If you're having difficulty paying for your phone or broadband service, don’t ignore it. You should speak to your provider as soon as possible to see how they might be able to help you.
There’s a number of things they can offer – one of these is a social tariff, which is a cheaper package available to some customers depending on their circumstances.
Broadband services
The broadband market offers customers a wide range of choice, with different deals available to suit different needs. Some providers offer social tariffs which are only available to customers who receive certain government benefits, as set out in the table below.
| Product | Price | Speed | Eligibility |
|---|---|---|---|
| BT Home Essentials | £15 a month | Around 36 Mbit/s | Various benefits (in and out of work) |
| BT Home Essentials 2 | £20 a month | Around 67 Mbit/s | Various benefits (in and out of work) |
| Community Fibre | £10 a month | 10 Mbit/s | Various benefits (in and out of work) |
| G.Network Essential Fibre Broadband | £15 a month | 50 Mbit/s | Various benefits (in and out of work) |
| Hyperoptic Fair Fibre 50 | £15 a month | 50 Mbit/s | Various benefits (in and out of work) |
| Hyperoptic Fair Fibre 150 | £25 a month | 150 Mbit/s | Various benefits (in and out of work) |
| KCOM Full Fibre Flex | £19.99 a month | 30 Mbit/s | Various benefits (in and out of work) |
| Virgin Media Essential Broadband | £15 a month | 15 Mbit/s | Universal Credit |
Voice-only landline services
For voice-only landline services, BT and KCOM also provide social tariffs to eligible households – details of these are included in the BT and KCOM links above.
In addition to these tariffs, other support might be available to customers who might not be able to get online because they struggle to afford internet services. If you’re struggling to pay your mobile phone or broadband bill, you should speak to your provider as soon as possible to see how they can help.
More information
We have further advice available on costs, billing and switching for phone and broadband customers. Take a look to see what options might be available to you.