25,000 people in Leeds are without internet access, report claims
Around 25,000 people in Leeds have no have access to the internet at all, according to a Leeds City Council document.
It added that a quarter of the city’s council housing tenants were not online either, with reasons such as poverty, age and literacy problems given.
It is believed some groups in the city face “significant barriers” to accessing services digitally, which can lead to inequalities in health and services, according to the council.
The report, written by Leeds City Council officers, is set to go before the authority’s Health and Wellbeing board next week.
“Much work has already been done to respond. The Health and Wellbeing Board has committed to being better informed of issues of health inequalities and are asked to consider any additional steps which could be taken.”
It adds that teams of people helping people log on helped with topics such as ordering repeat prescriptions online, making GP appointments and using the NHS app to manage long term health conditions.
The document is set to be discussed at Leeds City Counci’s Health and Wellbeing Board on Thursday, September 16.