Social tariffs

Low-cost broadband deals

If you’re a low-income family, you could be eligible for a discounted broadband service.

An estimated five million households in the UK receive Universal Credit and are eligible for special discounted deals from their broadband provider. However, research by Ofcom has revealed that just 380,000 homes are taking advantage of these discounted rates. This means millions of households are missing out on an average annual broadband saving of £202 each.

Discounted deals – also known as ‘social broadband tariffs’ – can provide a safety net for eligible Essex households who might be struggling to afford to pay for their broadband service. Here is a list of social tariffs available and the eligibility requirements.

Please note: some of these offers may not be available at your address. To find out, visit each website and enter your postcode, or go to a price comparison website such as USwitch or Compare the Market. In order to benefit from any of these deals, you must visit the provider's website directly (see the 'How to apply' column below). Faster Broadband have also released their own social broadband tariff comparison webpage.

Provider	Speed (download)	Price	Contract length	Eligibility	How to apply
	Around 36Mbps	£15 a month, plus £9.99 P&P (or £20 a month, plus £9.99 P&P for download speeds around 67Mbps)	12 months	For people receiving Universal Credit; Pension Credit (Guarantee Credit), Employment and Support Allowance (eligibility rules apply); Jobseeker’s Allowance (eligibility rules apply); Income Support	Visit BT.com
	15-54Mbps	£12.50-£20 a month	30-day rolling contract	For people receiving Universal Credit.	Visit virginmedia.com
	38Mbps	Free for six months	At the end of six months, you can choose to either take out a contract with TalkTalk or end the service penalty-free	For jobseekers on Universal Credit who don't have an internet connection	Ask your Jobcentre Plus work coach if you’re eligible for the scheme
	Around 36Mbps	£20 a month	Ongoing monthly contract (cancel 31 days in advance to avoid any early termination charges)	For people receiving Universal Credit or Pension Credit	Visit Nowtv.com
	Around 36Mbps	£20 a month	18 months (Sky says it won't charge any early termination fees on Sky Broadband if you leave early)	For people receiving Universal Credit or Pension Credit; must be named on the Universal or Pension Credit monthly statement	Visit Sky.com
	50Mbps or 150Mbps plans	£15-20 a month	Monthly rolling package (you must give 30 days' notice to cancel)	For people receiving at least one of the qualifying benefits, including Income Support, Pension Credit and Universal Credit. Click here for the full list	Visit Hyperoptic.com
	Up to 38Mbps	£12 a month	12-month contract, no early termination fee	For people receiving Jobseeker's Allowance, Universal Credit, Employment and Support Allowance, Disability Allowance, or Personal Independence Payment	Visit Vodafone.co.uk
	50 Mbps	£15 a month	24 month contract	For people receiving Income Support, Pension Credit, Income-related Job Seekers Allowance, Housing Benefit, Personal Independence Payment, Attendance Allowance or Universal Credit.	Visit YouFibre.com
	50 Mbps	£20 a month	18 month contract	Recipients of any of the following benefits: Income Support, Pension Credit, Income-related Job Seekers Allowance (JSA), Housing Benefit, Personal Independence Payment, Disability Benefit, Attendance Allowance, Universal Credit, Care Leavers Support, or Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).	Visit connectfibre.co.uk
	15 Mbps	£15 a month	Ongoing monthly contract (every six months, they check if you're still eligible)	For people receiving Universal Credit or Pension Credit.	Visit countybroadband.co.uk
	25 Mbps	£12 per month* SIM only	30-day rolling contract for 12 months. No early exit fees apply	For people receiving Universal credit, pension credit, Employment and Support Allowance, Jobseeker's allowance or Income support.	Visit ee.co.uk

Please note: The information above is correct as of March 13th 2024. For full details of each deal, please visit each individual provider’s website.

In addition to the above deals, the broadband network operator Openreach has announced a Connect the Unconnected offer for households that receive Universal Credit, have no other earnings and haven’t been connected to the Openreach network for the last 90 days. The offer gives households which meet this criteria the opportunity to get their superfast broadband installed for free (savings of up to £92).

If you meet this criteria, contact one of the internet service providers (ISP) on the Openreach network and mention the Connect the Unconnected offer when you place an order for your broadband service. It is up to your chosen ISP how these savings are passed onto you – the discount may be provided immediately, or over the course of your contract.

You can find further information on social tariffs on Ofcom's website, as well as the Essex.gov website.