Monday, 22 April 2013

Why a Digital Inclusion Strategy Is Now Crucial For Social Landlords

The stark fact is that those living in social housing, who are already facing many disadvantages compared to other sections of society, are trailing behind in the digital revolution stakes.  Nearly half of the 8.7 million adults who have never been online live in social housing. Being digitally excluded makes tenants' lives much more difficult and their financial situation even more precarious as they are unable to save money by researching and obtaining cheaper deals online.  According to the National Housing Federation, offline households are missing out on savings estimated at £560 a year by shopping and paying bills online.  While overall the number of people online has increased steadily during recent years, the social groups least likely to have access to the worldwide web are the elderly, the unemployed, and those on a low income. Yet it is these very people, who will be directly affected by universal credit, who could benefit the most from the information and services available online. Embracing a digital inclusion agenda demonstrates a commitment to tenants and residents to get online in order to improve their lives and life chances. Read more on the Guardian website.


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