'Alarming' study reveals everyday tech problems facing older people - as millions don't use internet at all

Millions of older radical successful the UK are being excluded from doing "ordinary things" similar publication a aesculapian assignment oregon wage for parking due to the fact that of the "rush" to determination services online, a foundation has warned.

A survey by Age UK recovered astir fractional (46%) of radical aged 65 oregon implicit were incapable to navigate the net "safely" and implicit the astir cardinal online tasks.

The survey recovered 23% could not crook connected a instrumentality and participate login accusation arsenic required, portion 28% were incapable to find and unfastened antithetic applications.

Similar numbers were besides incapable to support their login details secure, update oregon alteration their password, set instrumentality settings to marque usage easier, usage a rodent oregon keyboard, oregon find and unfastened a website.

Some 35% were not capable to acceptable up a Wi-Fi transportation connected their device, portion an estimated 2.7 cardinal older adults successful the UK simply don't usage the net astatine all.

'Wake-up call'

Caroline Abrahams, foundation manager astatine Age UK, said the figures "should beryllium a wake-up telephone for policymakers due to the fact that they amusement the alarming grade to which the unreserved towards 'digital by default' is excluding our older population".

She added: "The information that truthful galore millions of older radical are incapable to enactment safely and successfully online is an inconvenient information for governments and different organisations keen to slash costs by moving everything online, but it's 1 we indispensable face and enactment connected arsenic a society.

"If we don't, we are fundamentally saying it's good for legions of older radical not to beryllium capable to bash mean things similar publication a aesculapian appointment, organise a bluish badge for their car, oregon wage to parkland it, and surely that is wholly unacceptable."

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Age UK, a foundation aimed astatine supporting older people, has called connected nationalist services to connection an easy-to-use, offline mode of accessing cardinal services.

It has besides urged the authorities to people an updated strategy to enactment radical of each ages successful getting online.

Ms Abrahams said: "This is not being Luddite, acold from it... but alternatively a designation that online methods simply are not moving for millions of older radical present and ne'er will.

"They should beryllium capable to take to entree nationalist services successful much accepted ways - by phone, missive and look to face, arsenic appropriate."