Now is an ideal time to review your broadband costs and potentially secure a cheaper deal or social tariff, which could significantly boost your household budget in January. Broadband social tariffs can reduce bills to as little as £12.50 per month.
Before contacting your provider, it’s advisable to check their website for any deals, as these are often exclusive to new customers. However, don’t hesitate to ask for a better deal, especially if you spot an offer with the same service level but at a lower price – this tactic is known as haggling.
Consumer champion Martin Lewis strongly advocates for haggling to secure cheaper broadband and streaming subscriptions. While haggling can significantly reduce monthly costs, checking eligibility for a broadband social tariff is a simpler solution that could save up to £200 over the next year, reports the Daily Record.
Low-income State Pensioners claiming Pension Credit, or those receiving benefits such as Universal Credit, Attendance Allowance, Income Support, Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) may be eligible for a social tariff. A comprehensive list of participating providers is available on the Ofcom website.
Eligiblity for Social Tariffs
The fastest way to determine if you’re eligible for a social tariff is to contact your broadband provider directly. Even if you don’t qualify, they may be able to suggest other methods to lower your bill.
It can be tricky to know if the benefit you’re receiving qualifies for a social tariff, so we’ve compiled a list of all available social tariffs and the benefits that make you eligible. A system established in 2022 allows broadband providers to quickly check eligibility by accessing a special Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) IT system, with the claimant’s consent.
The DWP’s system can confirm entitlement for the following benefits: Universal Credit, Pension Credit, Attendance Allowance, Personal Independence Payment (PIP) / Adult Disability Payment (ADP), Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Income Support, Jobseeker’s allowance, Employment and support allowance, Care Leaver’s Support, Reduced Earnings Allowance. The providers listed below are taken from Ofcom’s latest guidance on social tariff broadband packages
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