Social Tariffs for Broadband
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted that good quality, reliable broadband nowadays is essential to households. An ever more increasing number of services are available online. Additionally, it is necessary for children and adults alike to access education via the internet as well as for job searching activities and keeping in touch with friends and family. At the same time, the cost of living is increasing also, this includes broadband prices too.
To enable people in need to access cheaper deals, broadband providers are making discounted broadband packages available which could save eligible households about £200 per year. These discounted deals are also known as Social Tariffs for Broadband.
Faster Broadband have a easy to use tool to see which discounted social tariffs you may be eligible for:
Compare Broadband Social Tariffs by eligibility
For an alternative list of broadband and phone social tariffs, you can also visit Ofcom or Which?.
Please note, that Kent County Council do not set or negotiate the deals or their requirements/contents – in case of queries, we suggest contacting the providers directly.
Inclusion of any website link does not imply endorsement or approval by Kent County Council of the linked website, its operator or its content nor is Kent County Council responsible for the content of any website or web page outside this website.
Ofcom, the UK’s communication regulator, has urged all broadband firms to support low-income homes by offering discounted packages known as ‘social tariff’ broadband deals.
Ofcom recently found that only 220,000 out of 4.3 million households in receipt of Universal Credit are using discounted rates. This means that households on benefits are missing out on an average yearly broadband saving of £200 each.
Social tariffs can provide a safety net for eligible Kent households who might be struggling to afford their broadband.
Households experiencing financial hardship are eligible for social tariff broadband deals. See the Social Tariff broadband and telephone packages section to discover if you could take up a discounted broadband deal.
If you are not eligible for a social tariff, you can still check out the available broadband deals on the market, as switching providers may save you some money. Visit a broadband deal checker to see if there are better deals available in your area:
You can access broadband deals without having a credit check, follow the link to learn How to get broadband with no credit check.
Alternative, we have a Connectivity Access Scheme that you may be eligible for.
Please note, that Kent County Council do not set or negotiate the social tariff deals or their requirements/contents – in case of queries, we suggest contacting the providers directly.
Choosing the right broadband deal for your household has many different aspects, read this MoneySavingExpert guidance to help you find a suitable deal for your needs.
In case you are not interested in broadband deals, but you would like to access the internet using mobile data, social tariffs for mobile deals don’t apply. However, the London Office of Technology and Innovation (LOTI) states that ‘while telco providers do not offer Social Tariffs, they are running initiatives to tackle digital exclusion. The support they provide is delivered by charities and community organisations, not the telco providers directly, so support access routes are not as straightforward.’
LOTI published an information sheet about available mobile data support.
The below links were used as resources in compiling information for this webpage, they also provide you with further details on different aspects of social tariffs.
- Ofcom: Half of low-income households in the dark over broadband social tariffs
- Ofcom: Millions of low-income families missing out on £144 annual broadband saving
- MoneySavingExpert: Millions of households on benefits could save £100s on broadband bills - how to check if you can get a cheaper tariff
- MoneySavingExpert: On benefits? You may be due cheap, long-term 'social tariffs'
- Ofcom: Affordability of Communication Services
- uSwitch: How to get broadband with no credit check
- This is MONEY: Secret broadband deals that could HALVE your bills: Millions can get discounts, yet telecom giants are curiously coy about them
- Total Telecom: UK telcos agree to increase support for vulnerable customers during the cost of living crisis
If you require any further support with accessing broadband deals, we recommend you contact a chosen supplier. For other enquiries, please get in touch via digitalinclusion@kent.gov.uk or call 03000 410 950.
