More than nine million British adults have never used the internet despite Government efforts to encourage elderly people to go online, official figures have shown.
The elderly, the widowed and people on lower incomes were the least likely to have connected to the internet, according to the survey.
While a million extra “silver surfers” have logged on in the last year, concerns have been raised that those who are still not using the internet are being excluded from key discounts and services.
More than 38 million British adults are now online, with 30 million logging on every day, the figures showed.
But the elderly, the widowed and people on lower incomes are least likely ever to have connected to the internet, according to the Office for National Statistics.
Adults who do not use the internet miss out on the opportunity to save money on a range of products and services, such as cars, holidays and insurance, through price comparison websites.
The new figures for 2010 showed that 31 million people have bought goods or services on the internet in the past 12 months.
Martha Lane Fox, the founder of Lastminute.com, was reappointed by Coalition in June to continue in her role as UK Digital Champion. She has been tasked with getting every adult in Britain connected to the internet.
David Cameron, the Prime Minister, said: "In the internet age, we need to ensure that people aren't being left behind as more and more services and business move online."
But fears have been raise that the drive is not moving quickly enough. Charities and campaigners warned that Britain faces being split by a “digital divide” if more progress is not made to get the nine million adults who have never used the internet online.
Michelle Mitchell, Charity Director at Age UK, said: “While many older people are embracing the benefits of getting online such as keeping up with friends and family more easily and making savings online, many people in later life are still missing out.
“It is essential that government, business and the third sector work together to provide older people with bespoke training and support to help them get online. Otherwise the digital divide will continue to deepen."
As well as elderly people, people on lower incomes and those with no formal qualifications were least likely to be connected to the internet, the ONS figures showed.
Almost a third of those who earn less than £10,399 said they went online, compared with just two per cent of those with an income of over £41,600.
Only 45 per cent of adults without any formal qualifications had used the Internet, compared with 97 per cent of those with a degree.
Mark Williams from the Office for National Statistics said: Since 2006 we have seen a significant increase in the number of people using the Internet, with the number of adults accessing the Internet ever day almost doubling to just over 30 million, though the UK is some way off from being completely online.
“Usage is closely linked with a number of socio-economic and demographic indicators with those less educated and on lower incomes less likely to access the web.”
Other findings in the survey showed that just over 17 million adults watched television or listened to the radio over the Internet.
The charity Age UK has appointed six pensioners to act as “internet champions” in a bid to inspire other elderly people to log on.
Lucy Berry, 80, who took on the new role in February, said: “Instead of nodding off in a chair watching the TV in the afternoon, I am busy sending and receiving emails, online grocery shopping, talking and seeing my son and his wife and l8 month old grandson on Skype.”
She added: “I would recommend anyone who is elderly and alone to try to learn to use the computer.”
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