ONS stats reveal hefty UK digital divide

Over nine million people in the UK have never used the internet, according to new figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) which will come as a blow to prime minister David Cameron's pledge to close the digital divide.

Unsurprisingly, those more likely to have never used the internet include people over the age of 65, the widowed, those on low incomes and those with no formal qualifications, the Internet Access survey found.

In total, 19.2 million households, or 73 per cent, have internet access, an increase of just 0.9 million on the previous year and an increase of five million since 2006.

The number of UK citizens connecting via a mobile phone, however, has jumped by nearly a quarter since 2009, to roughly a third of all internet users.

The rate of internet use also decreases according to income. Some 69 per cent of adults who earn less than £10,399 have used the internet, while 98 per cent of those with an income of over £41,600 have accessed the web.

Mark Williams from the ONS warned that, despite significant progress over the past few years, the UK is still "some way off from being completely online".

"Use is closely linked with a number of socio-economic and demographic indicators, with those less educated and on lower incomes less likely to access the web," he said.

"We have also seen changes in the way people connect and in the frequency of connection. The use of Wi-Fi hotspots continued to rise with 2.7 million people (seven per cent of internet users) using wireless hotspots at locations such as cafes, restaurants, and hotels."

Lastminute.com co-founder Martha Lane Fox was appointed by the new government earlier this year to continue her work as Digital Inclusion Champion, but has acknowledged the challenges that exist in getting more people online when there are little or no government funds to do so.

Lane Fox launched her Manifesto for a Networked Nation in July with the aim of getting the entire population online by 2015.