EE UK Launch £12 Social Tariff for Mobile Customers on Benefits
Mobile network operator EE (BT) has today become only the second such provider after VOXI (Vodafone) to launch a low-cost social tariff – EE Basics – for mobile customers on Universal Credit and a range of other means-tested benefits. But some commercial 4G and 5G plans from rivals will give you more for your money.
The move follows Ofcom’s call in September for EE, and a number of other broadband ISPs and mobile providers, to introduce “social tariffs as soon as possible” (here). The operator has now gone and done just that in the form of their new EE Basics package.
The new Basics package is essentially a SIM-Only plan that costs just £12 per month on a 30-day rolling contract for 12 months (no early exit fees apply). But for that you’ll get 5GB (GigaBytes) of data for mobile broadband, unlimited calls, unlimited texts and a maximum 4G and 5G connection speed of 25Mbps (Megabits per second).
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After 12 months, EE will simply run another eligibility check to see if you still qualify. EE added that all of their SIM-Only customers and Handset customers in the upgrade window can move to the Basics tariff, provided they are eligible. Flex pay customers are not eligible to transfer to EE Basics. Only one Basics plan is allowed per EE account holder.
Qualifying Benefits
Universal credit (All claimants)
Pension credit (Guarantee Credit)
Employment and Support Allowance – eligibility rules apply (see full Basics plan T&Cs)
Jobseeker’s allowance – eligibility rules apply (see full Basics plan T&Cs)
Income support
Much like with the £10 VOXI For Now tariff, EE’s new Basics plan is good, but there are cheaper options available in the commercial market, although some – but not all – of those will require you to take out a lengthy contract term and early exit fees will often apply (all of the below examples include unlimited mins + calls).
For example, Three UK will give you 8GB of data for £10 per month on a 24-month term, while Tesco Mobile can do 12GB for £10 on a 24-month term, Smarty will do 4GB (special offer of 6GB) for just £6 per month on a 1-month term (iD Mobile has an identical offer) and there are plenty more examples like those.
The key point here is that social tariffs aren’t quite as useful in the UK’s competitive mobile market as they are for fixed broadband. Plenty of choice already exists, but it’s still nice to have the option, especially if you prefer to use EE’s network.
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Nick Lane, BT’s MD of Customer Services, said:
“Mobile Basics joins our market-leading social broadband tariff Home Essentials, connecting those on low income with affordable, fast broadband and calls from just £15 a month – a price we froze earlier this year. It’s available exclusively to those on Universal Credit and a range of other means-tested benefits.
We already support nearly 1 million customers with subsidised or discount tariffs, and the number of customers taking Home Essentials has doubled in the past two quarters because of proactive conversations with customers we believe are eligible. EE, BT or Plusnet customers who are eligible to move to Home Essentials can move penalty-free – and I urge anyone who qualifies for our low-cost, social tariff to get in touch on the phone, online or in one of our stores.
But that’s not all we’re doing. Earlier this year, we introduced Stay Connected Data for EE customers not on our Mobile Basics tariff. It means people can still use essential apps such as WhatsApp and Maps when they reach their monthly data allowance, with unlimited backup data.
We also offer a free, confidential and independent debt advice referral process for customers in partnership with the Money Adviser Network.”
End.
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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Plusnet mobile EE based
£8 a month unlimited calls and texts,5GB data even better still only 4G though open to everyone too not just people on the dole
If it’s 5G you’re looking for then Lebara have at the moment on a 30 day rolling plan 15GB of data along with unlimited UK minutes & texts in addition to 100 minutes to over 40 countries – for £10.
For an extra £5 you get 30GB of data.
Really not that special to be honest. 25Mbps isn’t exactly the speediest nowadays (in fact, back when DC-HSPA was a thing, even that could do 25Mbps) and 5GB for £12 isn’t enticing enough when Giffgaff, VOXI (the standard £10 offer, which I have) and Smarty all blow this out of the water WITHOUT the need for eligibility checks.
Come on EE, you need to do better.
Shocking it’s no type old deal, Lebara unlimited mins/txt 5g data , no contact, no credit check £4.95 a month
Yeah just said above myself that Lebara have some decently priced PayG bundles
EE PAYG for 5GB of data is £10, you only have 500 minutes and lose 5G but it shows how bad of a deal this is.
Why is nobody forcing Energy Suppliers to provide a ‘social tariff’ ???
It’s pretty ‘unsociable’ sitting in the dark when the electricity has been cut off.
Hmmmm right??
£12 a month for 5GB!!!
I’m on Smarty 5G Unlimited Everything for £15, no contract. My offer which I just asked them for a few months ago is valid for 12 months, but got a text this morning saying they were keeping my offer price now until January 2024 🙂
Oh gosh, I wouldn’t wish SMARTY upon anyone… Great deals, just a shame it uses the abysmal Three network! It makes two tin cans and a piece of string seem high tech!!
@Meeeeeee
Guessing this is old experience. The 3 Network (like all things, depends on location) but knocks spots of the others on 5g. Once they lose the 4G requirement (and go standalone) their 5G network is in a very, very good position.
£12 for 5GB? They should be ashamed of creating such a tariff.
MVNOs are the way to go. 1pMobile (EE), Smarty (Three), Lebara (Vodafone) or Lyca (O2)… pick the one with the best signal/performance in your area and avoid the main networks.
@Matt No this is current experience, I’m on SMARTY until the end of this month then it’s back to EE. I was getting less than 1Mb the other day on Three’s 5G network! The problem is Three’s 5G network still relies on the 4G network for upload speed. Considering the 4G network is heavily oversubscribed, it can’t send back the acknowledgement packets fast enough and bottlenecks the 5G.
I’m on employment support allowance legacy benefits I’m on ee unlimited data text calls £25 a month no max mbps this social tariff is not for me 25 mbps is to slow for me .
£12 a month??? What sort of social tariff is that? Many can already pay less (for more) at another provider(s) on available-to-all plans.
How can it be social tariff for £12 a month for 5GB data, unlimited texts, unlimited calls with 4G / 5G but capped speed at 25Meg for 30 days rolling?
My 1p mobile (ee network) £10 a month for 10GB data, unlimited texts, unlimited calls with 4G / 5G with uncapped speed for no contract!
EE – you should be ASHAMED and CONNED all social tariffs which it isn’t the best deal!
You can’t honestly expect a company who’s ceo pockets £Millions a year to want to help people… its the sad reality.
EE want £25 for 5GB data on a 30 day contract, so by that standard it’s not bad, but their SIM only prices are a bit silly.
Wow, why are you guys trying to compare a social tariff to other offers on the market…
It’s not a competition it’s just a regulatory requirement enforced on the networks.
The real question is…. If your an EE customer in contract, will EE replace your current tariff to this one if your hitting on hard times?
I’m personally releived too see EE not just giving away services to people for pennies whilst it’s full paying customers end up watching the experience of the network degrade, a great example of this would be Vodafone.
Your completely wrong about a few social tariffs degrading network performance, get a conscience, Vodafone’s voxi deal could be the only affordable way to get online if someone is on hard times with the prices of everything rocketing.
“I’m personally releived too see EE not just giving away services to people for pennies whilst it’s full paying customers end up watching the experience of the network degrade”
Aren’t they doing exactly that via MVNOs like 1p Mobile or PlusNet mobile?
“Aren’t they doing exactly that via MVNOs like 1p Mobile or PlusNet mobile?”
No!
1p mobile isn’t unlimited and prices run along the same lines as some of EE’s sim only plan anyway.
Plusnet is a bargain basement option and is restricted from making full use of the network and is also usage limited.
JP, not sure where the “unlimited” comes from when we’re talking about a £12 “social tariff” with 5GB of data.
1p Mobile, which gives you access to all the bells and whistles, starts at £10 for 10GB and then £15 for 50GB. 100GB costs £20. Expect more to follow their steps as more MVNOs move to EE new infrastructure.
EE’s social tariff is more expensive and gives you less than the plans EE makes available to their MVNOs… and keep in mind that the prices above include 1pmobile’s cut.
They’re fine having people using more data on their network while paying less than you do, so I don’t see how they are protecting their network by offering this “social tariff”. The only thing they’re doing is keeping the EE brand “premium”, while at the same time giving away more data via their MVNOs.
SHOCKING EE what a disgraceful so called social tariff I’ve just gone with VOXI for now and wow now they have set the high standard £10 a month for 6 months UNLIMITED EVERYTHING including 5G well done VOXI at least your not trying to make those of us looking like second class citizens and actually treating us like human beings
Voxi and any network using Vodafone infrastructure is only going to be decent if the infrastructure is decent.
For example, I used to be on the above Voxi plan but moved to another MNVO on a rival network because where I live and work, Vodafone infrastructure is poor with slow congested speeds.
It’s a good idea in general but their coverage isn’t that great everywhere.
I think it’s good that EE charges more, keeps the riff raff away, leaving plenty of bandwidth for those who actually work for a living.
As usual you’ve come out the gate swinging a bellend stick.
You clearly don’t understand how the benefits system works. Just another one of those people that apply blanket statements to anyone claiming social security.
This kind of behavior is just as disgraceful as the so-called “riff-raff” that you speak of.
I wonder, will networks put up prices for others, to cover their social tariffs?
Of course, there is no free lunch.
Go to hell with your offer and business
5 GB not enough in 2022;
25 Mb/s not enough in 2022;
£15/mo is a joke.
Typical EE. The way they segment the data options on their normal packages is pretty ludicrous as well.
I agree the price is naff but 25Mbp/s not being enough is a little unfair
It’s more than enough to browse job sites and apply.
I’m with 1p Mobile on a 30 day rolling contract that gives me 50Gb of data for £15 per month including unlimited calls and text as well as WiFi Calling and VoLTE. There is no speed limit either and they use the EE network. Cannot find anything that beats this!
Should be unlimited data and speed when browsing CV Library, Indeed, FinaAJob etc and then capped to 5KB/s with any other website!