Oldham Lib-Dems back Age UK ‘Offline and Overlooked’ campaign
Oldham Liberal Democrat Leader Councillor Howard Sykes MBE supports Age UK's 'Offline and Overlooked' campaign, urging the government to maintain offline access to essential services for those unable to use the internet, including due to financial constraints.
Lib Dem Leader Urges Government to Guarantee Offline Access to Essential Services
Howard Sykes, leader of the Liberal Democrat group on Oldham Council, has added his name to a national petition demanding that ministers safeguard non-digital routes to healthcare, banking and other everyday services.
Sykes said the shift to online-only systems risks marooning large numbers of residents who either lack the skills or the money to stay connected.
“These days it feels as though everything is expected to be done on the internet,” he observed. “Yet many people in our towns and villages simply cannot use it, and the problem is not confined to the elderly. With household budgets under such strain, plenty of families cannot afford constant broadband or mobile data.”
He warned that those unable to log on can struggle to complete basic tasks such as booking a GP appointment, paying for council parking or managing a bank account.
“We cannot allow whole sections of society to be shut out,” Sykes insisted. “Ministers must act to ensure that vital public and commercial services keep face-to-face, telephone and paper options open.”
The petition, launched by Age UK under the banner “Offline and Overlooked”, has already gathered more than 96,000 signatures.
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