Blue Collar Workers And Over 65s Slow To Go Online

The number of UK households with access to the internet is growing but “considerable barriers” exist preventing certain demographic groups from getting connected, according to new research.

Colin Shaddick, director at Continental Research, which conducted the study, said: “Home internet access has increased over the past year from 7.6 million homes to 9.3 million homes. But the bad news is that blue-collar workers and adults over the age of 65 still have little or no exposure to PCs and the internet.”

According to the figures, just 11% of people in the lowest economic grouping DE are using the internet from home, compared to 55% of ABs.

A similar pattern emerges for age, with only 6% of people over the age of 65 surfing the net from home, compared to 40% of people aged between 15 and 44.

In terms of at work internet usage the report shows that only 10% of DEs have access to the internet at work, compared to 81% of ABs.

The report suggests that the Government’s UK Online initiative, which was launched last year with a view to having the total population online by 2005, needs to give considerable encouragement to blue-collar workers and the senior population if it is to succeed.

Continental Research:020 7490 5944 www.continentalresearch.com

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