Research conducted by Texthelp - the global leader in literacy, numeracy and accessibility technology - in collaboration with YouGov  - revealed that one in four (27%) adults aged over 50 encountered issues when accessing websites during the Covid-19 pandemic. With the over 50s accounting for over 25 million people in the UK (source: ONS), this data suggests older people are struggling to navigate vital services online.

The report, Improving online accessibility for the 'silver surfer’, found that of those that experienced accessibility issues, almost a third (31%) of UK respondents had trouble knowing what to do or what to click on. Nearly half of all users also found that the links in the sites were not working (46%) and 63% of users who experienced issues found the visual layout and design of sites overly complicated. Reading text on websites was also a challenge, with 20% of respondents indicating they would prefer larger text. 22% wanted the content on websites, such as words and instructions, to be easier to understand. 

Healthcare: During the first national lockdown, over three quarters (76%) of respondents used online websites and platforms to access healthcare. Over a third (36 %) relied upon websites to order prescriptions, while 13% went online to book appointments. After lockdown ends, 30% still plan to use healthcare services online.

Financial services: 85% of respondents used online services for managing their personal finances during the first national lockdown. 41% of those surveyed used online banking services to view statements and a third (30%) of users used online banking for money transfers. 64% of users plan to use online banking even after lockdown, the biggest response from all the sectors profiled.

Public services: 67% of respondents went online to access public services. During lockdown, checking on bin collection dates was the most common reason (44%) for older people visiting local authority websites. This dwarfed the second and third most used services of checking COVID restrictions (18%) and reviewing council tax (10%). After lockdown ends, 40% of users still plan to use local authority sites to stay informed about government services. 

Retail: 95% of over 50s and over 65s surveyed used online retail sites during lockdown. Amongst this group, 34% regularly shopped for groceries online while only 14% shopped for clothes online. The popularity of shopping online amongst the over 50s is set to continue post-lockdown, with 31% of users planning on doing grocery shopping online and 44% buying other products such as clothing and homeware online. 

With an ageing population and a growing number of ‘silver surfers’ online, accessibility issues like these will continue to grow unless addressed by organisations. With over half of respondents (56%) planning to continue using online services as frequently as when they did during lockdown, websites need to make sure that different accessibility requirements are met. 

Martin McKay, CEO & Founder at Texthelp says: “The pandemic has fast-tracked the transition to digital. Many products and services previously available on the high-street, at a GP surgery or in a shop are now only available online. 

Older generations have been forced to migrate online, where they might have been resistant before. However, our research shows that many private and public organisations are failing to accommodate the needs of older generations. Many websites are built without accessibility in mind and this means certain groups are being locked out of vital services. A quarter of over 50s experienced issues when accessing services or products online – this isn’t a number that we can just ignore. This data should serve as a wake-up call to both public and private sector organisations alike.”

Research from Texthelp finds over half (56%) of over 50s plan to continue using online services after the pandemic. Discover more.

Over one in four over 50s faced issues accessing services online during lockdown

Research from Texthelp finds over half (56%) of over 50s plan to continue using online services after the pandemic.

Wizkids is an edtech company, specialising in accessibility tools and data synchronisation. 

Together, Texthelp and Wizkids will offer a wider and improved range of assistive technology and edtech management tools to their customers in the UK and Europe. 

Martin McKay, Founder & CEO, Texthelp said: “It is fantastic to be able to welcome WizKids into the Texthelp family. Jonas and Uffe have built a great business that is helping struggling students and busy administrators across Northern Europe. We share a belief that everyone has the right to understand and to be understood.  Wizkids are the market leader in Denmark and Sweden, and can help us achieve our goal to be the number one provider of assistive technology globally.  By bringing together our technologies, we believe we can bring stronger Math products across the Nordics, and bring the WizKids Edulife product to our large and growing education customer base around the world. We want to continue to provide our shared customers with the wide choice of tools currently available to them and improve their user experience. In the future, our combined expertise and reach will drive more rapid product improvements for many more people around the world.”

Jonas Lund, CEO at Wizkids said: “Wizkids becoming part of the Texthelp group is really something special and the climax in our journey so far. Joining the Texthelp group will allow us to reach many more students and make a greater impact with our products across multiple geographies. I am looking forward to working with Martin and the wider combined team in the Texthelp Group as we work towards our shared goal of an even playing field for all". 

Uffe Gorm Hansen, CTO at Wizkids, also commented: "By being part of the Texthelp group it will be possible for us to take our products to a new level. We will continuously strive to deliver the world's best products by using the latest technology and combining our sector expertise. "

Texthelp Ltd, the global leader in literacy and accessibility technology, has completed the acquisition of Wizkids. This deal will enable the best assistive technologies to be brought to many more students around the world.

Texthelp Ltd acquires Wizkids

Belfast, 8th July 2021: Texthelp Ltd, the global leader in literacy and accessibility technology, has completed the acquisition of Wizkids. This deal will enable the best assistive technologies to be brought to many more students around the world, and follows Texthelp’s recent acquisition of the Lingit Group in March.

Thursday 29 April, Belfast, UK: The Texthelp Group, the global leader in literacy, numeracy and accessibility technology, has been recognised with The Queen’s Award For Enterprise in the International Trade category.

Her Majesty The Queen approved the Prime Minister’s recommendation that The Texthelp Group should receive the accolade, recognising the company’s contribution to technology innovations that help people worldwide with literacy and communication. Its tools are used by over 40 million students and adults worldwide with dyslexia, learning difficulties or those learning or working in a second language. Showcasing growth over the past year, there has been a staggering 158% increase in usage of its flagship Read&Write product.

Texthelp was founded in 1996 by Martin McKay and is headquartered in Antrim, Northern Ireland. Martin was the beneficiary of a Prince's Trust grant that helped him to start the business in 1995 and it’s fitting to now be selected as one of the UK companies to receive the Queen’s Award for Enterprise. 

The group employs over 240 staff across locations in Northern Ireland, Great Britain, Norway, USA and Australia. Texthelp has been at the forefront of assistive technology over the last three decades and has been recognised with this prestigious accolade for its continued international business growth over the years, which has led to 70% of revenue coming from outside of the UK this year. 

This commitment to overseas expansion was most recently demonstrated in February 2021 when Texthelp acquired the Norway-based Lingit Group, including Lingit, LexAble and Claro Software. Through this acquisition, the business has added Lingdys, Textpilot, ClaroRead, Global Autocorrect and Global Tasks to its product suite and can offer a wider and improved range of assistive technologies to their customers in the UK, North America and the Asia-Pacific region, while expanding its reach in Northern Europe.

The Belfast-based technology company has been acknowledged for achieving international scale with its suite of education and workplace products as it reaches 40 million users

The Texthelp Group awarded The Queen’s Award For Enterprise

The Tech & Learning Awards recognise outstanding contributions to ed tech, and this year’s selection is particularly significant in a time when technology has come to the foreground of teaching. 

Among the new award categories offered this year was the “Best Tools for Remote/Blended Learning” category, which celebrates tools that support teachers in providing quality education in remote learning environments. 

An award of excellence is the highest approval rating offered by Tech & Learning Magazine, so we’re delighted that three of our products were assessed as meeting the required standards. 

In the Best Remote/Blended Learning Tools for Primary Grades category, both Fluency Tutor and EquatIO received awards, while EquatIO and WriQ were chosen among the Best Remote/Blended Learning Tools for Secondary Grades. 

Entries are judged upon their uniqueness within the market, their problem-solving ability, price value, and suitability for use. 

To read more about the awards, click here.

Tech & Learning Group Publisher

We’re thrilled to announce that Texthelp has brought home four awards at this year’s Tech & Learning Awards. 

Texthelp wins four Tech & Learning Awards of Excellence

Texthelp products win four awards at Tech and Learning Awards of Excellence for best remote learning tools

Hansen is an accomplished technology leader, board chair and director in both private and public technology companies.  He started his career running IT organisations with experience in education, manufacturing and technology.  He transitioned into leading software businesses during his 10 year career at CA Technologies (now Broadcom).  Hansen has led large teams responsible for the CA Security and Enterprise product families.  His first CEO opportunity was Numara software, a leader in Service and Asset Management, which subsequently was acquired by BMC software where Hansen continued to lead that division.  He then became CEO of Safenet, a large privately held authentication and encryption company.  Hansen also previously headed up sales, services, marketing and partners for the Dell Software group.

For the last five years, Hansen has worked as an Operating Executive in private equity. In that role he has served as chairman of several privately held companies and has been on the Board of Senetas (ASX) for the last 5 years.

Texthelp, the leading provider of literacy and numeracy assistive technologies to the education and corporate sectors, has appointed Dave Hansen as Non-Executive Chairman. 

Dave Hansen joins Texthelp as Non-Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors

Texthelp, the leading provider of literacy and numeracy assistive technologies to the education and corporate sectors, has appointed Dave Hansen as Non-Executive Chairman.

Hansen joins the Texthelp board of directors following the recent investment in the company from Five Arrows, the private equity arm of Rothschild & Co. 

Our work to improve diversity, equity and inclusion has been recognised by Diversity Mark NI

Texthelp awarded Bronze Diversity Mark Award

We are thrilled to announce that Texthelp has been awarded the Bronze Diversity Mark in recognition of our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. This marks an important step in our journey towards growing a more inclusive workplace where all employees can thrive. 

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