Should people be forced to go online?

"Just a bit of controversy thrown in to spice things up a bit".

Fancy doing such a thing!

A lot of older people might consider themselves to be perfectly happy without it.

There is a lot to be said for a walk to the local post office/bank/supermarket, rather than sitting in front of a computer doing your shopping and banking.

That pre-supposes you have a local post office/bank/supermarket. As I said mine is 5 miles away

I find this quite interesting, because our part of rural France is nowhere on this agenda. Internet access is patchy and feeble. There is no internet supermarket shopping, apart from one place where you can do your food shopping online and then drive 120km to collect it. Businesses and public services very rarely reply to emails (there are honourable exceptions). There is no cashback anywhere. Payment by cheque is very common and frustratingly slow in supermarkets. Internet shopping is very underdeveloped. This is one of the major reasons for the poor state of the French economy.
My impression is that this is a serious disadvantage to the elderly people in our village, especially when they are too old to drive as there is no public transport.
I think the original post is about something that is part of the overall UK government digital strategy. I think if we say that this group or that group don't want ICT in their lives then we do them a disservice. What has to happen is that financial and practical support has to be available, otherwise the digital divide gets wider and deeper. This is the future; you can't go backwards.

This is what I think is behind the question - the Digital by Default strategy.
www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/news/digital-default-proposed-government-services

Geraldine was your OP true or not?

Just heard on tv . The new PIP benefit which replaces dla will be on line application only!

And, of course, existing DLA claimants will not automatically be passed over to PIP, but will have to make a new claim - on line. Those without access to a computer will probably come to CABs to have it done for them. Help!!

Mais oui!

I'm all in favour of providing services, including dealing with benefit claimants, online. It is convenient for those with access to broadband and should prove cheaper to administer. However, I think an alternative should be available for those people who are unable to seek help online – and there must be some who fit this category for a number of different reasons. It is worrying to think that there may be those who won't seek the help to which they are entitled because they are unable to access the technology to do so.

I think it was only the use of the word forced that Geraldine was talking about Petallus, I am sure the rest of the original question was right.
I do think it is patronising to treat older people differently as a group and I would be amazed if Gransnetters disagreed. There will always be individuals who need help and support, but that is a different question.
I think it is also an interesting question to what extent digital by default implies forced, though.

I have a friend who suffers from anxiety. Despite running a school IT department when she worked, she absolutely refuses to turn on her old computer 'in case it goes wrong!' She is terrified of on line fraud, and doesn't even trust her bank to pay her bills by direct debit. She withdraws money only from the ATM inside the bank, and pays for all shopping with cash. I did not help when I told her I had lost money from Icesave bank, although I got it back thanks to Gordon Brown!
She would be in an absolute panic if required to use a computer, and I am sure she is not alone. It must remain an option only.

Mamie If the only way you can make a claim is online, then you are forced to go online or go without.

Yes and if that is what is happening then it will be interesting.
If you look at the date on the link I posted it is 2010, so this is not a new idea and in theory there should have been time to prepare. I haven't been involved for a while, but when I left work there were hubs for ICT access springing up all over the place. Have they all closed down again?
Shysal, clearly your friend is someone who would need help, but to be honest I think it is far too late to change the need to use ICT in everyday life.
I am being a bit provocative here, but isn't technophobia as disabling as agoraphobia, for example? (Before you all shout at me, please bear in mind that I spent a lot of my working life developing ICT for children with special needs including severe disability; I feel very, very strongly about access to ICT for everyone.)

petallus of course it was true! The ILC want to know how older people would cope if some (important) things were only available online, as is is beginning to happen with stuff for younger people.

And then some. About encouraging us. And how.

While I like to think that I am computer literate – I have been using one for over 30 years – I have just had to look up ICT .

It's going to happen, sooner or later.

I can never remember what the letters actually stand for.

I was marginally involved some years ago in a scheme to offer second- hand reconditioned PCs and training for a small charge to people who couldn't afford to buy new at the then prices. It turned out they couldn't afford the phone bills either in those pre-fibre optic days. Teaching people how to use technology isn't the same as making it accessible. Like having a driving licence and not being able to afford to insure your car or pay for petrol or the road tax.

What about people who live in parts of the country where there is no broadband? There may be plans to sort this out but those people who need to claim benefits need to claim them immediately, not in five years' time.

To save anybody else looking it up - it means Information and Communication Technologies
Many hubs were sited in libraries, and we know what is happening to them.

I'd definitely agree if it said 'more people were encouraged to go on line, especially older people. How about a pensioners' tariff being offered by providers, a 'broadband' allowance ( as per winter fuel allowance) or free broadband for over 80s?

Good idea.

'Young people may be forced to go online to collect benefits' was what the OP said and this was what bothered me since my GS and his father were claiming job seekers' allowance at one time. There was no way they could have afforded a computer or a phone line and certainly not broadband. Thankfully both are now working but what about others still in that situation?

I wasn't so concerned about the old folks bit since that was only a possibility.

Anyway, why does Geraldine feel the need to spice things up a bit?

She wants to get us talking!!!

(not that she neds to try very hard with me )