Millions of elderly Brits without a smartphone or internet getting 'left behind' in digital age
Almost one in five - or 2.4 million - older people have limited use of the internet and use it less than once a month or not at all, according to Age UK.
New research for the charity shows that 12 per cent of older people - equivalent to 1.6 million - don't use a mobile phone at all and 4.3 million older people don't use a smartphone.
Meanwhile 22 per cent of older people - equivalent to 2.9 million - said that lack of trust in the internet was a reason for them not going online.
And 31 per cent - or 4 million elderly people - said that poor IT skills prevented them from using the internet.
Age UK will tomorrow deliver a 173,949 strong petition to Downing Street calling on the Government to ensure there is guarantee of offline alternatives to all public services, including the NHS and local authorities, to 'make sure older people are not left behind'.
Seventy-three-year-old Sue, from London, told the charity that problems with her eyesight make using computers or smartphones impossible.
'Everything is online these days,' she said. 'Trying to deal with some local authorities is an absolute nightmare if you don't have people around you who can do it for you.'
While Janet, 74, said: 'I have given up on trying to get Dr appointments, so now just don't bother.
'Since I had a total knee replacement two months ago, I had to do without any pain relief at all as I could not contact them. And as my mobility is now severely restricted, I cannot visit them, so I just don't go.'
The charity said it is concerned that a 'digital first' approach, with insufficient offline alternatives available, will see older people struggling to manage their own finances and healthcare as they age.
Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, said: 'It's clear that technology is set to transform many aspects of our lives for the better over the next decade, including the delivery of healthcare and how we interact with the NHS.
'But we must also ensure that no one is left behind, including the many millions of older people who are not online and who often want and need to use more traditional means of communication, such as telephone and face to face.'
She added: 'For the foreseeable future there will be a need for good offline alternatives and the Government must ensure they are put in place in every essential service on which older people rely.'
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