People on State Pension or benefits could cut broadband bill to under £20 next month
Simple way to access cheaper broadband packages and boost your household budget this summer.
Why you shouldn't turn off your WiFi routers to save money
Broadband customers keen to reduce their monthly bill may be unaware they can switch provider 50 days before their current contract ends without incurring any early exit fees. However, customers may also be eligible for a social tariff with their current supplier, which could bring the monthly cost down to under £20 - Virgin Media offers one for £12.50.
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 your next monthly bill is due. 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
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