People on benefits such as Universal credit and PIP they are invited to check whether they can claim a discount on broadband access through social tariffs.
The average household could save £200 a year on their bills, but millions of families are missing out on lower prices.
Some of the cheapest social tariffs for broadband internet include bundles from EE and Vodafone for just £12 a month.
The Government is working with Ofcom and broadband providers to raise awareness of the discounted bundles.
A person can check if they qualify by contacting their supplier and asking – even if they don’t qualify, the supplier may have some way of reducing their bill.
Broadband service providers can check a person’s eligibility by accessing a separate Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) IT system, with the permission of the applicant.
The system can be used to check a person’s right to these benefits:
- Universal credit
- Pension credit
- Income support
- Income-based jobseeker’s allowance
- Income-related Employment Support Allowance
Broadband providers listed may not be available in all areas – those marked ‘UK’ cover the whole country.
Universal credit
- BT – UK
- EE Basic – UK
- 4th Utility – UK
- Hyperoptics – 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
- Hyperoptics – Scotland, England and Wales
- KCOM
- NOW Broadband – UK
- Sky Broadband – UK
- Virgin Media – UK
- Vodafone – UK.
Allowance for attending classes
- Hyperoptics – Scotland, England and Wales
- KCOM.
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) / Adult Disability Payment (ADP)
- Hyperoptics – Scotland, England and Wales
- KCOM
- Vodafone – UK.
Disability Daily Allowance (DLA)
Income support
- BT – UK
- EE Basic – UK
- 4th Utility – UK
- Hyperoptics – Scotland, England and Wales
- KCOM
- NOW Broadband – UK
- Sky Broadband – UK
- Virgin Media – UK
- Vodafone – UK.
Unemployment benefit
- BT – UK
- EE Basic – UK
- 4th Utility – UK
- Hyperoptics – Scotland, England and Wales
- KCOM
- NOW Broadband – UK
- Sky Broadband – UK
- Virgin Media – UK
- Vodafone – UK.
Employment and Maintenance Allowance
- BT – UK
- EE Basic – UK
- 4th Utility – UK
- Hyperoptics – Scotland, England and Wales
- KCOM
- NOW Broadband – UK
- Sky Broadband – UK
- Virgin Media – UK
- Vodafone – UK.
Support for people leaving care
- Hyperoptics – Scotland, England and Wales
- KCOM
- Housing benefit
- Hyperoptics – Scotland, England and Wales
Reduced salary supplement
10 social broadband tariffs
Here are 10 packages to give you an idea of ​​monthly costs, available speeds and eligibility:
BT Home Essentials
- Monthly cost: £15
- Average broadband speed: about 36 Mbps
- Eligibility: Various benefits, see list above.
BT Home Essentials 2
- Monthly cost: £20
- Average broadband speed: about 67 Mbps
- Eligibility: Various benefits, see list above.
EE Bašić
- Monthly cost: £12
- Average broadband speed: up to 25Mbps
- Eligibility: Various benefits, see list above.
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 list above.
NOW Broadband Basics
- Monthly cost: £20
- Average broadband speed: 36Mbps
- Eligibility: Various benefits, see list above.
Virgin Media Essential Broadband
- Monthly cost: £12.50
- Average broadband speed: 15Mbps
- Eligibility: Various benefits, see list above.
Virgin Media Essential Broadband Plus
- Monthly cost: £20
- Average broadband speed: 54Mbps
- Eligibility: Various benefits, see list above.
Vodafone Essentials Broadband
- Monthly cost: £12
- Average broadband speed: 36Mbps
- Eligibility: Various benefits, see list above.
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