UP to three million households do not have internet access and it’s leaving them an average £3,432 a year worse off, new figures suggest.
Being locked out of the online world means paying more for food, insurance, utility bills and lots of other essentials, research by the Centre for Social Justice found.
ShutterstockUp to three million households do not have internet access and it’s leaving them an average £3,432 a year worse off[/caption]
It can also make it harder to find jobs and claim benefits.
The think tank estimates that 11 per cent of households are not online, either because they can not afford it or they do not know how to use the internet.
And it is not just the elderly.
Nearly one in three adults without internet access are of working age.
Plus, a million people who were previously online had to ditch their broadband contract in the year to May as the cost-of-living crisis hit, Citizens Advice found.
Elizabeth Anderson, of the Digital Poverty Alliance, a group working to get more people online, says: “The situation is getting worse rather than getting better.”
Figures from Vodafone estimate that the financial cost for families not routinely online is, on average, £286 a month.
Helen Milner, chief executive of Good Things Foundation, a charity working to address the issue, says: “It’s a double whammy for those who are digitally excluded and on a low income. You have less, but life costs more.”
Here, Mel Hunter looks at how the extra costs stack up and where to get help . . .
Food
PEOPLE can end up spending 50 per cent more on in-store groceries than those who use supermarket websites, the CSJ found.
A basket of basic items cost around £21 online compared with £32 in a shop.
Many on a low income have to use smaller shops, where prices are higher and there is a smaller range of own-brand products.
And even in store, the rise of self-checkouts is making life harder for those who struggle with technology.
Transport
BUYING tickets online means you can spot the cheapest times to travel and the best routes.
The CSJ found buying train tickets at the station was 29 per cent dearer.
Also, with the planned closure of 1,000 station offices, it’s likely to become harder to find someone to ask for fare information or help using ticket machines.
Mobile phones and apps
THE cheapest sim-only phone contract the CSJ found online was £168 a year compared with £360 for the deal obtained when speaking to someone in person — a difference of £192.
And those without a smartphone miss huge savings from apps that let shoppers compare prices on the go, collect loyalty points and earn cashback.
Banking
THOSE who aren’t online can’t find the accounts with the best interest rates or perks.
Plus it’s much harder to keep tabs on outgoings.
Lloyds Bank found customers who are the most competent online are 11 times more likely to check their balance than those who are the least able.
Parking
PAY-AND-DISPLAY meters are being replaced by multiple different payment apps and phonelines.
More than 20 councils across England are removing machines and asking people to use an app.
But Age UK warns that 2.4million over-65s who rely on cash will find it harder to socialise and get around if this shift continues.
Jobs and benefits
NEARLY a third of London councils require applicants to apply online for housing benefit or council tax rebates — a trend that’s unfolding across the country, according to Age UK.
Universal Credit claimants need to use the internet to complete their journals and search for work, yet they are six times more likely than others to have to cut off their broadband because of the cost.
Nine in ten jobs are only advertised online, according to a report by MPs.
Where to find help
MORE than four million people on Universal Credit and other benefits are missing out on social broadband tariffs, which could get them online from £12 a month.
Search for “social tariffs” on thesun.co.uk for the full list.
Find skills training to help you get online through Good Things Foundation and see if you qualify for free mobile phone data through the National Databank by visiting goodthingsfoundation.org or by calling 0114 349 1666.
‘I didn’t even know what Google was before digital class’
GETTING online has saved Minaj Ram up to £500 a year on car insurance alone – and helped her find a job.
Minaj, 54, a former medical secretary, was out of work for a decade before she found a digital skills course with North Manchester Community Partnership.
SuppliedMinaj Ram £500 a year on car insurance after getting online[/caption]
She used to pay £800 for car insurance.
But now that she has learned to use comparison sites, she pays between £300 and £500.
She recently replaced her washing machine, saving £100 by comparing prices online.
Minaj says: “I didn’t even know what Google was when I started. The course has opened up a whole new world and my children say I’m a different person because my confidence is sky-high.”
Since improving her digital skills via the scheme, which is supported by Good Things Foundation and Virgin Media O2, she pays her bills online, checks her bank balance and monitors energy use via an app on her phone.
Minaj is now employed as a project coordinator by North Manchester Community Partnership, helping others boost their digital skills.