Digital Divide: Impact on Older Adults
A recent survey indicates a significant percentage of individuals over 60 are finding the shift towards online banking and appointment scheduling challenging. Age UK’s findings reveal that a considerable portion of this demographic perceives these changes as detrimental.
- One in three people over 60 report that online banking and services have made their lives more difficult compared to five years ago.
The charity’s poll revealed that 53% of seniors expressed frustration with accessing services like financial management and medical appointment bookings online, preferring in-person or telephone options. Moreover, 38% of respondents viewed this trend as “ageist.”
Challenges and Barriers
Age UK highlights that the increasing emphasis on “digital-first” approaches poses substantial obstacles for older individuals less comfortable with technology, hindering their access to vital services. While many financial institutions and service providers maintain phone lines, they often steer customers towards online platforms or AI chatbots.
Consequently, those opting for phone support frequently encounter extended wait times compared to those utilizing online messaging or email.
Potential Solutions and Actions
The Financial Conduct Authority is considering mandating that banks publish their call wait times to improve customer service. Meanwhile, the closure of numerous bank branches has further complicated matters for those preferring in-person banking. In response, the government and industry have introduced “banking hubs” operated by the Post Office, enabling various banks to serve customers under a single roof.
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Additionally, there’s evidence suggesting that individuals without online access may incur higher costs for services such as insurance, phone contracts, and train travel, as they cannot easily research and access the best deals.
Research from the Centre for Social Justice in 2023 indicated a 46% difference in home contents insurance prices between online and offline options. A sim-only phone contract could cost up to 114% more offline.
Advocacy and Future Directions
Caroline Abrahams, a charity director at Age UK, stated, “Arguably far too little effort is being made by many organizations of all kinds to look after the interests of non-computer users.”
Age UK is advocating for a legal right for older individuals to access public services offline if they do not use the internet. This measure aims to provide reassurance to millions of seniors.
Furthermore, the shift to online platforms has compelled some over-60s to rely on others for assistance, potentially impacting their independence and self-esteem. Approximately two-thirds of this age group relies on family and friends for online help.
The government recently published a Digital Inclusion Action Plan designed to “Open up opportunities through skills, tackle data and device poverty, break down barriers to digital services, and build confidence.”
Abrahams added: “As well as generating many more opportunities for people of all ages to go online and stay online, the plan must also lead to much more consideration for the needs of those who aren’t computer users and who never will be, many of them older people.”
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