You may not catch them on TikTok or Snapchat, but the latest data shows that the over-70s are spending more time online than any generation besides Gen Z.
According to figures from the Office for National Statistics detailing how different Britons report spending their time, the 70-plus age group is second only to those in their 20s when it comes to the average amount of time using a computer or device as a primary activity (separate from working or watching streamed video).
Silver surfers in Britain spent an average of 43 minutes and six seconds a day using devices in such ways in September last year – 10 minutes longer than those in their 40s. Under-20s were not part of the survey.
The over-70s spent more time web browsing, checking email, and on other computer use (such as creating content for the public) than any other age group surveyed – but also spent the least time (just three minutes a day) on social media.
And while those in their 20s spent an average 32 minutes playing console or computer games – far more than any other age group – the over-70s spent just 8 minutes 18 seconds. However, they still played more than those in their 60s – bucking the trend that the older you get, the less you game.
The internet can have great benefits for older people, according to the digital exclusion charity Good Things Foundation, whether it is making it easier to stay connected with loved ones, keeping up to date with the latest news, or making healthcare appointments.
Katie Heard, the head of research and data insight at the charity, said: “We know older people are most likely to be digitally excluded because they don’t have digital skills, so this data may initially appear surprising. However, there are a significant proportion of this age group that have embraced the change. Many people aged over 70 have benefited by joining thousands of others to gain digital skills in local digital inclusion hubs.”
Older people are increasingly using the internet to interact with key services. Separate figures found that pensioners were the most active users of the NHS app last year – with two-thirds of users over retirement age accessing the app within the most recent three months of data – 273,500 of whom were over 80 years old.
Caroline Abrahams, the charity director at Age UK, said it was good to see older people crossing the digital divide and that being online could offer a range of benefits. However, she also warned: “There is a need for more support to help those older people who want to go online to do so, but it’s also vital that those who aren’t IT users can continue to access services of all kinds in other ways.
“They shouldn’t be forced into a digital world just because it cuts costs for business or the government – we should be using digital tech to expand choice for people, not restrict it.”
The ONS figures also revealed sharp gender disparities in how people spend their time.
Working mothers spent an hour and a quarter a day more doing household chores than their male partners – and an average of an hour a day less in paid work.
And while working mums tend to sleep more and socialise more regularly – finding 11 minutes more for the former and seven more for the latter – their male counterparts spent five more minutes a day on exercise, sports and wellbeing.
There are also regional differences. Londoners were the most likely to work from home, but also spent the most time travelling on average (as those who go into work face longer commutes). Londoners also had less free time than the rest of the UK.
People in the south-west of England spent the most time each day (an average 23 minutes) on exercise, sports and wellbeing – 10 minutes more than those living in the West Midlands, where people spent the least time keeping fit.
However, getting a good sleep is something that proves to be popular regardless of where you live. The residents of Yorkshire and the Humber got the least amount of sleep with almost nine hours a day – while in north-east England people managed to get 9.7 hours on average.
