Current status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 18 September 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve the digital skills of unpaid carers, including those caring for disabled children, in order to support their online safety and accessibility needs.
There are currently no specific Scottish Government policies or programmes focused solely on improving the digital skills of unpaid carers.
However, Lead Scotland, through its Scottish Government funded national Cyber Project, and its role within the CyberScotland Partnership, supports disabled people, unpaid carers and others facing barriers to develop the skills and confidence needed to use digital services safely. This includes accessible cyber security and online safety resources, tutor-supported learning and targeted digital skills support. Lead Scotland also works directly with unpaid carers in areas including Fife and Perth and Kinross, supporting people to use digital services safely and confidently, including online health and social care services.
More widely, since 2024, the Scottish Government has committed more than £870,000 in grant funding to support over 50 local digital inclusion projects across Scotland. These projects have been delivered by local organisations, reflecting the needs of the communities they serve, and have included support to help people build the skills and confidence needed to use digital services safely and effectively.
We are also developing a Digital Inclusion Delivery Plan, to be published later this year, which will set out clear actions to address the barriers to digital participation, including access, skills and confidence