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Almost 1 in 4 North Easterners lack ‘basic digital skills’, says study

According to a new study, almost one in four (23%) of North Easterners lack the basic digital skills that could help them save money by banking and shopping online.

The figure, taken from the latest Lloyds Bank UK Consumer Digital Index, is higher than the national average of around one in five (21%) people.

Research suggests that the region’s folk are at a higher than average risk of losing out on savings as they shop and bank. The study also revealed that those with high digital capabilities are saving more than twice as much and nearly twice as often than those with lower capability.

The Index, which measures both skills and behaviours of participants, also showed that twelve percent of people in the region don’t use the internet - a third higher than the national average (9 percent).

Worryingly, the research revealed that twenty-nine percent of people could not cope financially for more than one month without their regular income, only slightly below the UK average of thirty percent.

Nick Williams, Lloyds Banking Group Ambassador for the North, said: “Basic Digital Skills and access to the internet can make a real difference to people’s financial wellbeing, so it’s encouraging to see the majority of people across the North East getting online.

“But for some, going digital and getting online is a challenge, so we all need to support each other to make sure that no-one falls behind and we can all benefit.

“That’s why we have more than 2,500 Digital Champions in the North to help individuals and organisations to improve their financial health through better digital skills.”

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