ALL of us have had to adapt to an indoors way of life under lockdown, with the most vulnerable in our society facing many more weeks shielding themselves from the worst of the coronavirus outbreak.

But Office for National Statistics data shows that tens of thousands of people aged 16 and over in Gwent were not using the internet in 2019 – meaning many people in the community could be missing out on interactive catch ups with loved ones.

The majority were likely to be older people, according to the ONS.

The Campaign to End Loneliness says there is a still a "big digital divide", with around a fifth of people in the UK not owning a smartphone – leaving some adults without access to the technology that would enable them to connect with others via social media or messaging apps.

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Last year, the ONS asked people in Gwent whether they had used the internet in the last three months.

Of those in Monmouthshire and Newport, 13 per cent said they had not recently been online, or had never used the internet – amounting to an estimated 24,000 residents.

This level was higher in Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly and Torfaen, where it was 15 per cent – around 38,000 residents.

That was ​higher than across the rest of the UK, where an average of nine per cent of adults were not online.

Separate figures from the ONS meanwhile showed there were ​13,400 over 65s living alone in Newport and Monmouthshire, and 18,700 in Torfaen, Blaenau Gwent and Caerphilly, in 2011.

Across the UK, there were 2.9 million. These figures are from the last census, but the ONS says the figures are unlikely to have changed much.

Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, warned that keeping in touch digitally is not an option for many older people, with over-75s making up more than half of the 4 million people in the UK last year who had never used the internet.

She said: "While some of us are thanking our lucky stars for Face Time, Zoom, Skype and the rest, millions of older people are at risk of feeling completely isolated because they are not online.

"It’s really important we factor this in and ensure different arrangements are in place for this group, so they do not miss out.

"The telephone still has a crucial role to play and we must not allow it to be entirely eclipsed as everyone searches for the best way of keeping in touch at this incredibly abnormal time.”

Kate Shurety, executive director of the Campaign to End Loneliness, added that although technology won't replace the feeling of chatting with someone in real life, it can help.

"Staying in touch with friends, family and neighbours can ease feelings of loneliness," she said.

"It’s not just about checking in, it’s about connecting. Call your friends and family every day. Talk about how you're passing your time in isolation, reminisce about old memories and plan for the future."