SCOTTISH Labour have set out plans to restore free TV licences for the over-75s.
Leader Anas Sarwar said his party would revive the policy by offering every household with someone over-75 a new £159 grant to pay for the annual licence fee.
The money could alternatively be used to pay for internet access.
Mr Sarwar said the “Stay Connected” fund would mend a broken Tory promise on the issue.
Free TV licences for the elderly were started by the last UK Labour government in 1999, and the Tory manifesto of 2017 promised to maintain them alongside other pensioner benefits.
However since August last year they have been made restricted to new applicants on low incomes who are also in receipt of pensioner credits, excluding up to 300,000 Scots.
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Scottish Labour said their £73m digital connection plan would benefit up to 460,000 people who werre over 75 and claiming a state pension.
Announcing his plans, Mr Sarwar said Holyrood already had the powers to tackle the “national scandal” of pensioner poverty.
He said: “Labour would help every person aged 75 and over in Scotland with the cost of their TV licence or help with their broadband bills.
“Pensioner poverty in Scotland is a national scandal, and it’s not fair that hundreds of thousands of older people are facing a new bill for TV licences.
“The Tories have broken their promise to these Scots, but we can use Holyrood’s powers to protect a benefit Labour is proud to have introduced.
“For many older people, TV is a lifeline against loneliness and isolation.
“While the pandemic separated us all in our homes, the way many of us came together was over online video calls like Zoom. As we emerge from the worst of the public health crisis, it is essential that older people are not left behind in our recovery.
“It’s right that the Scottish Parliament delivers support to ease the cost of that.
“I am proud to present a positive vision for the vital years ahead in our manifesto, which focuses on delivering a national recovery to build a stronger and fairer Scotland.”
Labour said the latest official UK Government figures said there were 459,461 Scots over 75 who claimed the state pension as of last August, and so would qualify for their scheme.
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