People on benefits such as Universal Credit and PIP are being urged to check if they can claim discounted broadband through social tariffs.
A household could save on average £200 a year on their bills but millions of families miss out on the cheaper rates.
Some of the cheapest social tariffs for broadband include packages from EE and Vodafone for just £12 a month.
The Government is working with Ofcom and broadband providers to raise awareness of the discounted packages.
A person can check if they qualify by contacting their supplier to ask – even if they don’t qualify, the supplier may have some ways for them to slash their bill.
Broadband providers can check a person’s eligibility by accessing a special Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) IT system, with the claimant’s permission.
The system can be used to verify a person’s entitlement to these benefits:
- Universal Credit
- Pension Credit
- Income Support
- Income-Based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income-Related Employment Support Allowance
The broadband providers listed may not be available in all areas – those marked as ‘UK’ cover the entirety of the country.
Universal Credit
- BT – UK
- EE Basic – UK
- 4th Utility – UK
- Hyperoptic – Scotland, England and Wales
- KCOM
- NOW Broadband – UK
- Sky Broadband – UK
- Virgin Media – UK
- Vodafone – UK.
Pension Credit
- BT – UK
- EE Basic – UK
- 4th Utility – UK
- Hyperoptic – Scotland, England and Wales
- KCOM
- NOW Broadband – UK
- Sky Broadband – UK
- Virgin Media – UK
- Vodafone – UK.
Attendance Allowance
- Hyperoptic – Scotland, England and Wales
- KCOM.
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) / Adult Disability Payment (ADP)
- Hyperoptic – Scotland, England and Wales
- KCOM
- Vodafone – UK.
Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
Income Support
- BT – UK
- EE Basic – UK
- 4th Utility – UK
- Hyperoptic – Scotland, England and Wales
- KCOM
- NOW Broadband – UK
- Sky Broadband – UK
- Virgin Media – UK
- Vodafone – UK.
Jobseekers Allowance
- BT – UK
- EE Basic – UK
- 4th Utility – UK
- Hyperoptic – Scotland, England and Wales
- KCOM
- NOW Broadband – UK
- Sky Broadband – UK
- Virgin Media – UK
- Vodafone – UK.
Employment and Support Allowance
- BT – UK
- EE Basic – UK
- 4th Utility – UK
- Hyperoptic – Scotland, England and Wales
- KCOM
- NOW Broadband – UK
- Sky Broadband – UK
- Virgin Media – UK
- Vodafone – UK.
Care Leaver’s Support
- Hyperoptic – Scotland, England and Wales
- KCOM
- Housing Benefit
- Hyperoptic – Scotland, England and Wales
Reduced Earnings Allowance
10 social broadband tariff deals
Here are 10 packages to give an idea of monthly costs, speeds available and eligibility:
BT Home Essentials
- Monthly cost: £15
- Average broadband speed: around 36mbps
- Eligibility: various benefits, see above list.
BT Home Essentials 2
- Monthly cost: £20
- Average broadband speed: around 67mbps
- Eligibility: various benefits, see above list.
EE Basic
- Monthly cost: £12
- Average broadband speed: up to 25Mbps
- Eligibility: various benefits, see above list.
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 Essentials Broadband
- Monthly cost: £12
- Average broadband speed: 36Mbps
- Eligibility: various benefits, see above list.
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