The digitally disadvantaged - the race to get the UK online

Households which are offline are missing out on potential savings of £560 a year from being able to shop and pay their bills online, but a staggering number of the UK population still don't have internet access.

This presentation from trends think-tank the Future Foundation analyses economic and demographic data to predict the number of consumers who will be online in the future to help organisations target them and enable them to benefit from increased access to goods and services.

Key findings include:

• If 3.5% of the digitally excluded found a job by getting online it would deliver a net economic benefit of £560m to the UK economy.

• Each contact and transaction with the government which is switched online could generate savings of between £3 and £12.

• All low-income families with children who want home access to the internet will have it by 2012.

• By 2014, it is anticipated that 17% more over 65s and 13% more consumers in the DE social group will be regular internet users.

• All unemployed adults who want personal access to the internet and email  will have them by 2012, with the ICT skills to find and apply for jobs online.

• Older people who are at risk of social exclusion can benefit from the internet as part of mainstream health and social care provision.

This presentation was given at the Targeting the digitally disadvantaged workshop at the Mail Media Centre on 13 July 2010. Contact us to find out about similar future events.