Confusion as SNP Promotes Social Tariff for Broadband and Mobile

The Scottish National Party (Pàrtaidh Nàiseanta na h-Alba) yesterday offered a preview of their forthcoming 2024 Manifesto for the UK General Election, which among other things promised to extend their idea of a social tariff for energy providers to also include broadband and mobile services. But the latter already exists.

Social tariffs are typically cheaper packages that are usually only available to those on state benefits (sometimes only certain state benefits). The good news is that, in recent years, Ofcom and the UK government have been reasonably successful in encouraging a wide array of mobile and broadband operators to launch social tariffs for consumers. Most of those hover around or upwards of the £15 per month mark.

The fact that such tariffs already exist created some confusion yesterday after the SNP’s Leader, John Swinney, announced that their forthcoming “manifesto will set out a social tariff to reduce energy, broadband, and mobile bills for hard-pressed consumers.”

So far, we’ve been unable to find an online copy of any transcripts or press releases from yesterday’s event that covered this. But various media reports have quoted John Swinney as stating that their social scheme for broadband/mobile would be better than what already exists because it would be more “comprehensive” and they’d “make sure that [it has] got the range and the scope to [reach] everybody that needs to be supported by such a tariff in our society“. This doesn’t tell us much.

John Swinney said:

“Fast broadband and good mobile phone connections are critical to modern life. In fact, in rural Scotland and the Isles, it is critical to the whole future of the economy. As more and more people work from home at least part of the week, often you literally cannot do your job without a decent internet connection.

That’s why, to help people get jobs, keep jobs and keep more of their hard-earned cash, there should be a social tariff for broadband and mobile charges too.”

The hope is that the imminent launch of the SNP’s Manifesto document this week may provide more in the way of actual details, such as in terms of how the tariffs will practically differ from what already exists. Not to mention the question of how the SNP will encourage ISPs to introduce something that sounds like it may only be available to people in Scotland. The latter would be particularly tedious for ISPs to juggle, especially around the border communities.

However, manifestos aren’t particularly well known for their ability to flesh new policies out, so we’re not holding out much hope for greater clarity as the week rolls on.