‘Nudge or Compel?: Can behavioural economics tackle the digital exclusion of older people?,’ has recommended a number of ways to get older people online and tackle digital exclusion.

Published by the International Longevity Centre – UK, a leading think tank on longevity and demographic change, the report said that over 7.5 million adults had never used the internet, and the majority of non-users were older, had disabilities or were in the lowest social classes.

The report highlighted new analysis of data from the ‘English Longitudinal Study of Ageing’ on the behavioural traits that accompanied internet usage among older people. It showed that people who said they used the internet, tended to report feeling more in control of various aspects of their lives, and were also more likely to say they ‘hardly ever or never’ felt isolated, the same went with feeling lonely. While those that said they did not use the internet were more likely to say they ‘often’ felt isolated from others.

Those that did not own a computer were also more likely to feel they were unable to learn a new skill, while those that did were more likely to agree they could.