Households are bracing themselves for across-the-board increases to their bills in April with rise to Council Tax, energy costs, streaming services, mobile phone contracts and broadband bills. Some broadband customers will see rises in line with inflation while others may face fixed hikes depending on when they signed up or upgraded.
For those on inflation-linked contracts, broadband prices will rise by an average of £21.99 annually, with some newer plans seeing increases of up to £42 a year, according to Uswitch.
Broadband customers should check their contract status to see if it is possible to switch without incurring a penalty. Customers may also be eligible for a social tariff with their current supplier, which could bring the monthly cost down to under £20.
Vodafone and Virgin Media have confirmed a price freeze until 2026 for those who switch before the April increases which means the last day in March could be a game-changer for some households keen to cut outgoings.
There are currently over 30 broadband social tariffs available for providers across Great Britain which means a simple phone call to your provider could cut your bill drastically before the price hikes next month. The full list can be viewed on the Ofcom website here.
The easiest way to find out if you qualify for a cheaper broadband package is to contact your provider directly. If you are currently claiming benefits such as Universal Credit, Pension Credit, Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or Income Support, check the guide at the bottom of this article to see which providers include those benefits as part of their eligibility criteria – this applies to people of all ages.
Take-up of broadband social tariffs is low, with just 5.1 per cent of eligible households using them, suggesting that an estimated four million are missing out.
Social Tariffs in a nutshell
A social tariff could bring savings of around £200 each year. The quickest way to find out if you might qualify for a social tariff is to contact your supplier directly and ask – even if you do not qualify, they may be able to offer other ways to reduce your broadband bill.
It can be quite confusing knowing if the benefit you are claiming is eligible for a social tariff so we have compiled a list of all the social tariffs available and the benefits that qualify for them.
A new system put in place in 2022 makes it quicker for broadband providers’ to check eligibility by accessing a special Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) IT system – with the claimant’s permission.
Benefits the DWP’s system will be able to verify entitlement for are:
- Universal Credit
- Pension Credit
- Income Support
- Income-Based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income-Related Employment Support Allowance
Benefits and social tariffs for broadband
The providers listed below are taken from the latest guidance on social tariff broadband packages from Ofcom. You can get direct links to the broadband provider websites here.
The broadband providers listed may not be available in your area, we’ve marked those that cover the entire UK as ‘UK’.
Universal Credit
- BT – UK
- EE Basic (Now offered through BT – UK
- 4th Utility – UK
- Hyperoptic – Scotland, England and Wales
- KCOM
- NOW Broadband – UK
- Sky Broadband – UK
- Virgin Media – UK
- Vodafone – UK
Pension Credit
- BT – UK
-
EE Basic (Now offered through BT) – UK
- 4th Utility – UK
- Hyperoptic – Scotland, England and Wales
- KCOM
- NOW Broadband – UK
- Sky Broadband – UK
- Virgin Media – UK
- Vodafone – UK
Attendance Allowance
- Hyperoptic – Scotland, England and Wales
- KCOM
PIP / Adult Disability Payment (ADP)
- Hyperoptic – Scotland, England and Wales
- KCOM
- Vodafone – UK
Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
- Vodafone – UK
Income Support
- BT – UK
-
EE Basic (Now offered through BT) – UK
- 4th Utility – UK
- Hyperoptic – Scotland, England and Wales
- KCOM
- NOW Broadband – UK
- Sky Broadband – UK
- Virgin Media – UK
- Vodafone – UK
Jobseeker’s allowance
- BT – UK
-
EE Basic (Now offered through BT) – UK
- 4th Utility – UK
- Hyperoptic – Scotland, England and Wales
- KCOM
- NOW Broadband – UK
- Sky Broadband – UK
- Virgin Media – UK
- Vodafone – UK
Employment and support allowance
- BT – UK
-
EE Basic (Now offered through BT) – UK
- 4th Utility – UK
- Hyperoptic – Scotland, England and Wales
- KCOM
- NOW Broadband – UK
- Sky Broadband – UK
- Virgin Media – UK
- Vodafone – UK
Care Leaver’s Support
- Hyperoptic – Scotland, England and Wales
- KCOM
- Housing Benefit
- Hyperoptic – Scotland, England and Wales
Reduced Earnings Allowance
- Vodafone – UK
10 social broadband tariff deals
Here are 10 to give you an idea of monthly costs, speeds available and eligibility.
BT Home Essentials (No Income)
- Monthly cost: £15
- Average broadband speed: around 36mbps
- Eligibility: various benefits, see above list
BT Home Essentials (Unlimited 36Mbps)
- Monthly cost: £20
- Average broadband speed: around 36Mbps
- Eligibility: various benefits, see above list
BT Home Essentials (Unlimited 67mbps)
- Monthly cost: £23
- Average broadband speed: around 67Mbps
- Eligibility: various benefits, see above list
EE Basic (Now BT Home Essentials)
Lothian Broadband Social Tariff
- Monthly cost: £19.99
- Average broadband speed: 100 Mbps
- Eligibility: open to all
Sky Broadband Basics
- Monthly cost: £20
- Average broadband speed: 36Mbps
- Eligibility: various benefits, see above list
NOW Broadband Basics
- Monthly cost: £20
- Average broadband speed: 36Mbps
- Eligibility: various benefits, see above list
Virgin Media Essential Broadband
- Monthly cost: £12.50
- Average broadband speed: 15Mbps
- Eligibility: various benefits, see above list
Virgin Media Essential Broadband Plus
- Monthly cost: £20
- Average broadband speed: 54Mbps
- Eligibility: various benefits, see above list
Vodafone Fibre 2 Essentials
- Monthly cost: £20
- Average broadband speed: 73Mbps
- Eligibility: various benefits, see above list