Following the report by Citizen’s Advice that up to a million people in the UK have cancelled their broadband in the past year due to the cost-of-living crisis, Alex Tofts, Broadband Expert at Broadband Genie has commented.
Alex Tofts, broadband expert at Broadband Genie, said: “Soaring mid-contract price rises in the current climate have been too much for bill-payers to absorb. Broadband is an essential service and the market has been slow to respond to the challenges customers are facing.
“These cancellations speak, not only to the recent double-digit bill increases, but also to the lack of awareness about social tariffs among many customers who need them the most.
“Providers must shoulder most of the blame for this. While some like TalkTalk are still not offering their customers these discounted deals, many that do have kept them hidden well away from their home pages.
Table: Are broadband social tariffs being hidden away?
| Broadband Provider | Social tariff | Promoted on homepage |
| BT | BT Home Essentials | No |
| Virgin Media | Virgin Media Essential Broadband/+ | Yes |
| Sky | Sky Broadband Basics | No |
| TalkTalk | No social tariff | N/A |
| Vodafone | Vodafone Essentials | Yes |
| EE | Offers BT Home Essentials | No |
| Plusnet | No social tariff | N/A |
| NowBroadband | NowBroadband Basics | No |
| Utility Warehouse | No social tariff | N/A |
| Three Broadband | No social tariff | N/A |
| Shell Energy Broadband | No social tariff | N/A |
| KCOM | KCOM full fibre flex | Yes |
Source: Broadband Genie
“The introduction of the new Smart Data Council, designed to help nudge consumers onto the best value deals, suggests the ship is slowly being turned around but much more needs to be done.
“Households who are not eligible for a social tariff but struggling with their broadband costs should contact their provider as soon as possible. If they are out of contract they will also be able to save money by switching to another supplier.”
For more information about broadband social tariffs, visit Broadband Genie’s guide.
