Internet access - quarterly update QMI

The last edition of the Internet Access Quarterly Update was published on 14 May 2014, for Q1 2014. This publication was superseded by the annual Internet Users statistical bulletin, which was first published on 22 May 2015.

The source of the estimates for both releases is the Labour Force survey and results are comparable between the two publications. The Labour Force Survey Quality and Methodology Information report contains important information on how the estimates are compiled.

Overview:

• provides quarterly estimates of adults aged 16 years or over who have or have not used the internet in their lifetime

• estimates have been published quarterly since Quarter 1 (Jan to Mar) 2011

• data are collected via the Labour Force Survey (LFS)

Quarterly internet access estimates are calculated from Labour Force Survey (LFS) data. The main aim of the statistics are to provide users with timely information on internet use.

The question “when did you last use the internet?” was added to the LFS in Quarter 1 (Jan to Mar) 2011 to determine how many internet users and non-users there are in the UK each quarter.

The LFS is a monthly household survey that covers all private households in the UK. It also covers a large range of employment and non-employment related variables so cross linking analyses can be made easily, for example, internet use against educational attainment and age.

Eurostat is the principal user of the survey results; one of the primary objectives of the survey is to report the main variables to allow a comparison across other EU member countries. These results are used to help provide a better understanding of internet use throughout the EU.

There is wide interest in internet access statistics from researchers, public bodies, charities and academics in the UK. Recently there has been particular interest in statistics about adults who don’t use the internet, as part of the debate about social and digital exclusion.