People with disabilities are less likely to have mobile phones or to use the internet than others, according to a new study.
A report commissioned by the communications regulator Comreg reveals that just 24 per cent of people with disabilities have internet access, compared to 48 per cent of the non-disabled population.
The study indicates there is little difference in terms of internet usage between disabled and non-disabled users, but it found that people with disabilities are almost half as likely as the overall population to have home Internet access and are also less likely to feel that they will have a connection in the future.
The new study, which was released to coincide with the publication of a consumer guide for disabled and older people using phones and broadband, also found that 67 per cent of people with disabilities have mobile phones, compared to 85 per cent of the general population.
Landlines remain the most popular form of communications technology for those with disabilities, but over 50 per cent of disabled respondents said they were not aware of any special products or services from operators that would help them to get the most from their landline.
Comreg chairman Mike Byrne said: "We have found that many people with disabilities are simply not aware of the telephone services available today and how they can benefit from them."
Comreg interviewed almost 400 people with disabilities aged between 15 and 74 for the study.
