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Social Justice
a Scotland where everyone matters
Indicators of Progress 2003

Milestone 29: Accelerating the number of households in disadvantaged areas with access to the Internet

The source of the information for this milestone is the Scottish Household Survey.

Household Access to the Internet

Since 1999, the percentage of households with home internet access (via a PC) has increased from some 12 per cent of all households at the start of 1999 to some 38 per cent by the end of 2002. There have been increases in almost every quarter.

Chart 29a: Households with home internet access, 1999 - 2002 quarters

Source: Scottish Household Survey

Household type analysis

Since 1999, the percentage of households with home internet access has increased across all types of households. There are differences in the percentage of households with home internet access across household types, with single pensioner, older smaller, single parent and single adult households having relatively lower levels of internet access.

Urban Rural analysis

The 2002 Scottish Household Survey shows that households living in rural areas and small accessible towns have relatively higher levels of home internet access. Households in remote small towns and larger urban areas have relatively lower levels.

Interim Scottish Multiple Index of Deprivation analysis

Looking at household access in 2002 by the interim Scottish Index of Deprivation, it is clear that there are differences between the most and least relatively deprived areas defined in terms of population weighted wards. Some 20 per cent of households in the most relatively deprived areas have home internet access, compared to some 50 per cent of households in the least relatively deprived areas.

Chart 29b: Households with home internet access by household type, 1999 - 2002

Source: Scottish Household Survey

Background Data

Table 29c: Percentage of households with home internet access, 1999 - 2002 quarters

Table 29d: Percentage of households with home internet access by household type; and percentage of households that have a computer/PC with home internet access, 1999 - 2002

Table 29e: Percentage of households with home internet access by net household income, 1999 - 2002

Table 29f: Percentage of households with a computer / PC by net household income, 1999 - 2002

Table 29g: Percentage of households with home internet access by urban rural, 2002

Table 29h: Percentage of households with home internet access by interim Scottish Multiple Index of Deprivation, 2002

Availability of data and references

The Scottish Household Survey questions on internet access were significantly revised in 2001. Prior to 2001 the questions were on household access, in 2001 the household questions were replaced by questions on individual access and information on home internet access was derived from these. Mid-way through 2002 the household questions were reintroduced alongside the individual questions and this has allowed a comparison of the two methods for estimating home internet access to be made. This analysis showed that the two methods produce comparable results. This milestone measures household access to the internet, by those households who own a P.C. and have access to the internet or e-mail for personal use from home. It should be noted that the SHS is not primarily designed to collect income information and therefore the figures are presented in broad net household income bands. Unlike the other references to income in this publication, the household income is not equivalised to take account of size of household.

Scottish Household Survey
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/about/SR/CRU-SocInc/00016002/SHShome.aspx

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