Nearly 5 million people missing out on £220 a year, broadband experts warn

One expert describes the issue as a ‘cost of living scandal’

Millions of people are missing out on easy-to-access discounts worth an average £220 on their broadband despite being eligible, experts have warned.

Broadband social tariffs are generally available to low-income households, or those in receipt of certain benefits like Universal Credit. Exact eligibility varies between providers, with many major firms now offering some form of cheaper product.

Around 5.3 million UK households are eligible for the lower tariff, research by Broadband Genie found, but around 4.8 million aren’t currently claiming.

This means £1.05bn is “left on the table,” the broadband experts say, urging those who may be eligible to look into the scheme.

BT offers three separate social broadband tariffs (BT/PA) (PA Media)

Georgina Colman, founder of Purpl, a platform which helps connect disabled people with discounts, said the issue was a “cost of living scandal hiding in plain sight”.

She added: “Millions of people on low incomes, including disabled people and those on Universal Credit, are overpaying for broadband simply because they don’t know help exists”.

There are several social tariffs currently on the market. BT has three offerings for people depending on their income and needs, called the ‘Home Essentials’ tariff.

This starts at from £16 a month for 12 months of 36Mb broadband for those with no income. The next level is £22 a month for 36Mb for those on low-income, and finally there is an offering for 67Mb at £25 a month. Each comes with an £11.99 installation fee.

Other big-name providers offering social broadband tariffs include Now, Sky, Virgin and Vodaphone, all costing £20 a month at most.

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(Getty/iStock)

There are also some smaller-name providers that offer social tariffs that aren’t available nationwide. This includes Community Fibre, Hyperoptic, and Kcom.

Ms Colman added: “Broadband is an essential service, and when households could be saving around £220 a year, the lack of awareness around social tariffs is letting people down. Providers need to do far more to actively tell customers what they’re entitled to.

“If broadband becomes unaffordable, disabled people don’t just lose an internet connection, they lose a vital lifeline. For many, it’s how they stay in touch with family, access support, manage their health and avoid isolation. Disabled people are already more likely to experience loneliness, and pricing them out of broadband risks cutting them off from the world at a time when digital access is no longer optional.”

Around £24bn of support is estimated to go unclaimed in 2025/26, according to research unit Policy in Practice, due to reasons like stigma, complexity lack of awareness. Broadband represents the biggest social tariff that is missed out on, with missed Universal Credit claims being the leading missed benefit at £11.1bn unclaimed.

For the latest benefits and cost of living dates and advice, visited The Independent’s regularly updated guide