Tens of millions of Universal Credit claimants miss out on £200 off payments

May 20, 2023 at 2:54 AM
Tens of millions of Universal Credit claimants miss out on £200 off payments

People on Universal Credit and different advantages could possibly slash their broadband and cellular payments with social tariffs.

Social tariffs are discounted broadband and cellular tariffs for Britons on low incomes. Many suppliers supply the offers, together with Sky, BT and Virgin Media.

The assist might slash a family’s yearly broadband payments by £200. But Ofcom figures present simply 5 % of the 4.3 million households eligible for the tariffs are benefiting from the scheme.

Dame Clare Moriarty, chief government of Citizens Advice, mentioned: “People are being priced out of internet access at a worrying rate.

“Social tariffs should be the industry’s safety net, but firms’ current approach to providing and promoting them clearly isn’t working.”

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Here are a few of the social tariffs presently accessible as listed on the Ofcom web site, with the month-to-month charges:

  • 4th Utility Social Tariff – £13.99 – 30Mbit/s
  • BT Home Essentials – £15 – Around 36 Mbit/s
  • BT Home Essentials 2 – £20 – Around 67 Mbit/s
  • Community Fibre Essential – £12.50 – 20 Mbit/s
  • Country Connect Social Tariff – £15 – 50 Mbit/s
  • EE Basics – £12 – Up to 25 Mbit/s
  • G. Network Essential Fibre Broadband – £15 – 50 Mbit/s
  • Grayshott Gigabit Connect – £19 – 100 Mbit/s
  • Hyperoptic Fair Fibre 50 – £15 – 50 Mbit/s
  • Hyperoptic Fair Fibre 150 – £20 – 150 Mbit/s
  • KCOM Full Fibre Flex £14.99 – 30 Mbit/s
  • Lightning Fibre Social Tariff – £15 – 50 Mbit/s
  • Lothian Broadband Social Tariff – £19.99 – 100 Mbit/s
  • NOW Broadband Basics – £20 – 36 Mbit/s
  • Sky Broadband Basics – £20 – 36 Mbit/s
  • SMARTY Social Tariff – £12 – 5G the place accessible
  • Virgin Media Essential Broadband – £12.50 – 15 Mbit/s
  • Virgin Media Essential Broadband Plus – £20 – 54 Mbit/s
  • Vodafone Essentials Broadband – £12 – 38 Mbit/s
  • VOXI For Now – £10 – 5G the place accessible
  • Wildanet Helping Hand Social Tariff – £20 – 30 to 100 Mbit/s
  • WightFibre Essential Broadband – £16.50 – 100 Mbit/s.

Around 1,000,000 Britons minimize off their broadband previously yr as they might not afford rising prices.

had been six occasions extra prone to have stopped their web than those that don’t declare the profit.

Ms Moriarty mentioned those that are lacking out on social tariffs are the “most likely” to disconnect.

She added: “As providers continue to drag their feet in making social tariffs a success, it’s clear that Ofcom needs to hold firms’ feet to the fire.”

People on some means-tested advantages, together with Universal Credit, are receiving , going out in three instalments.

The first £301 instalment was paid lately with the second quantity of £300 to be paid in autumn this yr and the third instalment of £299 to exit in spring 2024.

Britons on incapacity advantages are to get a £150 price of residing fee, which might be paid subsequent month.

People of state pension age who’re receiving the Winter Fuel Payment this winter can even get an extra pensioner price of residing fee, of between £150 and £300.

An individual can learn the way a lot advantages they might obtain utilizing a web-based calculator software, such because the one on the Turn2us web site.

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