On Universal Credit? How you can save £100s on your summer phone bill
TO YOUR BENEFIT On Universal Credit? How you can save £100s on your summer phone bill
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HEADING off for some summer sun should be a relaxing break, not a source of bill-shock.
But with many major mobile networks reintroducing expensive daily roaming charges for using your phone in Europe, the cost of a simple holiday can quickly spiral.
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If you're receiving Universal Credit or other benefits, you could be eligible for a special 'social tariff'
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For a family of four, a two-week trip could add £100s in roaming fees alone.
However, a little-known secret could save you a fortune.
If you're receiving Universal Credit or other benefits, you could be eligible for a special 'social tariff' on your mobile plan, slashing your monthly costs and letting you use your phone abroad for free.
These 'social' or 'essential' tariffs offer the same service as regular packages but at a significantly lower price.
They typically come with no long-term contracts, a guarantee of no mid-contract price hikes, and two of the three providers even include free roaming in Europe.
For example, O2's Essential Plan costs just £10 a month and gives you 10GB of data with unlimited calls and texts.
Crucially, you can use up to 10GB of that data in the EU at no extra cost.
The plan is a flexible 30-day deal, with no upfront costs or price rises.
Meanwhile, SMARTY's Social Tariff provides unlimited data, calls, and texts for £12 a month.
For holidaymakers, it includes EU roaming with a generous 12GB data cap.
Easy ways to slash your mobile bill
Like O2's offer, it's a flexible one-month plan with no annual price rises.
Choosing one of these tariffs means you can avoid the daily roaming charges now levied by most major networks since Brexit.
Many providers, including EE, Three, and Vodafone, may charge around £2 to £2.57 per day to use your UK allowance in Europe.
That could add up to £35 to your bill for a two-week holiday.
Providers like EE and Voxi also offer social tariffs, but be aware that their roaming policies may include extra charges.
To apply, simply contact your chosen provider.
They will ask for some basic information and carry out a quick, confidential check with the Department for Work and Pensions to confirm your eligibility before setting up your plan.
The regulator, Ofcom, provides a comprehensive list of all the available social tariffs on its website.
Before switching mobile plans, check if you're still in contract to avoid high exit fees.
Over 33million people are out of contract, according to Uswitch, so it's worth checking if you can upgrade or switch to avoid paying more than necessary.
To check your contract status, text "INFO" followed by your date of birth (DDMMYY) to 85075.
You'll get a text confirming if you'd need to pay an early termination fee.
These fees only apply if you're still in contract.
If no fee is mentioned, you're likely out of contract and free to switch.
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