A warning for millions of homes without internet – and how to get help

New figures show up to three million households don’t have internet access and that’s costing them an average of £3,432 a year.

Research by the Center for Social Justice shows that being locked out of the online world means paying more for food, insurance, utility bills and many other necessities.

It can also make it more difficult to find work and claim benefits.

The consultancy estimates that 11% of households are not online because they cannot afford it or they do not know how to use the Internet.

And it’s not just the elderly.

Nearly one-third of adults without Internet access are of working age.

Plus, one million people previously online had to cancel their broadband contracts in the year to May as the cost of living crisis hit, Citizens Advice found.

Ahead of the first End Digital Poverty Day on Tuesday, Elizabeth Anderson, of the Digital Poverty Alliance, a group working to get more people online, said: “The situation is getting worse. worse instead of better.”

Figures from Vodafone estimate that the financial cost for families who don’t go online regularly is an average of £286 per month.

Helen Milner, chief executive of the Good Things Foundation, a charity working to tackle the problem, said: “It’s a doubly difficult thing for those who are digitally excluded. and have low income. You have less, but life is more expensive.”

Here, Mel Hunter looks at how extra costs arise and where to find help. . .

Food

CSJ found that PEOPLE can end up spending 50% more on groceries in-store than those using the supermarket’s website.

A basket of basic items costs around £21 online compared to £32 in store.

Many low-income people have to go to smaller stores, which have higher prices and fewer private-label products.

And even in stores, the rise of self-checkouts is making life more difficult for those who struggle with technology.

Carriage

BUYING tickets online means you can find out the cheapest times to travel and the best routes.

CSJ found that buying train tickets at the station is 29% more expensive.

Additionally, with plans to close 1,000 station offices, finding people to ask for information about fares or help using ticket machines will become more difficult.

Mobile phones and applications

The cheapest sim-only phone contract CSJ found online was £168 a year compared to £360 for the deal that comes with talking to someone face-to-face – a difference of £192.

And those without smartphones miss out on huge savings from apps that let shoppers compare prices on the go, accumulate loyalty points and get cashback.

Bank

PEOPLE who aren’t online can’t find accounts with the best interest rates or perks.

Additionally, it will be much more difficult to keep track of expenses.

Lloyds Bank found customers with the best online capabilities were 11 times more likely to check their balance online than those with the least online capabilities.

parking lot

PAY AND DISPLAY meters are being replaced by various payment apps and phone lines.

More than 20 councils across England are scrapping the machines and asking people to use an app.

But Age UK warns that the 2.4 million over-65s who rely on cash will find it harder to socialize and get around if this change continues.

Employment and benefits

NEARLY a third of London councils require applicants to apply online for housing benefit or council tax relief – a trend that is happening nationwide, according to Age UK.

Universal Credit claimants need to use the internet to complete their journal and search for work, yet they are six times more likely than others to have their broadband cut off because of the cost.

According to a report by parliamentarians, 9/10 jobs are only advertised online.

Where to find help

MORE than four million people using Universal Credit and other benefits are missing out on social broadband tariffs, which could get them online from £12 a month.

Search “social tariffs” on thesun.co.uk for the full list.

Find skills training to help you online through the Good Things Foundation and see if you qualify for free cell phone data through the National Databank by visiting goodthingsfoundation.org or calling number 0114 349 1666.

‘I didn’t even know what Google was before the digital classroom’

ONLINE has helped Minaj Ram save up to £500 a year on car insurance alone – and helped her find a job.

Minaj, 54, a former health secretary, was unemployed for a decade before finding a digital skills course with North Manchester Community Partnership.

She once had to pay £800 for car insurance.

But now she has learned to use comparison websites, it costs her between £300 and £500.

She recently replaced her washing machine, saving £100 by comparing prices online.

“I didn’t even know what Google was when I first started,” Minaj said. The course opened up a whole new world and my children say I am a different person because my confidence is so high.”

Since improving her digital skills through the program supported by the Good Things Foundation and Virgin Media O2, she pays her bills online, checks her bank balance and tracks her energy usage through through an application on the phone.

Minaj is currently working as a project coordinator for North Manchester Community Partnership, helping others improve their digital skills.