As the cost of living crisis looms over us all, people will be looking at certain ways to cut down on spending.
One way many Brits are looking to cut costs is to choose a 'social tariff' broadband package, reports the Daily Record. The Sky Broadband Basics package costs just £20 monthly, and is a way to save on non-essential spending.
There is also an option of a NOW Broadband Basics for £20 a month as well. This 18-month contract is available to those who claim Pension Credit or Universal Credit, and includes Sky Broadband Superfast 35 too.
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Currently, 5.5 million people claim Universal Credit, and 1.4 million people claim Pension Credit, and could be entitled to the £20 broadband package. BT is also offering those on Universal Credit or other means-tested benefits from the DWP such as Pension Credit or Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) a £15 monthly broadband package.
Virgin Media offers a £15 package for those who claim Universal Credit. For more information on what broadband packages are available, read below.
Sky Broadband Social Tariff deal - £20 monthly
The Sky Broadband Basics package is a good deal if you are struggling to pay your bills, but still want to stay connected. It is £20 monthly, for a contracted 18 months.
It includes:
- Sky Broadband Superfast 35 with an average download speed of 36Mb/s
- Or if fibre isn’t available where you live, Sky Broadband Essential Plus with average download speeds of 11Mb/s
- Sky Pay As You Talk - only pay for the calls that you make
As the contract is long, many people would be put off. But if you need to leave before the contract is up, Sky won't charge any early exit fees for this package.
After 18 months the price will go back to the standard rate, but they will tell you what this will be when you get in touch to take Sky Broadband Basics. You’ll also get an email to let you know when the price is coming to an end, and you can get in touch to talk about the options available.
In order to be eligible for this package, you need to:
be an existing Sky broadband customer
be claiming Universal Credit or Pension Credit
Sky will ask you for your National Insurance number so they can check if you’re eligible. Find out more about what Sky can offer you here.
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NOW Broadband Basics - £20 monthly
NOW Broadband basics is similar to Sky's package, but is on a monthly rolling contract instead.
It includes:
- NOW Fab Fibre Membership with an average download speed of 36Mbps
- NOW Calls - the Pay as you Use calls plan included at no extra cost, so you only pay for the calls you make, with no monthly charge
As it is a rolling contract, you need to let NOW know a month's advance if you would like to leave. Early exit fees do not apply either.
In order to be eligible, you need to be:
be receiving either Universal Credit or Pension Credit.
NOW will also ask for your National Insurance number to check for eligibility. Find out more about the NOW broadband deals here.
BT Home Essentials - £15 monthly
BT Home Essentials is the new name for the existing BT Basic package, providing home phone and broadband services to customers claiming benefits. Two broadband packages are available with speeds of 36Mb and 67Mb, while customers who just want a landline can sign up for home phone only with unlimited minutes.
The eligibility criteria for BT Home Essentials are tight and customers must be in receipt of certain benefits to qualify.
In order to be eligible for BT Home Essentials, you must be receiving one of the following benefits:
- Universal Credit
- Pension Credit (Guarantee Credit)
- Income Support
- Jobseeker's Allowance (income based or with contributory allowance that is less than the income based portion)
- Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
The person in receipt of an eligible benefit must be the named account holder on their BT Homes Essentials plan. Find out more about the BT Home Essentials deal here.
The BT Package options
For the Home Essentials Unlimited Fibre Essentials package, you receive 36Mb average speed, costing £15 monthly - with no upfront cost. This contract lasts one year in total.
For the Home Essentials Unlimited Fibre package, you receive 67Mb average speed, costing £20 monthly - with no upfront cost. This contract lasts one year in total.
In terms of the Home Essentials - Calls Only package, this costs £10 a month for a 12 month contract. There is no upfront cost.
When a customer applies for BT Home Essentials, they will need to pass an eligibility check. This will include the type of personal information normally supplied when applying for broadband such as surnames and addresses. However, applicants will also need to supply their date of birth and National Insurance number so their specific eligibility for Home Essentials can be checked.
There is also an option of a security deposit available for those with lower credit scores. Find out more on the BT Home Essentials here.
Virgin Media Essential broadband
The Virgin Media Essentials package costs just £15 per month, with a 15Mbps fibre broadband speed. As its a broadband only package, you can only claim this deal if:
- you are already a Virgin Media customer
- you receive Universal Credit
You will need to show proof of taking Universal Credit before you can apply for the deal. To apply, you need to fill out an online form, and you will be emailed with steps on how to complete the eligibility checks.
As soon as they go through, they will swap you over and you won’t have to pay any extra fees or charges for changing from your current Virgin Media services. Virgin says it will keep you connected at £15 a month for as long as you’re eligible.
This means the price of your Essential broadband pack won’t change while you’re receiving Universal Credit payments. The Essential broadband pack is a broadband-only service, so if you’re currently taking TV and/or home phone with Virgin, these services will be cancelled.
There is also an option of a flexible, 30-day rolling contract. This means that whenever you can move back onto your original Virgin Media services, you call them up and it can be changes quickly.
If you ever want to switch to Essential broadband again, you can just reapply the same way. Find out more about Virgin Media Essential broadband here.
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