Virgin Media’s New 50Mbps Broadband Social Tariff is Now Live
Broadband ISP Virgin Media UK (VMO2) has today confirmed that their new ‘Essential Broadband Plus‘ social tariff is now live for those taking ‘Universal Credit‘, which complements their existing 15Mbps (£12.50 a month) ‘Essential’ plan by offering download speeds of 50Mbps for £20 per month on a 30-day term.
The new plan, which was announced a month ago, has only just become available to take this week. Existing customers are also able to transfer to either social tariff package free of charge regardless of where they are in their current Virgin Media contract, and new customers are able to join with no activation fee.
Customers of the ‘Plus’ tariff can optionally also pay a one-off charge of £20 in order to receive access to the operator’s new ‘Stream’ (video streaming) TV box and service. The Essential package is broadband-only service, which means that if an existing customer has a phone package, then they will not be able to retain that in the downgrade. But customers can still take a Virgin Mobile plan if they want, which will be billed separately.
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Mark is a professional technology writer, IT consultant and computer engineer from Dorset (England), he also founded ISPreview in 1999 and enjoys analysing the latest telecoms and broadband developments. Find me on X (Twitter), Mastodon, Facebook, BlueSky, Threads.net and Linkedin.
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Do you have to prove some kind of status/hardship? I’m on VM and I’d like to downgrade.
(As the article mentions), you need to be receiving Universal Credit to be eligible. Unfortunately it’s not available to people on ‘legacy’ benefits, or pension credit.
Including cashback, new users can currently get Virgin Media M125 for about £19/month. Unfortunately that doesn’t apply to you, but maybe you can switch somewhere else for a year, then switch back?
Hello Iain, I was wondering what the proof is though. Like do you have to show bank statements?
On BT they check with the DWP themselves so you dont have to do a thing or phone anyone to get proof. Probably same with VM.
Thanks all! I’ll look into this
Apologies Ops for misreading your question. Hopefully I wasn’t very condescending.
It looks like you don’t need to prove anything specific about your financial situation, besides UC.
The Virgin Media page https://www.virginmedia.com/broadband/low-income-families says the following:
“You’ll need a screenshot of your online Universal Credit Payments page, showing your name, address, assessment period and payment date (the payment date needs to be within the last 30 days).
“The name and address will need to be the same as your Virgin Media account, whether you’re applying as a new or existing customer.”
It’s be nice if Mark could raise this with them to be honest.
Plenty of people don’t get UC but get other benefits which should qualify really. (ESA / Disability)
Too bad it’s just the Universal Credit that they’ll accept. There’s other benefits for people on low income, and other ISPs accept those as well for their social tariffs.
There is a lot of people out there working for minimum wage much worse off than those on universal credit.
How about budget tariffs for EVERYONE? Or is that too hateful?
I agree it’s good to expand the elgibility, especially because not all benefit recipents are on Universal Credit. However, plenty of people on minimum wage receive Universal Credit.
The speed should be just enough to browse the Web and apply for jobs, 50Mbps is too much.
Ridiculous. Unsure if you’re intentionally trolling or just brainwashed into thinking most people on benefits don’t need them.
Look at the eligibility for UC, you’ll find plenty of people who will fall into that bracket. It’s meant to top up those who have jobs, but perhaps have other responsibilities (e.g. children or caring for relatives) as well as those that cannot or are out of work.
The “Social” tariffs are there for a reason, and those people deserve access just like everyone else.
50mbit is already far slower than any other package VM offer. Saying it’s “too much” is ridiculous. (VM will want to look good to their shareholders if nothing else, reporting an average speed taken – as it shows progress of their various upgrade projects and uptake.)
If anything VM should go further, and allow those on disability / ESA and other legacy benefits apply for the tariff.
@Mike – not everyone on UC can work, my mum has PIP and is claiming UC as well but been deemed unfit for work, she watches Tv, uses my Netflix & watches stuff on YouTube, Prime etc.
She’s 63 and worked most of her life, you’re saying she shouldn’t be eligible for such things?
Lol,How divided are we people attacking the poor for saving a few quids for broadband hardly anyone attacking the failed ExPM Liz truss claiming 115k yearly for 40days work…. Sum it up
It’s only 5 meg upload. 50/5 service for £20 PCM and you need to jump through hoops. The Paid service of 500/36+TV+HomePhone+Mobile(10 gig sim/unlim text+mins) is only £45.
Lets Recap.
Benefits = 40p/Meg
Top Pakcage = 9p/Meg + TV Service + Mobile…
50mb for 20 when I can have 1gb for 25 on Toob?, no thanks VM
Not everyone can get Toob. You tube.
bt home essentials do have 80/20 with anytime call plan @ 20 per month better than VM 50/5 as bt home essentials do accepted UC and legacy benefits below:
New or existing BT customers can apply. You’ll also need to be receiving one of these benefits to qualify:
Universal Credit
(all claimants)
Pension Credit
(Guarantee Credit)
Employment and Support Allowance income related
Jobseeker’s Allowance income based
Income Support income based
Don’t forget you’ll need your National Insurance number when you order, so we can check you’re eligible.
Isn’t BT Home Essentials available only to those in FTTP areas? If so this puts them in a minority of customers.
BT Home Essentials do not including FTTP. Only FTTC
Actually Phil it is available on FTTP from BT as i used to have it.
In stop sell areas where FTTP is available, it should be preferred, also most ISP’s using openreach / BT Wholesale are incentivised via the Equinox agreement to sell FTTP over legacy where both exist. I believe there is a market control on 40/10 fttc and sogea, and same on 40/10 FTTP so pricing shouldn’t be an issue