ALMOST 370,000 people who ran out of money before pay day last year could not afford internet access as a result, new analysis from Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) has found.
Polling by YouGov for the charity found that 32% of people ran out of money before pay day in the last year. Of those people, 26% had to go without internet access as a result. Based on Scotland’s population estimates this works out to 369,200 people.
A further 28% went without mobile phone access, working out to 397,600. The research defines “pay day” as including payment day for pensions and benefits and shows the extent of financial insecurity across the country.
CAS has called the findings concerning given the past year had seen increased reliance on the internet as a way of accessing essential services, working and purchasing goods. As well as this, many children and young people required the internet to continue their education.
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While CAS believes in channel choice in terms of accessing services many public services are based on a digital first or digital by default approach, such as claiming for Universal Credit. Also with many public sources of Wi-Fi such as libraries and cafes being closed over the past year, this has created more problems for people who were already struggling to afford digital access.
With furlough ending, Universal Credit cut by £20 per week and the energy bills rising the charity is concerned more and more people will face squeezed incomes and higher bills, and is running ‘Our Advice Adds Up’, a campaign encouraging people to get advice.
The charity is encouraging people to check whether they can get cheaper tariffs with broadband providers.
CAS strong communities spokesperson Gillian Fyfe said: “For many of us, the past year of the pandemic was when it became clear that internet and phone access are essential utilities for people. Whether it was through online meetings for work or zoom quizzes with friends, we relied on internet access more than ever last year.
“That’s why it’s so worrying to see such a high proportion of people who had to go without online access or use of a mobile phone in the past year because they ran out of money.”
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