Last updated: 2nd October 2024
If you’re on Universal Credit, Pension Credit or similar benefits, you may be able to slash your broadband bill by switching to a social tariff.
Worryingly, Citizens Advice found that up to one million customers cancelled their broadband package between May 2022 and May 2023 amid the cost of living crisis. But what many people don’t realise is that they could pay less for their broadband on a social tariff.
With millions missing out on savings of around £200 a year, in this guide we take you through what social tariffs are, if you are eligible and how to find the cheapest social tariffs.
And as household bills climb and our internet demands grow, we'll help you decide if social tariff broadband is a viable option for you when comparing broadband deals.
Social tariffs are a way of getting broadband at a lower price if you’re on government benefits such as Universal Credit, Pension Credit or equivalent benefits. Regulator Ofcom says they are available to an estimated 4.3 million households, but four million households are missing out.
While social tariffs are cheaper than standard broadband packages, short-lived promo deals may have cheaper headline prices as they come with sign-up incentives for new customers, such as shopping vouchers or bill credit.
In contrast, social tariffs offer long-term cheap broadband, so are best for those who want to stick with one supplier and not worry about switching to a cheaper tariff each year.
However, more than half of low-income households are unaware of social broadband tariffs, according to Ofcom, with just 5% of eligible households signed up. This means millions are missing out on average savings of around £200 a year.
Sometimes called ‘Essential’ or ‘Basic’ broadband by providers, social tariffs are delivered in the same way as other broadband services, just at a lower price.
Designed to help customers on low incomes, the benefits of social tariff broadband tend to:
Social tariff broadband is typically available to customers on any of the following benefits:
Some providers include additional benefits, such as Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Attendance Allowance, as part of their social tariffs.
For any social tariff, if you're the customer receiving benefit payments, you'll also need to be the main person on the broadband contract.
Expect broadband providers to perform an eligibility check, which will confirm whether or not you’re suitable for a social tariff.
As part of their application process, broadband providers usually carry out a credit check, even on social tariffs.
Depending on which broadband provider you choose, they might not perform credit checks on certain types of deals, such as short-term contracts or mobile broadband.
Not all pensioners qualify for social tariff broadband.
For social tariff broadband to be an option, you need to be successfully claiming Pension Credit - sometimes called Guarantee Credit.
This means you must not only be of pensionable age but also meet the criteria of a low-income household.
Find out if you qualify for Pension Credit .
Many different broadband providers now offer some form of social tariff, including:
Whether you’re a new or existing customer with BT, its Home Essentials social tariff gives you reliable fibre broadband at an affordable price.
You’ll need your National Insurance number so they can check you’re eligible. And further checks are carried out if you apply to the BT Home Essentials No Income plan.
BT Home Essentials is only available as a 12-month contract. But you can cancel anytime without paying an early termination fee.
Each year, BT will run a new check to determine if you’re still eligible for its social tariff broadband service.
All Virgin Media’s Essential Broadband packages are 30-day rolling contracts, meaning you’re not tied in and can leave at any time.
For an additional one-off setup fee, you can also stream from Virgin Media and enjoy more of the online content you love.
Compare Virgin Media broadband deals.
If you want to get broadband when on benefits, Hyperoptic offers reasonably priced social tariffs, no landline needed.
It’s also available to those on Care Leavers’ Support and Housing Benefit.
Compare Hyperoptic broadband deals.
These include[1]:
We’ve compiled a list of the social tariffs offered by broadband providers and their eligibility criteria (all for new and existing customers unless stated). Not all broadband providers are nationwide, so use our postcode checker to see if the deal you want is available where you are.
Use our postcode checker to see if you can get social tariff broadband in your area.
If your current broadband provider doesn't offer a social tariff, you can always switch to one that does. Also, your current provider might let you leave your existing contract without paying a penalty fee.
Take a look at our advice for switching broadband providers.
Social tariffs for broadband are designed to be affordable and help people who are struggling avoid losing the internet. If you want to save money on your broadband bill, you won’t find many deals that are cheaper than these.
What a lot of people think is that with low costs comes poor-quality broadband speed. However, these social tariffs also come with many advantages.
However, not all social tariffs for broadband come with the above benefits. There are some shortcomings as well.
Alternatively, you can use SIM only deals for your mobile phone.
Ultimately, try to get a broadband deal that works best for you. Think about what you need to use the internet connection for, how many people will share it, and how good the speed is.
Also remember that you don’t need to compromise on good broadband deals just because you’re on benefits. If it doesn’t work for you, you can always switch your broadband provider.
You need to first check if your current broadband provider offers any social tariffs (see the table above). You can apply for most tariffs online, or call your broadband provider and ask to switch.
If your broadband provider doesn’t offer you any social tariffs, you can switch to one that does. Read our guide to learn how to switch your broadband provider without paying a penalty fee.
However, be aware that many social tariffs don’t appear on broadband switching sites or even if you enter your postcode on a provider’s website. There are usually dedicated social tariff webpages, or you need to contact providers through email or phone.
When you sign up, you need to provide evidence of your eligibility, which can include a photo of your benefits statement. Keep in mind that only the person receiving the benefits can apply for social tariffs.
There is one offer which is not a social tariff but allows you free broadband. TalkTalk, in collaboration with Jobcentre Plus, is offering six months of free 35Mbps broadband for jobseekers. This normally costs £23 a month.
To qualify, you should not have broadband and need to be a jobseeker on universal credit. You can leave after six months as there is no contract.
Regular checks will be carried out by broadband providers (typically at the end of each contract term) to see if you still qualify for social tariffs.
If you are no longer eligible, the broadband provider will move you to one of their standard services. This is the easiest option as it is hassle-free and won’t stop your broadband service. However, keep in mind that this may not be the cheapest option.
If you’re unable to afford the broadband service you have been put on, make sure to contact your broadband provider as soon as possible.
If you can’t get social tariffs but still want to pay less for broadband, the best way to do that is to switch your broadband provider.
When comparing broadband deals, you should consider a few important factors before you make a choice. We explain how to do that and help you check the availability of deals in your area by doing a broadband comparison on our site.
Always speak to your broadband provider if you think you won’t be able to pay your monthly broadband bill. Many broadband providers have schemes in place to help customers with financial struggles.
Some of these support schemes include changing your bill date and setting up an affordable repayment plan. Some broadband providers might also move you to a different tariff or lower your spending cap.
Ofcom has demanded that broadband providers should do everything they can to keep customers’ broadband running.
The regulator said, “Providers should only commence debt collection activities after a sufficient period of time (for example, at least three months) to allow consumers to get help and only disconnect consumers as a last resort.
“We have called on providers to revisit their debt and disconnection practices, to ensure sufficient support is offered to customers who may be struggling to pay their bills.”
A fixed social tariff broadband connection might seem like the most obvious way to get online, but there are alternatives, including:
If you have a smartphone contract with an unlimited or large data allowance , you could always use your mobile to access the internet instead of taking out fixed broadband.
With enough signal, you could use your mobile internet for everything. Simply turn the handset into a portable hotspot, then tether any devices to it.
Just be careful not to go over your mobile data limit, as the data you use while tethering is deducted from your monthly allowance. Also, not all mobile phone contracts allow tethering.
You might save money by ditching any home phone deals attached to your broadband tariff.
However, home phones can come in handy if you want to stay connected and not worry about your mobile being charged.
Not only do libraries tend to have computers, with which you can access the internet for free, they also normally have free Wi-Fi where you can connect your own devices.
There are free Wi-Fi hotspots all over the country, and you can usually find somewhere to access the internet while out and about, including:
Cities like London and Manchester have acted to provide public Wi-Fi across their metropolitan areas, so it’s now easier than ever to get online there without a fixed broadband connection.