The BBC has reported that only one in twenty claimants who are eligible for social tariff broadband have actually signed up, with 4.3 million potentially eligible people apparently missing out. We’d like to hear about your experience if you’ve signed up for social tariff broadband or what made you decide against it.

Claimants on a range of benefits are eligible for social tariff broadband deals.

All the major suppliers offer a cheaper deal if you are on Universal Credit, Pension Credit, Employment and Support Allowance, Jobseeker’s Allowance or Income Support.

Some also extend their offer to PIP claimants.

Prices range from £10 to £20 a month with speeds from 15 to 100 Mbits, depending on the supplier.

The Ofcom website has a full list of suppliers and prices, with links to their individual terms and conditions.

Citizens Advice estimates that one million people have cancelled their broadband in the last year because of the cost of living, with UC claimants 12 times more likely to have done so than non-claimants.

Yet social tariff deals are not proving popular and Citizens Advice wants Ofcom to "hold firms' feet to the fire" to improve their take-up.

But is it just lack of awareness of these schemes that is holding people back? Or is it that mobile phones are a necessity while home broadband is an unaffordable luxury for many claimants, no matter how cheap the deal?

Please let us know your opinion of the scheme in the comments section.

You can read the full story on the BBC website.

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  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    John · 19 days ago
    Generally have found the social tariffs (both broadband and mobile) offer excellent value. However, BT's administration systems are shocking and don't function as advertised - the auto renew process has failed twice despite no change in circumstances resulting in a waste of resources for both myself and BT sorting out returning to the correct tariff.
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    Jan B · 3 months ago
    My problem is that when I applied to BT I was told that when they checked with DWP I did not meet their criteria for social tarriffs. I am on income based ESA, but apparently the check did not show this. I have seen on BT Community Forum many people reporting the same problem, which is due to DWP apparently not holding your information exactly the same as BT.  Is it really any wonder that the take up is low.
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    danny · 3 months ago
    the reason i havent bothered with it is i dont like speaking to people on the phone ,if you could apply online provide your details that way then id do it
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Sarah · 3 months ago
    PS - I shall be mentioning how those who are eligible for social tariffs are very disullusioned, either by not having calls returned, or timely responses to applications made online, or because the rates are not necessarily as they seem, while the speeds are slow. There is clearly discrimination going on - it's not a 'gift' to those in need, but a reluctant service. Some providers do not accept phone calls from social tariff applicants (Vodafone), providing a much weaker service than other kinds of customers would get. This is unacceptable. Therefore I am raising the matter with MoneySavingExpert, BBC Rip-off Britain, and Guardian Money, to raise awareness of such discrimination towards those who are struggling.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Sarah · 3 months ago
    One major reason why the social tariffs are not attractive is the patronising assumption that people want to settle for slow broadband. There are many full-time public sector employees who need Universal Credit to top up their incomes because of the housing crisis and inflation. Some of us work from home several days per week and are high-achiving people, yet it is assumed that if we receive benefits we must be in some way half-baked people who would not need internet speeds to enable us, say, to edit films we make professionally. The other obstacle is that some of us also need a phone line - those of us living in areas with poor mobile coverage. When I opted for Vodafone's social tariff - the one with a good broadband speed - I was enormously disappointed to learn that the phone line would be really expensive: more expensive than if I had made an ordinary subscription to Vodafone with broadband and Digital Voice combined. The ordinary offer I was given was £22 per month for these combined, while the social tariff for broadband and any time calls was quoted as £28. In other words, social tariff customers are getting a poor deal for line calls while ordinary customers are faring better. This is a big reason why there is so little take-up. I'm surprised Ofcom hasn't done anything about it, as it seems a bit of a scam.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Dawn · 5 months ago
    BT refused to give me the social tariff deal for years even though I’ve got a disability since 2009 & was on certain benefits & a priority customer. I reapplied in early 2023 when I became unemployed & again they refused! Only last week they agreed when I mentioned that Sky & other providers offered discounts & social tariff deals & treated their customers better…
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    Anon · 7 months ago
    As an existing customer of virgin media, my circumstances changed due to my health. After months of struggling to meet bills I was unable to pay the latest and rang them for help. 
    Basically there wasn't any.
    They would not change my package in any way shape or form while there was an outstanding bill.
    They wouldn't allow payment by installment.
    They wouldn't entertain even seeing if I was eligible for social tariff or offer any other help.
    I then googled their essential package. It says people in receipt of esa were eligible, but there was a clause saying people on contribution based esa were not eligible. 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Libby · 7 months ago
    You can compare social tariff broadband options on FasterBroadband here: https://www.fasterbroadband.co.uk/social-broadband-tariffs select your welfare option, then click your preferred provider. Everything is listed in price order with the cheapest first.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    T N · 7 months ago
    I just got off a call with BT asking them about the social tariff as I am aready a customer with them. I get PIP so don't qualify, working and being disabled means I get nothing.............Fair I do not think so, as it makes you want to give up work and sit at home!
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Kalli · 9 months ago
    None of the ISPs can access my eligibility through the national insurance database because my surname is a single letter, for example G. 

    I asked someone at the national insurance offices he then changed my surname to three letters to help make it work but explained they're just changing things from the front end. Thus it hasn't solved the issue. I have emailed and telephone so many different departments who all respond by saying they can't help.

    An ISP can only prove my eligibility through the national insurance database. You can't email them a photo of a benefits letter for example. 

    I don't suppose the authors of this website and article will read this, though they asked us to "Let Us Know" or can provide a solution. But you never know...
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Livi · 10 months ago
    I have applied to Vodafone for the £12 a month broadband but have been waiting for them to call me back for over a week. Doesn't seem hopeful as a quick google search I can see people have had issues with them getting back to people who have applied and general customer services can't help as it is a different team which means stuck waiting. Think I will try BT and see if they are better. 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Valerie · 11 months ago
    Did not realise I could apply
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Marian · 1 years ago
    Why are PIP Claimants denied Social Tarriff Broadband with the big Internet Companies.
    As I am not claiming Pension Credit cannot get any help. Also just had to pay £500 Dental work!  £200 for Glasses !  This seems very unfair compared to others getting Benefits, I am a 72 year old disabled Pensioner with Rare Incurable Disease. My partner/Carer is 75 years old and gives me my injections.  We both worked since 15 yrs old.
    I also pay nearly all my rent and Council Tax. 
    and sky high gas electric and water rates.  
    Others I know get everything paid for!  What help can we please get?
    My Sky tv and broadband is £102 per month!
    Would be great if I could get the Social Tarriff.

    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      kevin · 1 years ago
      @Marian Hello marion you can go on to vodafone Social Tarriff Broadband 12£ a month
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Deborah · 1 years ago
    I took up the social tariff about a year ago when I found out about it. Landline and broadband for £20 a month, what’s not to like? Saved me about £30 a month. Great news. I’ve told several people about it but don’t know if they took it up. 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Doris · 1 years ago
    I have been on BT's social tariff for a few months now and I am happy with it so far. I did have problems connecting existing phones, but BT sent me two digital voice phones free of charge. I now pay £15 per month instead of more than £35,
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Ellen · 1 years ago
    I am with Shell BB and getting Pension credit, but they cannot put me on Their social tariff as they cannot find my name on the system that varifies that I receive Pension credit.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Dannybee · 1 years ago
    The main reason I am not using this social tariff is  because they tell you to ring to apply and I struggle with phone calls and communication  due to ADHD and autism , they need to be forced to have a way to apply with out phone calls , another thing is alot of folks on benefits can have bad credit due to not being able to afford the bills in the past  and these isp just reject them
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Nadja · 1 years ago
    I was pleased when I asked British Telecom whether I could switch to a social tariff. 
    BT replied "yes" and the new tariff would be effective from my next bill. 
     Wow. Just wow. 
     I am wondering why organisations such as Vodafone make things so difficult. 
     Oh well. 
    Thank Heavenly Father for British Telecom, folks. 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Sooz · 1 years ago
    Changed from ee, paying £35 before April increase. Now with bt on social tariff of £20, same speeds etc and 2 voice phones with minutes inc
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    PipsterA50 · 1 years ago
    I beg all eligible claimants to take advantage of this benefit! Please do it, it is very easy and you can get a huge reduction in what you pay for and you get an excellent deal on your phone and broadband. I'm getting unlimited calls to landlines and mobiles plus extras, and unlimited broadband at their highest speeds. It's a no brainer to get this deal and save money and get good service.  Now it needs to be used to drop our energy bills by introducing a social tariff for energy just like this phone and broadband is being done! 

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