Ofcom Tweaks Help UK People Who Struggle to Pay Broadband ISP Bills

The UK’s communications regulator, Ofcom, has proposed to make a few changes to their ‘Treating Vulnerable Customers Fairly‘ guide, which aims to help the 1.1 million households (5%) that are estimated to still be struggling to afford their broadband and phone (this rises to around 1 in 10 among the lowest-income households).

Over the past couple of years’ ISPs, particularly the largest providers, have done a lot to improve how they interact with and handle sensitive situations, such as providing additional support and flexibility to those who may be struggling to pay their bills (i.e. avoiding disconnection of the service wherever possible). One of the best examples of this effort has been the improvement to affordable social broadband tariffs (here).

However, Ofcom has today proposed to update their Treating Vulnerable Customers Fairly guide to explicitly include some further practical steps that they expect providers to take in order to better support such customers. The move is timely as it follows a difficult start to 2022 for consumers, many of which are being hit with huge price hikes of around 10% or more this year.

The new proposals focus on four key areas where Ofcom recommend providers adopt best practice, although there’s nothing particularly earth shattering about these.

Ofcom’s Proposed Changes

➤ Identification, engagement and communication with customers in debt or struggling to pay:

Providers should emphasise the support available when communicating with customers in debt or struggling to pay. Providers should also become more effective in making contact with people in debt or who are struggling to pay, rotating between different communications channels where necessary to help achieve this.

➤ Strengthening links with organisations and charities that can provide free debt advice and support:

Sources of free debt advice can be particularly important to people in debt. Providers should include clear and prominent information about sources of free debt advice in their payment and collection related communications to customers in arrears and make it as easy as possible for free debt advice organisations to represent their clients.

➤ Measures taken by providers to effect payment:

We already oblige providers through our General Conditions to be proportionate and non-discriminatory in any measures they take to effect payment or disconnection and to publish details of these measures on their website. In addition, we propose to add to our guide that providers should avoid or limit the use of service restrictions as a means of effecting payment where possible, use debt collection companies that have strong policies for treating vulnerable customers fairly and ensure customers can easily find out what measures to expect at what stages of the debt journey.

➤ Measures designed by providers to support customers who are in debt or struggling to pay:

Providers should proactively give information to customers about the support they can offer them should they enter debt, such as payment deferrals or payment plans.

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In addition, social tariffs can play an important role in enabling households on low incomes to access affordable communications service. We propose to amend our guide to make clear that offering a social tariff represents an important way in which providers can help ensure the fair treatment of financially vulnerable customers. We consider it best practice that providers should pro-actively inform people who are in debt or struggling to pay about their social tariff, the eligibility criteria and how to sign up for it. Providers should also work with consumer bodies and charities to promote the availability of social tariffs.

After considering responses to our call for inputs, we do not intend to amend our General Conditions regarding debt and disconnection or the fair treatment of financially vulnerable customers. These rules offer important protections to consumers and we do not see a strong case to amend them at this time. We will continue to monitor the extent to which providers treat financially vulnerable customers fairly and give them the support they need. Should we identify concerns about the fair treatment of financially vulnerable customers in future, it may be necessary to re-assess our approach including considering amendments to our General Conditions.

Lindsey Fussell, Ofcom’s Network and Communications Group Director, said: “Phone and broadband are vital to our lives, but many households’ budgets are being seriously squeezed. So it’s crucial that people who are struggling to afford their bills get the support they need. We’ve set out clear expectations on the steps providers should take, and we’ll be keeping a close eye on firms to make sure they’re treating customers fairly.”

Ofcom said their consultation will remain open for responses on all this until 12th May 2022, and they then intend to publish their final decision during the autumn.