In advance of tomorrow's evidence session on Government delivery of information and services online, I enclose a summary of research the Post Office recently commissioned from Demos into digital social exclusion, with a particular focus on the over 50s. The report is due to be published in mid December.

  The Demos research is focused on the over 50s age group, but many of the barriers to getting online and recommendations for helping this group to gain internet access are common to other socially excluded groups.

  Recent research conducted by BMRB/TGI in the 12 months to 2007 shows that online communications are particularly ineffective at connecting with groups such as the elderly and long-term disabled. The BMRB figures reveal that over 13 million UK adults, or 27% of the UK adult population, have not been online in the past 12 months. This figure rises to 42% of adults with a long-term disability and 65% of adults over 65s. The same research shows that over two-thirds of non-internet users are not in employment, and that these individuals are likely to be retired of disabled.

BRIEFING FOR PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE EVIDENCE SESSION:

Government on the internet: Progress in delivering Information and Services Online

INTRODUCTION

  The Post Office recently commissioned Demos to conduct research into digital social exclusion, with a particular focus on the over 50s.

  The research is focused on the over 50s age group, but many of the barriers to getting online and recommendations for helping this group to gain internet access are common to other socially excluded groups, too.

  Demos conducted desk research and held four focus groups in Leeds with both users and non-users aged 55+.

  The topline themes from the research report, which is due to be published in December, are below:

1. Common perceptions about older people's attitudes to the internet.

2. What the over-50s really think.

3. Recommendations to help the over-50s go online.

4. Where the internet isn't the only solution.

SUMMARY

1.   Common perceptions about older people's attitudes to the internet

—  Older people don't want to use the internet

  The barrier to internet use, rather than lack of interest, tends to be motivation. Some older people are yet to find a compelling reason to get online. Either older people do not see relevance in an everyday sense or in more deprived contexts the mainstream benefits of internet use simply do not pertain to their more complex needs.

"You can't miss what you've never had."—Jean (65 non-user)

—  Older people are not digitally literate

  "Silver surfers" are seen as exceptional not only because they buck the trend of non-use of the internet; but because they are thought to have uncharacteristically high IT skill levels. But once older people are online they become some of the most enthusiastic, able users. However, there are problems related to where they can learn the right skills. There was reliance from focus group participants on peers and family members and one-to-one, continuous tuition.

"I think younger people are definitely better at dealing with the technicalities, but our generation is still competent using the internet."—Warren (64, user)

—  Access to technology leads to productive use of technology

  We should be wary of the assumption that access to technology means productive or beneficial use. Older people can feel more hesitant about taking risks online, often for good reason. They are on the verge of using technology in exciting ways, but they often lack the know-how and confidence to make the leap.

2.   What the over-50s really think

—  Enthusiasm for online services

  Across all the groups there was an underlying enthusiasm. However, there were also some telling differences. The line between non-user and passionate advocate can be thin, and is often determined by triggers like encouragement from a family member. The oldest users we surveyed were the most enthusiastic and most adventurous, while the youngest group of non-users were the most defensive. They clearly felt that they "should" be online, and felt the need to justify their decision not to participate.

"I've only been using computers for a couple of years, and it took some convincing to get started, but now I love it."—Vera (76, user)

—  Lack of trust in the internet

  Even the participants who were more enthusiastic brought with them some real fears and reservations. There was a general lack of trust in the internet. This was coupled with a desire for tangible, trusted products. That was strongly connected to the idea that the internet might gradually replace human contact, drawing people into a relationship with a screen instead of the people around them. They find more in the sort of transactions they could do online than simply the functional value of purchasing or service delivery, and worried that the social experience might be at risk.

"I find it all too daunting and I feel insecure."—Sheila (82, non-user)

—  The internet is a "luxury"

  There were mixed feelings about the centrality of the internet to everyday life. Many teenagers and children have made the internet such a central part of their life as to be almost irreplaceable. The same could not be said of older users. Despite this, many of the people we met found it easy to anticipate a time when services would only be available online. They could see the benefits this might bring, but recognised that it would make it even harder to opt out of the "information revolution".

"The internet isn't vital. It's just like other forms of technology: people say that cars are vital, but you can always walk."—Mike (61 non-user)

—  Support from family and friends

  We asked internet users to map their social networks of support and it was clear that most had at least one trusted "digital mentor". This could be a friend who was confident technically, but most commonly it was a member of their family who they could call on when frustrated. There was a sense that younger relatives' patience levels might not be suited to teaching their older relatives technology, sometimes from scratch. However, without the reassuring back-up provided by family members many older people would not feel confident venturing online; the majority of those who had tried the internet relied to some extent on support and ideas from their relatives.

"Older people just don't know where to start looking. I turn to my children when there's a problem."—Simon (76, user)

3.   Recommendations to help people go online

—  Call on Local and Central Government

  To provide priority broadband seats in libraries and other public access points—the places that older people are likely to visit.

  To stimulate and support markets for excluded users so that they can purchase affordable solutions, eg by offering incentives to ISPs who actively target this group.

  To encourage the creation of easy read versions of every website.

  To offer adult learning courses to older people through local colleges.

—  Call on industry

  To provide age awareness training to IT sales staff.

  For ISPs to provide dedicated technical support for older users.

"In PC World there's so much choice you can't tell if you're being ripped off. And so much design is based on gaming power, too, which costs money."—Warren (64, user)

—  Call on community and social enterprise

  To create a "PledgeBank" for older people, so communities offer training and to support older members of their town or village.

  To create online mentoring sites to create a safe environment to link older groups with younger people who can offer guidance and advice about getting online and using the internet.

  To develop digital buddy schemes to meet older people's desire to learn from people they already know, who have the time and patience to repeat instructions.

"If I had the time and the right teacher I would probably get involved, but I don't want to be the dummy in the class room again and I don't want to play the fool. What I need is a teacher who speaks my language, who speaks English, not all the jargon, and who can go slow at my pace."—Peter (59, non-user)

4.   Where the internet isn't the only solution

—  There is no doubt that digital exclusion does exacerbate social exclusion, but strategies aimed at tackling isolation for older people need to treat technology as a significant piece of the puzzle rather than the solution. Many older people have a range of complex needs and an internet connection is highly unlikely to address all of these in a meaningful and sustainable way.

—  Closing the digital divide has slowed to a standstill with no more people using the internet now than in 2004, according to UK Online Centres.

—  The overall proportion of adults who are digitally excluded is only expected to decline from 39% in 2005 to 31% in 2015.[2]

—  Some of the barriers that remain are those that are harder to tackle through the provision of hardware: more sophisticated strategies will be needed to address poor confidence, disability, extreme financial hardship or limited social capital.

"If the government ends up only delivering information through the internet then people like me will definitely begin to lose out"—Jane (58, non-user)

28 November 2007