
This £30 broadband rule proves whether you're paying over the odds
In the 21st century, lightning-fast WiFi is non-negotiable.
Whether you're working from home and need quality broadband to avoid awkward Zoom cut-outs, or your Netflix marathons require pristine visuals, everyone has their reasons in this digitally switched-on world.
But the main problem? People often pay too much money to ensure impeccable services.
According to Which?, no one should be shelling out more than £30 per month for a good broadband connection – and if you are, 'your connection is probably costing more than it needs to.'
Regardless of whether you're mid-contract or you're looking for a new provider, there are plenty of ways to stick to the consumer champion's £30 rule.
Here's everything you need to know to get online for less.
Last year, Martin Lewis provided monetary broadband guidelines on weekly Podcast.
The Money Saving Expert founder echoed Which? advice, saying that even with the highest speeds available, £30 or more a month is too expensive – and it should be cheaper still for services with lower speeds.
'For a simple fibre cheap deal when you factor everything in, including phone line, I'd be looking for around £20 to £22 a month,' he explained, noting that most people are paying £40 to £45 a month for these services.
For over 100MB, Martin stated he'd pay no more than a pound extra, making the final price £21 to £22 a month, while 500MB (which he labelled as the cheapest deals overall) should come in at under £30 a month.
In terms of why people end up paying over the odds, it's often if they've had the same contract for years and it switches to 'rolling,' where the contract automatically starts again after the previous one ends.
Matthew Sheeran, money saving expert at Money Wellness, tells Metro: 'A lot of people end up on expensive broadband deals because their contract has ended and they've been quietly rolled onto a pricier rate.
'Others might have signed up for bells and whistles they don't actually use, like super-fast speeds for a one-bed flat or bundled extras they didn't ask for.
'And with prices going up mid-contract, it's easy to lose track of what you're actually paying.'
If you've ever read, watched or listened to any Martin Lewis content, you'll know he's always talking about comparison sites.
When looking for cheaper deals, the likes of Compare the Market, Go Compare, and MoneySuperMarket all offer broadband package comparisons, showing you the best prices from multiple companies, along with factors like contract length, average speed, and set-up cost.
Simply input your postcode or address, and the site will direct you to the best deals for your area.
Alternatively, if you're happy with your speed and current provider but think the price is a little high, you can get in touch with them and try to negotiate a cheaper deal.
This is often done when your contract is ending: if you've put in your research and found a better deal elsewhere, your current provider may offer to price match – or even lower the monthly costs – as an incentive to keep you as a customer.
However, Matthew also reveals that if you're on a low income or certain benefits, you could pay even less thanks to social tariffs.
'Social tariffs are discounted broadband deals for people on benefits like Universal Credit, Pension Credit or ESA. They're not advertised widely, so it's easy to miss them. But they can save you a lot,' he explains. More Trending
If this is you, check your current provider to see if they offer social tariffs. If they don't, shop around and switch to a provider that does.
Sometimes, instant eligibility checks are offered during the application process to save you any faff later down the line. Typically, it only requires your National Insurance number. In some cases though, you might need to complete a credit check.
To help you out even more, Matthew shared some deals under £30 available as of May 2025:
View More »
• Vodafone Essentials Broadband – £20 a month for people on benefits.
• Sky Basics – also £20 a month if you're claiming Universal Credit.
• TalkTalk Fibre 35 – from £23 a month, with no setup fee.
• NOW Broadband – £23 a month, on a 12-month contract.
• Community Fibre (if you're in London) – from just £21 a month, with no mid-contract price hikes.
Do you have a story to share?
Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk.
MORE: The £1 pension trick that could save you losing thousands
MORE: Thousands of households could get up to £500 in cost of living support – check if you qualify
MORE: The 'unusual' way you can build your credit score as a renter — and make your money work harder
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


South Wales Guardian
an hour ago
- South Wales Guardian
HMRC gives out £632m Tax-Free Childcare to families
Nearly 826,000 working families saved up to £2,000 per child with Tax-Free Childcare in the 2024 to 2025 tax year. The money helps families pay for their childcare, as part of the government's Plan for Change to put more money in people's pockets. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is encouraging those yet to sign up for Tax-Free Childcare, to do it now and give their summer plans a financial boost. Latest figures from HMRC show in March 2025, 54,020 families in London used the scheme to save on their annual childcare bills, an increase of 8,100 families compared to the previous March. Parents! 👪 Could you be missing out on up to £2,000 a year to help with childcare costs? Find out what you're entitled to here. 👇 Working families who sign up to Tax-Free Childcare can boost their annual budget by up to £2,000 per child up to the age of 11 or up to £4,000 up to the age of 16 for a disabled child. Parents can use the scheme to help towards the cost of approved childcare whether that's nursery for younger children, or for older children – wraparound or after school care clubs during term time or holiday clubs for the long summer holidays ahead. Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC's director general for customer services, says: 'Summer can be an expensive time if you have children. Whatever you're planning, Tax-Free Childcare can give your plans a welcome financial boost. Go to to start saving today.' For every £8 deposited in a Tax-Free Childcare account, the government tops it by £2, which means parents can receive up to £500 (or £1,000 if their child is disabled) every three months towards paying for their childcare costs. Once families have opened a Tax-Free Childcare account, they can deposit money and use it straight away or keep it in the account to use it whenever it's needed. Any unused money in the account can be withdrawn at any time. Martin Lewis discussed it on his podcast last month, where he said: "Tax free childcare is where you can put money into an account held at and for every 80p you put in the state adds 20p on top, up to a maximum free money of £500 pounds coming from the state per quarter - with double for disabilities. And this is tax free childcare for children under the age of 11." Recommended reading Families could be eligible for Tax-Free Childcare if they: Visit to check eligibility and register for Tax-Free Childcare. Tax-Free Childcare can be used alongside the free childcare hours subject to eligibility.

Western Telegraph
2 hours ago
- Western Telegraph
HMRC gives out £632m Tax-Free Childcare to families
Nearly 826,000 working families saved up to £2,000 per child with Tax-Free Childcare in the 2024 to 2025 tax year. The money helps families pay for their childcare, as part of the government's Plan for Change to put more money in people's pockets. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is encouraging those yet to sign up for Tax-Free Childcare, to do it now and give their summer plans a financial boost. Latest figures from HMRC show in March 2025, 54,020 families in London used the scheme to save on their annual childcare bills, an increase of 8,100 families compared to the previous March. Parents! 👪 Could you be missing out on up to £2,000 a year to help with childcare costs? Find out what you're entitled to here. 👇 — HM Revenue & Customs (@HMRCgovuk) May 23, 2025 Working families who sign up to Tax-Free Childcare can boost their annual budget by up to £2,000 per child up to the age of 11 or up to £4,000 up to the age of 16 for a disabled child. Parents can use the scheme to help towards the cost of approved childcare whether that's nursery for younger children, or for older children – wraparound or after school care clubs during term time or holiday clubs for the long summer holidays ahead. Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC's director general for customer services, says: 'Summer can be an expensive time if you have children. Whatever you're planning, Tax-Free Childcare can give your plans a welcome financial boost. Go to to start saving today.' How does tax-free childcare work? For every £8 deposited in a Tax-Free Childcare account, the government tops it by £2, which means parents can receive up to £500 (or £1,000 if their child is disabled) every three months towards paying for their childcare costs. Once families have opened a Tax-Free Childcare account, they can deposit money and use it straight away or keep it in the account to use it whenever it's needed. Any unused money in the account can be withdrawn at any time. Martin Lewis discussed it on his podcast last month, where he said: "Tax free childcare is where you can put money into an account held at and for every 80p you put in the state adds 20p on top, up to a maximum free money of £500 pounds coming from the state per quarter - with double for disabilities. And this is tax free childcare for children under the age of 11." Recommended reading Families could be eligible for Tax-Free Childcare if they: Have a child or children aged 11 or under. They stop being eligible on 1 September after their 11th birthday. If their child has a disability, they receive up to £4,000 a year until 1 September after their 16th birthday The parent and their partner (if they have one) earn, or expect to earn, at least the National Minimum Wage or Living Wage for 16 hours a week, on average Each earn no more than £100,000 per annum Do not receive Universal Credit or childcare vouchers Visit to check eligibility and register for Tax-Free Childcare. Tax-Free Childcare can be used alongside the free childcare hours subject to eligibility.


Daily Record
2 hours ago
- Daily Record
Inside St Mirren recruitment plan as "one-man band" hailed amid six signings bid
Manager Stephen Robinson is looking ahead to the new campaign after three successive Premiership top-six finishes. Stephen Robinson is eyeing six new signings for St Mirren this summer. The Buddies boss has outlined his squad-building plan following a third successive Premiership top-six finish. And he paid tribute to the efforts of head of recruitment Martin Foyle who he describes as a 'revelation'. The Northern Irishman insists the former Port Vale goal machine is a one-man band who travels the UK looking for rough diamonds. Robbo will be relying on his spy in the stands more than ever after a number of players moved on from Saints at the end of the season while Richard Taylor and Caolan Boyd-Munce turned down new deals at the SMiSA Stadium. The Paisley club would like to sign keeper Zach Hemming and wing-back Ryan Alebiosu on permanent deals following successful loan spells and have been linked with Jamaica international defender Richard King. And there is plenty more business needing done in other areas of the team. Robbo said: 'We need to sort the goalkeeper situation out. I believe we need another wide player, another centre-forward and another centre-half. Maybe two. 'We'll need to replace Caolan so we're probably looking at five or six players over the summer to bring the squad up to what's been lost. The club's policy is finding boys who are less well known. 'We want to bring boys in who are around 22-23 years who have maybe fallen behind where their talent should allow them to be. There's always something missing for that to be the case. Whether that's desire, fitness levels, whatever it may be. 'There are small points and coaching points you can help with – and you can give boys new motivation. We get a lot of pleasure from that. That's the model. In an ideal world, we'd then sell them on for a lot of money. 'We sign players we believe have a resale value, as well as boys who give us a real experienced, solid base to the team.' Robbo is grateful for what some may regard as Foyle's old-fashioned approach – and gave an insight into how it all comes together behind the scenes. 'Martin has been fantastic,' he said. 'He's been a revelation. He's a one-man band. We don't have any data or analysis. We basically have two Wyscout log-ins in the whole club that we have to fight over to get on and look at players! 'I have to praise Martin and give him so much credit for the relative success we've had. People sometimes use the term 'old school' like it's a bad thing. But there's a lot of old things that are still very, very good in this modern world. 'We don't have the finances to use the data analysis that Hearts, Aberdeen and Hibs are using. We don't have Tony Bloom putting £10 million into the football club. 'We have one scout. We do not have any other full-time scouts other than Martin. So, he has to go to every game. He has to eat in service stations every day on his travels. Most of my conversations with him are when he's charging up his car! 'He gets no help from anyone, really. We've got one guy in Australia who helps us out with bits and pieces who essentially does it for expenses. Other than that, it's Martin putting players to us and us making those decisions.'