Over the summer, the Digital Equality Group, a policy group co-ordinated by WaveLength, invited benefit claimants and support workers to fill in a questionnaire. This report shows that services are not always straightforward or convenient and those who can’t use digital services continue to be, or are increasingly excluded by the Digital By Default principle. We share these responses in a short paper, which we release today.
I have a sister who has a learning difficulty, can’t write properly & can’t use computers. How is she supposed to manage in a digital welfare system &
I was a lone voice asking what people without access to broadband were supposed to do. They were so excited about the potential & didn’t want to answer. An inefficient service does not become efficient through being online.
economy?
These are just some of the responses we received, which show the difficulties people have faced when using websites to access government services. They support the growing body of evidence across the UK that Digital By Default services are in many cases not living up to the aspirations of the 2013 strategy.
Following this research, the DEG makes the following recommendations:
- There should always be non-digital options made clearly available in a range of formats to those who need or want them.
- Government should recognise that the ‘default’ nature of digital services is continuing to exclude people and change its overarching principle from ‘Digital by Default’ to ‘Digital First’.
- The government should provide universal means-tested broadband to those who need it most.
If you would like to talk to us about our findings, or are interested in getting involved with the DEG, then call 01708 621101 or e-mail deg@wavelength.org.uk.
It is outrageous that peopel are denied help from human beings Computers are an optionnot a compulsory alternative. The spread of this must be stopped
My local surgery has just initiated a system where patients are able to make walk in or online appointments. There is no telephone option. I am housebound, living in an outlying village with very poor signal. I need 2 taxi return journeys to make and keep and appointment. The system fails me badly.
I am intelligent but get confused very easily, living on my own with the absolute minimum of support which is not quite enough.
the boxes are always too small th inflexibility means that you are often timed out before completion and can often not be re used or redone