News

I have it but only learnt of it by chance on moneysaving expert site

I have just got a new deal with EE for a new mobile and landline with BT both managed by EE and was asked if I claim any benefits to qualify for lower rates, which I said yes and they applied the discount. 

Some of the social tariffs are simply half-price main tariffs with half the speed. For example, Vodafone offers up to 80mps at £24 whilst is social tariff is up to 38mps at £12pm. This price then goes up to the full price at the end of the contract. This may be a put off for households who need higher speeds.

Broadband's the easiest to barter. When my contract expired and they wanted to double it, I got them down to half at £17. Cheaper than any social tariff I can get, with no hassle until I have to do the same thing at contract end. 

I have been on a social tariff with BT for 2 years. I was paying £50 a month for phone and internet.I now pay just £15 a month.It is very simple to do.All they want is my N.I number.I have told other people on benefits  about this but they just can’t be bothered to look into that.I also on social tariff with my water company as well.It is so simple to get on social tariffs.

The number of hoops you have to jump through is prohibitive and restrictions on t.V. Packages etc

Tried the social tariff, changed back after a week because it was so poor we couldn't connect two phones at the same time.

Does this reduce your broadband speeds.??

The problem a lot of people could be that like me they are in a contract which would cost quite a bit of money to get out of.

I’m semi rural. There’s a copper wire bend in my wall and I can’t download I was being ripped off of £27. And ill with meltdowns with shell the engineers wouldn’t fix it. And the Onbudsmen used my autism to side with shell. I also don't have a Tv licence and only watch prime which is cheaper than a licence, and I use a lot of data as the internet is how I communicate and pass my time. And I tried 3 mobile and whilst it was cheap , my phone and my even my gps phone were cutting out and dropping calls every 2 weeks. Then there was times my net was rubbish and buffering. I then went to Vodaphone. Their phone service was good but if I took their phone and net deal it was online only. And I tried their normal package and the staff in the Indian call centre gave rubbish instructions didn’t give correct advice showing the dongle connected to the laptop..( not plugged in to the wall and charger) so I did that. I had weird issues re laptop not connecting and there was too many codes n passwords and I was confused and they weren’t explaining it and were asking for info they hadn't even give me yet. I did the trial and told them to shove it. I kept the phone and unlimited mobile data but ( it’s not really unlimited) so I pay £20 for that and switched to EE/BT same dongle. But their customers service was brilliant and he even gave good advice re buying my own dongle to save money and gave me 6 months half price. So that’s £14 but will be £28. Unfortunately just after I signed up virgin media have been laying proper fibre in my area. Plus there’s rows about 5g being put in the next village. I had signed up to 2 years and think the phone is a year n a half. So I’m technically paying £48 a month but I do have proper unlimited. I’ve been told there’s a bungalow in the next village ( yesterday)but idk if it’s going to be suitable and. Have to wait for them to fix it up to view it. There’s a slightly better bus service there. So if that does work out when my contract runs out I might take the BT and EE. Package deal. I also get support off housing plus re social isolation and there’s support if I need help from a worker. And if the bus is decent I will do the course the autism lady recommended on advocacy. And I May do a sociology degree and I want to set up a charity or support re adult diagnosed autistics and with space for woman’s cos there’s nothing for us and people aren't trained in us. I have done and passed the level 2&3 on mh awareness off my own back. Might do the autism ones too. I’m an ex combat medic and auxiliary nurse. But I have spinal and oa issues and other stuff. So maybe I can get a job half homework and half office. I can’t sit too long as I get compression in my spine then spasm.  

I signed up for a Social Tariff last year and not only was it simple (with BT) but I had the unexpected bonus of 700 minutes free l/line telephone minutes per month. That's useful when trying to contact organisations which not only have long 'wait' times to answer calls but then take one through multiple options to access the appropriate extension.

I live in a village that time has long forgot, there is no gas, street lighting and no cable so we are stuck with sky when I have mentioned to sky that I receive PIP and U.C. they pushed my monthly broadband cost even higher I am currently paying £80 pm as a pensioner. When I said I'm going to someone else for my provider they laughed in my face and said "who" !!! 

I’m with Vodaphone and they have made it impossible for me to move to this tarriff from my old one by not replying to my online application and refusing to discuss it while on the phone to me. I ve decided to move to BT who processed my application quickly. 

Even within internal BT it's treated with a stigma as a substandard service, that's a nuisance to set up, notwithstanding the ambiguity over fair usage.
It was referred to in the Cardiff Office of BT as 'Bindipper Broadband' rather than 'BT Basic' which it disgusting. 
Having a disability shouldn't involve being offered a lesser service. Most of these offerings are poor, they've improved recently to speeds of either 36 or 67Mb but there's no earthly reason there couldn't be a 67Mb (which is the up to 80 service) ADSL service at the lower price for those still stuck on copper lines and a 155Mb FTTP service at the same price for people in FTTP only areas.

Plusnet contract due to end which has just risen to £30.01. I phoned plusnet and asked them to transfer me to their sister company BT so I could take up the £20 fibre social tarriff. They then offered me to stay on the product I’m on which is fast fibre for £21.50 for 24 months. I’ve added in 14% price rises each year so could increase to £23 / £26 which is still less than I’m paying now xx

I think that some of those who don't claim the social tariff BB are those that get jobs for a few months then become unemployed. It could mean that the person has to apply for the social tariff every time they find themselves out of work. 

I would love broadband but we have no openreach broadband network in our village.

I didn't know about it as I generally avoid all news, however I will look to join now, thank you

The lack of a full package is the reason. If you're elderly and disabled the TV and computer are a lifeline what's the use of having broadband only if you haven't got a cheap TV package to go with it.

The reason I haven't switched is that I want to remain with Virgin (I sometimes subscribe to a paid channel for a limited period), and they don't offer a social tariff to ESA claimants, it's only available to those on UC. I've no idea why they seem to have taken against disabled claimants, but if the policy changed, I would try it.