Twelve Million UK Households Now Online
The number of UK homes with access to the internet has increased by a million over the past year, according to new figures from the Office of National Statistics.
The latest Expenditure and Food Survey shows that there were 12 million online households at the end of June, up from 11 million a year earlier. Some 48% of all homes now have an internet connection and of these, 78% rely on dial-up connection while 20% have broadband access.
| Household Internet Penetration – Q2 Comparisons | ||
| Year | Households With Internet Access (m) | % Of All Households |
| 1998 | 2.2 | 9 |
| 1999 | 3.5 | 14 |
| 2000 | 6.9 | 27 |
| 2001 | 9.5 | 38 |
| 2002 | 11.0 | 44 |
| 2003 | 12.0 | 48 |
| Source: ONS, September 2003 | ||
According to ONS, 56% of adults had used in the internet in the three months prior to interview, up from 54% in the first quarter (see UK Internet Penetration Approaches 50%). Men in the 16-24 age group are the UK’s most prolific web users.
| Proportion Of Adults Who Have Used Internet In Last Three Months | |
| % | |
| All Adults | 56 |
| Sex | |
| Men | 59 |
| Women | 52 |
| Age | |
| 16 to 24 | 85 |
| 25 to 44 | 73 |
| 45 to 54 | 62 |
| 55 to 64 | 39 |
| 65+ | * |
| * sample size too small for reliable estimate | |
| Source: ONS, September 2003 | |