Call for an instant quote 0345 90 80 161
Open Mon to Fri 08:30 - 19:00 | Sat 09:00 - 16:00 (GMT)
30 August 2013 11:04
Older women the least likely group to be online in UK, figures suggest
Large numbers of older women are at risk of being socially marginalised and paying over the odds for products due to a lack of internet access, a charity has said.
Age UK spoke out after figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed that older women are the least likely group in society to use the internet.
Only around one in four (26%) women aged 75 and over have used the internet, last week's ONS data showed, which is considerably lower than the figure of 41% for men in the same age category.
With many of the best seniors travel insurance deals, as well as cheap holidays and discount vouchers being widely available online, there are now calls to make sure more older women can gain access to these cost-saving benefits.
Age UK has stressed the social and emotional benefits from getting online, with the charity citing separate research that found older people who are not online are twice as likely to say they are lonely compared to those who have internet access.
"More than any group of people, older women risk being marginalised by not being online," said Age UK's charity director general Michelle Mitchell.
"Nearly two million women aged 75 and over, many of whom admit to feeling lonely, have never been online and are missing out on the benefits of using the internet."
The ONS figures also revealed that 7.1 million UK adults have never been online, with almost half of them (45%) over the age of 75.
Mitchell pointed out that most people tend to learn internet skills as a means of keeping in touch with friends and family.
She called for more to be done to help older people get online as the Government and businesses will also benefit greatly if older people get web access.
04 February 2020
Bohemian boulevards and ornate opera houses await away from the Six Nations action.
[more...]
Kite Flying Day falls on 8th February. What better time is there to plan your next trip through the skies?
10 February 2020
With Ferris Wheel Day on 14th February, there's never been a better excuse to enjoy a foreign skyline.
Looking for a Valentine's getaway but want to avoid the clichés? Try one these alternative romantic destinations...
27 January 2020
With ancient architecture and marble marvels at every turn, there are plenty of reasons to get onside with our plans away from the rugby in Rome.
Squeeze some time in between the scrums for Dublin's best sights.
21 January 2020
With a certain tennis tournament underway in Melbourne, it's the perfect time to see what other fantastic attractions this city serves up.
As a new year begins we ask what it means to be a European Capital of Culture.
There's no better time to visit Rijeka, as the Croatian city celebrates European Capital of Culture status.
Plan your Irish itinerary around Galway's Capital of Culture highlights.
06 January 2020
Looking for some inspiration for your next holiday destination? Here's a list of our favourite destinations for 2020.
Get the most out of your 2020 getaway with our top holiday planning tips.