IN THE UK HAVE NEVER USED THE NET. THAT'S OVER A FIFTH OF THE POPULATION

  • The old, the poor and the unemployed are least likely to use the web, so there’s a strong link between social disadvantage and internet non-use.
  • Age, income, health and employment status all influence internet adoption.
  • The highest concentrations of offline adults under 65 are in areas of lower-than-average income.
  • The highest concentrations of offline over-65s are in rural and coastal areas.
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The Detail

  • How Big is the Challenge?

    HOW BIG IS THE CHALLENGE?

    For the vast majority of people in the UK the internet is now an essential part of daily life. We are among the most sophisticated web users in the world in terms of our willingness to communicate and transact online:

    • 58% of UK adults buy goods and services online — the highest in Europe — and they spent an estimated £4.4bn online in April 2010.3 Over 38 million people have used ebay.co.uk, and seven million of us have sold something on the site.
    • The UK is the largest online travel market in Europe with 87% of internet users making travel plans over the internet. We book more than half our leisure travel online at an estimated annual value of £17bn.
    • There are over 25m active Facebook accounts in the UK — only the USA has more.

    DESPITE THIS, OVER 10 MILLION ADULTS IN THE UK HAVE NEVER USED THE INTERNET. THAT'S OVER A FIFTH OF THE POPULATION OR THE POPULATIONS OF THE 5 BIGGEST CITIES IN THE UK.

  • Who Are The 10 Million?

    WHO ARE THE 10 MILLION?

    Graph 1 shows us who these 10 million are. Internet use decreases with age and increases with income. While only one in ten people aged 16 to 24 years are offline, the proportion rises to one in two of those aged 65-74. Over three quarters of those over 75 are offline.

    Nearly 50% of adults living in households earning less than £11.5k do not use the internet anywhere – at home, work or in the community — but only 4% of those living in households earning over £30k a year are offline.

    Percentage of internet non-usersPercentage of internet non-users who are socially disadvantaged

     

    Aside from age and income, other social factors, such as health and employment status, also influence internet use. Those with a disability are more than twice as likely to be offline as the overall population – 48% compared to 23%. The unemployed are also more likely to be offline — 30%, rising to 35% for those without children.

    The links between social disadvantage and internet take up are strong and it is estimated that around four million of the non-users are among the most socially disadvantaged people in the UK, of whom 39% are over 65, 38% are unemployed7 and 19% are adults in families with children.

  • Where Are The 10 Million?

    WHERE ARE THE 10 MILLION?

    There is an increasing amount of evidence on where yoy find the highest concentrations of offline populations. Map 1  below illustrates local authority areas where the highest concentrations of working-age people with the lowest propensity to use the internet live.

    Where are the 10 million? 18 - 65 years

     

    It shows that areas of the Midlands, North West and North East have the highest concentrations in England, together with Glasgow and areas of South Wales, correlating with areas of lower than average income in the UK. In contrast, Map 2 illustrates that the highest concentrations of older residents (65 years and over) with the lowest propensity to use the internet are concentrated in rural and coastal areas.

    Where are the 10 million? 65+ years