Sky to raise its broadband and TV prices in April

Sky has announced that some of its prices will rise in April, with an average increase of 5%. The price hikes will affect broadband deals, television deals and phone calling costs.

Sky says it will write to affected customers from Thursday 21 February to inform them of the impending changes. If you're unhappy with the new prices, you may be able to cancel your contract penalty-free.

We've surveyed more than 7,000 broadband customers about their experiences with 12 of the biggest providers. See how Sky stacks up against the others in our guide to the best and worst broadband providers of 2019.

How are Sky's prices changing?

Here are the deals that will be affected:

Sky Broadband prices

• Sky Broadband will increase by £1 a month across all packages
• Sky Fibre Broadband will increase by £2 a month across all packages

Sky TV prices

• Sky Entertainment will increase from £25 to £27 for those out of contract. In-contract prices are rising from £20 to £22
• Sky Multiscreen will increase from £12 to £13
• Ultimate On Demand will increase from £10 to £12
• Sky Cinema With Sportswill increase from £10 to £11
• Sky Cinema without Sportswill increase from £18 to £19 for those out of contract, and Sky Cinema will increase from £10 to £11

Sky Phone prices

• Sky Talk Anytime Extra deals will increase from £8 to £10
• Sky Talk Evenings and Weekends Extradeals will increase from £4 from £5

Sky Sports, Sky Go, Sky HD, Sky Cinema, Sky Box Sets, Sky Kids, Sky Voicemail and Talk International for those in contract will all remain at the same price.

TV and broadband bills are set to rise on 1 April and calling prices to rise on 1 May.

What are your rights when prices rise?

Whether you can leave your provider without penalty depends on whether you're in or out of contract:

• If you're within the minimum terms of your contract, you can cancel without paying a penalty within 30 days of receiving notice of the price increase.
• If you're outside of the minimum terms of your TV or broadband contract, you can cancel free of charge. Simply contact Sky customer support and ask for a contract cancellation.

Beat the broadband price hikes

If you've been considering moving away from Sky and are looking for a new broadband provider, use Which? Switch broadband to find the best broadband deals where you are.

If you're happy with the deal you're getting from Sky but not the new price, it's worth contacting the provider to ask for a better deal. If you try this, you're likely to be offered the opportunity to sign up to a new contract (usually 18 months long) with a fixed fee.

Don't be daunted - providers expect and invite negotiation. Read our tips on how to haggle for the best broadband deal to make sure you get the best offer possible - you can use the same advice to save on your TV deal.

If your love of Sky's original television programs is making you hesitate to switch, read our guide to Now TV to see whether it could be a better alternative for you.