More needs to be done to encourage older people to use government e-services if those services are to provide value for money, according to a new report from the National Audit Office.

Forum Response: Help the Aged

Mervyn Kohler, head of public affairs at Help the Aged, said: "This timely report draws attention to the digital divide, and the effective discrimination against older people which is emerging with the spread of e-services.

"The internet has the potential to be a significant source of support to housebound or mobility-impaired people, but it is still not reaching them in anything like the right numbers.

"The NAO call for the [government's] e-envoy to take a firmer grip on the ways to bring older and disabled people into the new world of information and communications technology is long overdue. A positive and swift response to this report from the government is vital."

Forum Response: Counsel and Care

Martin Green, chief executive of Counsel and Care, told ePolitix.com: "This report highlights the need to encourage more older people to engage with the internet. It is important that the government puts more resources into achieving this target."