The research was carried out by ICM on behalf of IT consulting firm Hedra, which is involved in advising the government on the internet.
Not a single person over the age of 65 or from lower social groups questioned in the survey said they regularly accessed government websites.
Half of those questioned said they would make more use of government websites if they were easier to use.
A spokesman for Hedra said: 'The government websites could turn out to be a series of online Millennium Domes with just a few visitors unless they are designed better.'
It is not the first time the £5 billion e-government programme has come under fire.
Two months ago, an independent study by the Interactive Bureau reported hundreds of official websites experiencing 'serious problems' and 20 flagship sites needing 'immediate attention', with the Prime Minister's own pages among the worst offenders.
Ministers must meet their target of making all services available online by 2005.
Andrew Pinder, the government's 'e-envoy', said: ' British citizens and businesses are not yet using government services online in the numbers that match the best in the world.
'We need to ensure the most popular services are made available to maximise the impact of e-government.'
Quelle: Sunday Herald
