Are you a low-income household on social tariff? But find it hard to maintain a consistent internet connection. Be assured. You can start saving on your broadband connection and never miss any information on the internet by signing up with social tariff broadband providers. 

Amidst the rising cost of living, Ofcom encourages broadband providers to offer social tariffs to help customers on low incomes. Ofcom also assures customers that social tariff broadband is delivered the same way as a normal package.

Find out which providers to sign up with, tariff eligibility, and social tariffs each providers offer.

What is Social Tariff Broadband?

Social tariff broadband is a type of internet plan that is made cheaper for individuals who might struggle to afford the standard cost of the internet. Broadband providers made these plans to help people with low incomes or who are receiving certain government benefits, like Universal Credit or Income Support, stay connected to the internet without spending too much money.

How It Works:

• Lower Prices: Social tariff broadband costs less than regular internet plans, sometimes as low as £10-£20 per month.
• Who Can Get It: If you are on a low income or receiving certain benefits, you can apply for these cheaper internet plans.
• Basic but Essential: The internet you get with a social tariff might not be the fastest, but it’s good enough for things like browsing the web, watching videos, and chatting with friends and family.
• No Extra Fees: These plans usually do not come with extra charges like activation fees or penalties for cancelling early.

Why It’s Important:

• Staying Connected: Everyone needs the internet these days for things like job hunting, online learning, and keeping in touch with loved ones. Social tariffs make sure that even those with less money can still get online.
• Saving Money: By offering a cheaper option, social tariffs help people save money on their monthly bills, making life a little easier.

Who is eligible for Social Tariff Broadband?

To be eligible for social tariff broadband depends on whether an individual or household meets certain criteria. This criterion is related to an individual or household income level or participation in government benefit programs. You are eligible for social tariff broadband if you are on or receive:

• Universal Credit
• Pension Credit
• Income Support
• Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
• Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
• Disability Benefits
• Housing Benefit
• Other income-related benefits

You are also eligible if you are on;

• Low-income: You are also eligible for a social tariff if your household income is below a certain amount. But keep in mind that the amount varies depending on your provider.
• Other groups: This specific group can be veterans, single parents, or people living in certain types of housing like social housing.

Eligibility for Government Support

You may be eligible for government support benefits if;

• Universal credit: To be eligible for Universal Credit, means; you need help with your cost of living or out of work, working (including self-employed or part-time), unable to work, for example, because of a health condition

• Pension Credit: The eligibility is mainly for Older adults who are over state pension age and on a low income. 
• Income Support: It is a benefit for those with low or no income. You can typically access social tariff broadband.
• Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA): Those receiving JSA, which helps people who are looking for work.
• Employment and Support Allowance (ESA): If you get ESA a benefit for people with disabilities or health conditions that affect how much they can work.
• Disability Benefits: Recipients of benefits like Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or Disability Living Allowance (DLA). 
• Housing Benefit: If you receive a Housing Benefit to help pay your rent, you may qualify for social tariff broadband.
• Other Income-Related Benefits: Other income-related benefits that indicate financial need could also make you eligible.

Providers and The Social Tariff Broadband they offer

Several internet service providers offer social tariff broadband plans to help low-income households and individuals on certain government benefits access affordable internet. Here are some internet providers to look out for if you are on a social tariff.

1. Virgin Media

Virgin Media offers a low-cost fibre broadband option for individuals receiving Universal Credit. There are two options of social tariff broadband you can get from Virgin Media.

• Virgin Essential Broadband
• Virgin Essential Broadband Plus

Virgin Essential broadband is offered at a price rate of £12.50 per month. With a broadband download speed of 15Mbps and upload speed of 2mbps. Which is enough speed for multiple devices, it also supports basic browsing, social media and streaming video.

Virgin Essential Broadband Plus is for individuals who need a faster broadband speed. Essential Plus is offered at a rate of £20 with a broadband speed of 54Mbps. It is more suitable low low-income large households. With Essential Plus, you get a Stream box, which you plug into your TV to access all your subscriptions and apps

But keep in mind that this is a 30-day rolling contract Virgin Media offers broadband-only deals so if you prefer a phone with your broadband, you have to opt for other providers.

2. Sky

To qualify for Sky social tariff broadband, you need to be on the following benefits

• Universal Credit
• Pension Credit
• Income-based Employment Support Allowance
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Income Support

Sky offers Broadband Basic which is only available to its existing customers. The plan costs £20 per month on an 18-month contract which also includes Sky Broadband Superfast 35, with average speeds of 36Mbps, and a Sky Pay As You Talk landline plan. 

However, if you need to exit the contract early, you don’t have to worry about the termination fee – it is waived.  However, at the end of the 18 months, the price goes back to the standard cost which you will be notified about. To opt for Sky basic broadband you have to consider the availability of fibre broadband in your area. Or you can opt for Sky Broadband Essential Plus, which offers an average download speed of 11 MB.

3. BT

You are eligible for BT Home Essential Broadband if you are on; 

• Universal Credit
• Pension Credit (Guarantee Credit)
• Employment and Support Allowance
• Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Income Support

BT Home Essential for their low-income customers applies to both BT’s existing and new customers. This plan is a 12-month package that offers you superfast fibre broadband with a broadband speed of 36Mbps at the cost of £15 per month. 

You also have the option to include a line rental that offers unlimited UK calls. However, if you would like to upgrade your broadband speed, you can opt for BT Home Essential Fibre 2, which offers an average speed of 62Mbps for £23 per month. 

This speed is suitable for low-income households with various internet activities. For this plan, you can include a home phone or unlimited calls at £10 per month. Typically the standard cost for BT Essential is £28 per month and Essential Fibre costs £35.

You can check out BT’s official website for more information.

4. Hyperoptic Social Tariff

You are eligible for hyper optic social broadband tariff if you are receiving

• Income Support
• Pension Credit 
• Universal Credit
• Income-related Job seekers, employment and support allowance
• Income Support
• Housing Benefits
• Personal Independent Payment

Hyperoptic fair fibre offers the fastest social tariff speed at an affordable price. The plan is available to new and existing customers as long as they are receiving any of the above benefits. Fair fibre offers a speed of 50Mbps at the rate of £15 per month and you can also opt for a faster speed of 150Mbps at the cost of £20 per month. This is a reliable speed for large households with high data usage. Also, you should keep in mind that if you intend to opt for a Hyperoptic social tariff, ensure to use our broadband availability checker as Hyperoptic is not as widely available as other providers. 

5. Vodafone

Who is eligible for the Vodafone social tariff? You can access it if you are on the following benefits;

• Job seekers allowance
• Disability Allowance
• Personal independent Payment
• Universal Credit
• Employment and Support allowance

Vodafone offers the cheapest social tariff. Vodafone Essential offers 12 months of fibre broadband at the cost of  £12 for 38 Mbps internet speed. Or you can opt for 43Mbps speed at £20 per month. With Vodafone social tariff, you are free to switch providers or leave once your contract without accruing an early exit fee. You can check out the Vodafone website to sign up.

6. Community Fibre

For community fibre social tariff, you do not have to prove eligibility or anything. Community fibre allows anyone to sign up for it. But there is something to worry about, you can only access this provider if you stay around London or in London. However, if you are already a customer of Community Fibre, then you are in luck as you can easily opt for this plan. 

You can access Community Fibre Essential at just  £12.50 per month with a speed of 35Mbps. With this speed, you can carry out basic internet activities, and stream and watch HD movies.

What happens when I’m no longer on benefits?

When you sign up for a social tariff broadband, your provider will confirm that you receive the qualifying benefit. Also, providers conduct periodic checks, usually at the end of each contract term, to ensure you remain eligible for the social tariff.

If you no longer qualify, your provider will switch you to one of their standard services. While this option minimizes disruption to your broadband service, it may not offer the best value.

However, if at any point you cannot keep up with your broadband bills after the change, reach out to your provider to communicate your difficulties and your provider can make your payment method more flexible to your current income. 

Conclusion

In conclusion, social tariff broadband provides important support for low-income households, ensuring that everyone can maintain an essential internet connection irrespective of their financial challenges. By offering affordable, reliable internet plans tailored to those receiving government benefits or on low incomes, these tariffs make it easier to stay connected, access important resources, and manage day-to-day life online. If you are eligible, take advantage of these cost-effective options to secure a broadband plan that fits your needs. If your situation changes, don’t hesitate to reach out to your provider for assistance in finding a suitable solution.