Internet Use Gathering Pace In London And South East
A growing number of people in London and the South East are logging on to the net for the first time, according to a new study by Nationwide Building Society.
It found the number of people with access to the internet in the region rose from 34% to 45% between February and December last year. A further 7% are planning to buy a home computer and 5% get connected to the internet in the next six months.
About 11% of the region's 10.6 million* current account holders do at least some of their banking online, up from 7% in February. It means almost 1.2 million people in the region now access their accounts this way.
Nationally, internet use rose from 29% to 36% in the nine months up to December. Most people who carry out their banking online did not wish to be restricted to doing all their financial transactions this way, though:
- 10% of internet bankers carry out their banking exclusively online;
- 78% of internet bankers use the telephone, at least occasionally;
- 79% also use a bank or building society branch.
Nationwide chief executive Brian Davis said: "The number of people wanting to do at least some of their banking online is rising as internet take-up increases. However, it is equally clear that all but a minority of internet users still want the option to pop in to a branch or pick up the telephone whenever they wish. Coincidentally, this is exactly the service Nationwide has to offer!"
* Source: MORI Financial Services survey (9 months data to September 2000)
Technical details
MORI interviewed 2,061 adults on behalf of Nationwide between 30 November and 5 December 2000. A similar survey was carried out by MORI on Nationwide's behalf in February 2000.
