About Connecting Scotland

Now, more than ever, having access to the internet can be a lifeline. 

Connecting Scotland began in Spring 2020, at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout the coronavirus crisis, the internet connected many of us to friends and family and helped make working and shopping easier. Not everyone could access these benefits. Some people do not have the confidence or kit needed to access the internet at home.  

Realising the impact lockdown had on anyone who couldn’t get online, the Scottish Government worked with the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) to devise and deliver rapid support. This included delivering over 61,000 devices and free internet access to homes and offering people the support they needed to get online.   

Lockdowns may be in the past, but we continue to live in an increasingly digital world. There are still many people who cannot access the internet. Connecting Scotland is committed to helping everyone in Scotland get online. The programme is continuing to evolve from an emergency response to a sustainable initiative, shifting its focus to supporting people long-term.  

Our vision

Connecting Scotland’s vision is to create digital opportunity for everyone in Scotland.

We’ll achieve this by:

Empowering people to thrive and improve their wellbeing through digital access
Enabling organisations to work together and improve digital inclusion services
Engaging with users to ensure what we do meets their needs and no-one is left behind

The programme aims to ensure that everyone in Scotland has access to digital services by providing them with an opportunity to confidently access devices, connectivity, skills and support. This will be achieved in collaboration with partners in the public, private and voluntary sectors.

Find out more about the support that’s available for organisations, and people looking for support with digital access.

Connecting Scotland – Our impact and stories

Learn more about Connecting Scotland’s impact to date, and hear directly from those who got involved.

Previous Phases

There have been several previous phases of Connecting Scotland. All phases aimed to support people on low incomes who are digitally excluded, but each phase had a unique target group. Find out more