Imparting digital skills to people aged 55 years and over in the UK
Minocha, Shailey ; McNulty, Catherine ; Evans, Shirley
The Open University - Milton Keynes
2015
33 p.
information technology ; older people ; skill ; survey ; digitalisation
Technology
English
Bibliogr.
"People aged over 55 years are the most digitally unskilled in the UK. This group includes: people in late middle age/early old age' (c. 55 - 65 or state pension age), people in their ‘third age' (65 or state pension age - 79) and ‘fourth age' - 80-85 and over. Being digitally included for people aged 55 and over has many benefits: being employed or employable, improved quality of life by utilising online social networks to combat loneliness and isolation, empowerment as consumers, volunteering opportunities, and greater civic participation. The group of 55 years of age and over is normally not recognised as being significant for the workforce and the economy. However, as per the PwC's Golden Age Index report, 2015, if UK could boost its employment rate for workers aged 55-64 which is currently 50% to the level achieved by Sweden, the best performing EU country where 69% of the people in this age group are still working, then it would boost Britain's GDP by 5.4% or
Digital
The ETUI is co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the ETUI.