Home » UK ISP News Archive » Article Tag: Social Tariff (38 Posts)

Articles for Category Tag - Social Tariff

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Full Fibre UK ISP Fibrus Launch Cheap Social Broadband Tariff UPDATE2

7th February, 2024 (8 Comments)

Infracapital-backed internet provider Fibrus, which is rolling out a 10Gbps capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband network across Northern Ireland and parts of North England (Cumbria), has today become the latest UK ISP to introduce a cheaper social tariff for those on state benefits (“Full Fibre Essential“).

Vodafone UK Not Retiring Fibre 1 Broadband Plans? UPDATED

24th January, 2024 (9 Comments)

Mobile network operator and ISP Vodafone UK has now, after previously announcing that they were retiring both their old c.35-38Mbps Fibre 1 (FTTC / VDSL2) and related Full Fibre 1 (FTTP) home broadband packages for new customers (not existing subscribers), said this was done in error. But the related Social Tariff is still missing.

Connect Fibre UK Adds 150Mbps Social Broadband Tariff Option

23rd January, 2024 (6 Comments)

Alternative network operator and UK ISP Connect Fibre (Fibre Assets), which aspires to cover 100,000 premises across the East of England with their gigabit-capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) network, has launched a new 150Mbps (symmetric) option on their social tariff to help complement the existing 50Mbps plan.

UK Gov Confirm Scotland to Get £450m for Gigabit Broadband Upgrade

14th December, 2023 (5 Comments)

The UK Government has finally revealed that Scotland’s share of the £5bn Project Gigabit broadband rollout scheme will be an “estimated” £450m, although market engagement work is ongoing (i.e. getting feedback from suppliers) and has yet to reach the procurement stage – this was originally supposed to happen in the autumn.

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Ofcom Find 380,000 UK Homes on Cheaper Social Broadband Tariffs

12th December, 2023 (1 Comment)

Ofcom has today published their latest biannual UK consumer affordability report, which reveals that the take-up of cheaper social broadband ISP and mobile tariffs for those on state benefits has increased to 380,000 households (up from 220,000 six months ago). But that still represents just 8.3% of households on Universal Credit (4.6 million).

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SMF Proposes New Approach to UK Broadband Social Tariffs

28th September, 2023 (29 Comments)

A new report from the Social Market Foundation (SMF), which is a British cross-party think-tank, has recommended that companies providing essentials (broadband, energy, water and transport) are made to offer Social Tariffs to vulnerable customers “in a consistent manner” in order to ensure all eligible users can benefit.

ISP Vodafone UK Launch Faster 73Mb Broadband Social Tariff

19th July, 2023 (39 Comments)

Mobile network operator and broadband ISP Vodafone UK has today added a second social broadband tariff for those on state benefits (e.g. Universal Credit), which is called ‘Fibre 2 Essentials‘ and costs a bit more than their existing ‘Essentials Broadband‘ plan, but will give you faster speeds of up to 73Mbps.

Survey Claims Some UK People Struggle to Pay Broadband Bills

13th July, 2023 (22 Comments)

A new Which? survey conducted by Yonder has claimed that 7.2% of households missed a bill or housing payment during June 2023 and, among those who missed one or more bills, 32% struggled to pay for broadband and / or TV, rising to 42% for energy bills, 40% for council tax and 38% for water.

Ofcom UK to Publish Take-up of Social Tariffs by Provider

13th July, 2023 (9 Comments)

Ofcom has published an update on its action plan to support broadband and mobile customers during the cost-of-living crisis, which once again calls on UK ISPs to take “immediate action” to boost the take-up of cheaper social tariffs (available to those on state benefits) and promises to publish take-up data for each provider.

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48% of Low Income Pensioners Struggle to Pay Broadband Bills

13th July, 2023 (20 Comments)

A new YouGov survey of 1,150 adults aged 65+ in England, which was commissioned by older people’s charity Independent Age, has claimed that 48% of respondents on a low income (under £15k a year) have struggled to keep up with their broadband ISP bill in the last 6 months (20% of those found it a constant struggle and 28% struggled from time to time).

Lords Committee – UK Gov Needs Credible Plan to Tackle Digital Exclusion

29th June, 2023 (6 Comments)

A new Lords Committee report has today become the latest to try and tackle the age-old problem of Digital Exclusion (i.e. getting everybody online and ensuring they have the right skills). The Committee finds that the scale of the problem is a “direct consequence of political lethargy” and highlights the UK Government’s “lack of a credible plan.”

Digital Poverty Alliance Calls on UK Gov to Cut VAT on Broadband to 5%

23rd May, 2023 (9 Comments)

The Digital Poverty Alliance (DPA) has published their 2023 National Delivery Plan, which calls on the UK Government to help support ISPs to get more people in disadvantaged groups online, such as by cutting Value Added Tax on broadband ISP and mobile bills to just 5% (currently 20%) – similar to other utility services.

Citizens Advice Claim 1 Million UK Peeps Disconnected Broadband in Last Year UPDATE

18th May, 2023 (9 Comments)

A new survey of over 6,000 adults in the UK, which was conducted by consumer charity Citizen’s Advice, claims to have uncovered that “up to” 1 million broadband customers “disconnected” their broadband ISP connection over the past year because the cost-of-living crisis left them unable to afford it.

Ofcom – Only 220,000 UK Homes on Cheaper Social Broadband Tariffs

24th April, 2023 (11 Comments)

Ofcom has today published their latest UK consumer affordability report, which finds the take-up of cheaper social broadband ISP and mobile tariffs for those on state benefits has increased to 220,000 households (up from 136,000 six months ago). But that still represents just 5.1% of households on Universal Credit (4.3 million).

Broadband ISP MTH Networks Softens UK Price Rises on OFNL

5th April, 2023 (5 Comments)

Internet provider MTH Networks, which sells full fibre (FTTP) broadband packages to customers covered by several different UK networks (e.g. Openreach, OFNL, Glide), has softened their approach to annual price rises for those on OFNL’s network (usually serves new build homes) and introduced a new social tariff.

Full Fibre Broadband ISP 4th Utility Cut Price of Social Tariff

4th April, 2023 (7 Comments)

UK ISP 4th Utility, which is deploying a new gigabit-capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband network to more homes (SDU) and large residential blocks (MDU), has today announced that they’ve reduced the price of their cheaper social tariff for those on benefits from £14.40 to £13.99 per month – bucking the trend of rising prices.

Virgin Media UK Make it Easier to Take Social Broadband Tariff

1st March, 2023 (17 Comments)

Broadband ISP Virgin Media UK (VMO2) has today become the latest national provider to adopt a new system from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), which makes it easier for those on state benefits to be approved to take their cheaper “Essential Broadband” social tariff.