60,000 households helped online by Scottish Government initiative

The funding has supported the provision of Chromebooks, iPads and MiFi devices to the most vulnerable.

The programme was described as a ‘vital lifeline’ (Dominic Lipinski/PA) (PA Archive)

A Scottish Government project has helped members of 60,000 households across the country get online.

Connecting Scotland has funded almost 5,000 projects through just over 1,000 organisations at a cost of £48 million.

A total of 30,462 Chromebooks, 29,697 iPads and 51,021 MiFi devices have also been handed out to the most vulnerable in the country, along with unlimited data for the next two years.

The Finance Secretary said the programme provided a ‘vital lifeline’ (Fraser Bremner/Daily Mail/PA) (PA Wire)

Finance Secretary Kate Forbes said: “The aim of our £48 million Connecting Scotland programme was to ensure people who faced the most barriers to accessing online services were supported and not left behind as a result of the pandemic.

“This programme has provided a vital lifeline for many people by helping families maintain virtual contact and allowing users to access public, health and employment services that were only available online as a result of Covid.

“As well as helping more than 60,000 more households access services online, this has been an investment in the future of our digital economy and will help wider efforts to close the digital divide by ensuring as many people as possible have the skills required to enter the workforce.”

The Scottish Government pledged to get 300,000 more Scots online by the end of this parliamentary term.