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New measures have been agreed by broadband and mobile providers to help support customers struggling to pay their bills, after the government consulted with the industry over rising prices.
Representatives from the telecoms market, including BT Group, Openreach, Virgin Media O2 and Sky, all pledged to offer increased support - effective immediately.
The move follows a Which? investigation earlier this month that showed how millions could be missing a £250 per year saving on broadband, as many providers fail to promote social tariffs.
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Effective immediately, telecoms providers have agreed to better support customers who may be struggling to pay their bills, including:
Cheaper deals for those on Universal Credit are now available across 99% of the UK, but the government says this latest intervention means anyone struggling to pay broadband or mobile bills should expect support if they ask for it.
In February 2022, telecoms regulator Ofcom reported that just 55,000 out of 4.2 million eligible households had signed up to social tariffs, which can offer significant savings on monthly broadband bills. It called on providers to raise awareness of these social tariffs, as well as ensuring they are transparent and easy to sign up for. It also encouraged providers who do not offer these discounted tariffs to provide them.
However, a Which? investigation found that most providers were not advertising availability of social tariffs, or asking whether new customers received benefits such as Universal Credit and thus might be eligible.
The news that providers have agreed to improve support for customers should hopefully ensure that those who need help the most, will get it.
Rocio Concha, Which? Director of Policy and Advocacy, said:
'It is good news that providers are taking action to help the most financially vulnerable through the cost of living crisis. We know from our research that millions could be missing out on significant savings because not enough has been done to proactively reach out to those that are eligible for social tariffs.
'The success of these initiatives will be judged by whether the right support is getting to the people who need it the most, so we need to see the government and providers continuing to work together to get these new measures up and running as soon as possible.'
Product | Price per month | Average speed | Eligibility | Availability |
BT Home Essentials | £15 | 36Mbps | Various benefits (in and out of work) | Widely available |
BT Home Essentials 2 | £20 | 67Mbps | Various benefits (in and out of work) | Widely available |
Now Broadband Basics | £20 | 36Mbps | Universal Credit or Pension Credit | Widely available |
Sky Broadband Basics | £20 | 36Mbps | Universal Credit or Pension Credit | Widely available |
Virgin Media Essential Broadband | £15 | 15Mbps | Universal Credit | Widely available |
Hyperoptic Fair Fibre 50 | £15 | 50Mbps | Various benefits (in and out of work) | Selected towns and cities |
G.Network Essential Fibre Broadband | £15 | 50Mbps | Various benefits (in and out of work) | Regional (London) |
Ease the squeeze on your household bills with our latest cost of living advice and tips.