Social tariffs are discounted broadband plans for households receiving certain state benefits. They’re designed to keep monthly costs down while still providing reliable speeds for everyday use such as streaming, video calls and online schoolwork.
Prices are lower than standard packages, terms are usually simpler, and many plans avoid the annual mid-contract price rises that apply elsewhere. If your current provider doesn’t offer a social tariff, you’re not tied to them. You can switch to a provider that does and, in many cases, you won’t be charged exit fees when the reason for switching is to move onto a social tariff.
Who can qualify for a social tariff?
Eligibility is based on benefit status rather than a separate income check. Most providers accept one or more of the following: Universal Credit, Pension Credit (Guarantee Credit), income-based ESA or JSA, and Income Support. Some go further by accepting Housing Benefit, Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or Personal Independence Payment (PIP). When you apply, you’ll normally be asked for your National Insurance number so the provider can confirm eligibility with the Department for Work and Pensions. That means you rarely need to send bank statements or lengthy documentation.
How do you apply?
The steps are straightforward. First, ask your current provider if they have a social tariff and request a move across if you qualify; this is often just an internal switch with no new installation. If your provider doesn’t have one, choose a social tariff from another ISP, place the order and provide your NI number and benefit details for verification. Contract styles vary: some plans are rolling month to month; others are 12 or 24 months. Even where a fixed term applies, most social tariffs allow customers to leave without early termination fees.
National providers with UK-wide availability
BT – Home Essentials
BT offers a small range of Home Essentials plans with average speeds between 36 Mb and 67 Mb, priced roughly £16 to £24 per month. Terms are typically 12 months and BT re-checks eligibility every year. Existing customers of BT, EE and Plusnet can switch onto Home Essentials if they qualify.
Virgin Media – Essential Broadband
Virgin Media’s entry option delivers roughly 15 Mb for £12.50 per month. Essential Broadband Plus provides around 54 Mb for £20 per month. Both run on 30-day rolling terms with free setup, so there’s no long tie-in.
Vodafone – Fibre 2 Essentials
Vodafone’s social tariff offers about 73 Mb for £20 per month. It’s advertised at a fixed monthly price with no mid-contract rise and the flexibility to leave at any time without a penalty.
Sky – Sky Broadband Basics
Sky Basics is a social tariff at around 36 Mb for £20 per month. It’s usually available to existing Sky households who then move across to Basics. Sky presents it as a long-term price point and some materials reference 24-month arrangements.
NOW – NOW Broadband Basics
NOW’s Basics plan is £20 per month for around 36 Mb and is typically sold as a 1-month rolling contract. It’s a flexible option for smaller homes that want a low commitment.
Regional providers and altnets with social tariffs
Smaller full-fibre operators, often called altnets, run their own networks and many offer social tariffs that undercut national providers or add more speed for the money.
Hyperoptic – Fair Fibre Plan
50 Mb for £15 or 150 Mb for £20, both on rolling monthly terms. Free installation and router. Accepts a wider list of benefits and can verify eligibility via DWP with consent.
Community Fibre – Essential (London)
35 Mb for £12.50 on a 12-month term with no mid-contract price rise. Free setup and router are included.
KCOM – Full Fibre Flex (Hull)
30 Mb for £14.99 or 50 Mb for £19.99 on rolling 30-day terms with no annual price increase. Includes 750 minutes for UK calls.
toob – toob essentials
50 Mb for £20 in parts of Hampshire and Surrey.
Truespeed – Basic
30 Mb for £20 across the South West.
WightFibre – Essential
100 Mb for £16.50 on the Isle of Wight.
Quickline – Social Tariff
100 Mb for £16.50 in parts of Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.
Wildanet – Helping Hand
30–100 Mb for £20 in Cornwall and Devon.
Lightning Fibre
50 Mb for £15 across parts of East Sussex and Kent.
Lothian Broadband
100 Mb for £19.99 in Scotland.
RunFibre
100 Mb for £20 in South Gloucestershire.
G.Network – Essential Fibre (London)
50 Mb for £15.
Connect Fibre – Essentials
150 Mb for £20 in pockets of the East Midlands.
For households living within these footprints, regional plans can deliver more speed for less money, so it’s worth running a postcode check before you decide.
Contract length, price rise policy and exit terms
Rolling versus fixed terms
Contract style is a key difference between providers. Hyperoptic, Virgin Media and KCOM typically offer rolling 30-day plans. BT uses a 12-month term but re-verifies eligibility each year. Sky Basics is positioned as a longer-term price point and is often quoted as 24 months.
Price rises within the term
Many social tariffs state that prices won’t rise each April, in contrast to standard plans that use CPI-linked increases. Vodafone, Community Fibre and KCOM are examples where the price is fixed for the term of the social tariff.
Early exit
A common feature of social tariffs is flexibility to leave without early termination charges. That’s not typical on standard broadband contracts, so it’s an important protection if your circumstances change.
Eligibility differences to be aware of
Each provider sets their own eligibility list. BT accepts UC, Pension Credit, ESA, JSA and Income Support. Hyperoptic broadens this to include Housing Benefit and PIP. KCOM goes wider again and also offers Open Banking verification if needed. Sky and NOW usually require you to be an existing customer before moving to Basics. BT runs an annual re-check; if you no longer qualify you’ll be moved onto a standard plan unless you switch.
Installation and equipment
Most social tariffs include free setup and a router at no extra cost. Virgin Media, Hyperoptic and Community Fibre, for example, bundle equipment and installation with the plan. Where work is needed at the address, it’s typically covered within the tariff.
Mobile social tariffs
If you can’t get fixed broadband or you need a short-term fallback, several mobile brands offer social tariffs too. Options include O2 Essential, SMARTY’s social plan and VOXI For Now. These are usually priced around £10 to £12 per month and depend on 4G or 5G coverage. They’re best treated as a stop-gap or a flexible solution for households that move around, rather than a like-for-like replacement for fixed broadband.
Consumer checklist
Make sure you are the account holder and have your National Insurance number to hand when you apply. If your provider doesn’t offer a social tariff, ask about leaving without a penalty so you can move to a provider that does. If flexibility matters, pick a rolling plan; if you have several people online at once, aim for a faster tier in the 50–150 Mb range. Keep in mind that some providers will check eligibility again each year.
Key takeaways
Virgin Media’s Essential Broadband at £12.50 is currently the lowest-priced nationwide social tariff. Vodafone Fibre 2 Essentials at around 73 Mb is the fastest nationwide social tariff. Regional full-fibre providers such as Hyperoptic and Community Fibre often pair low prices with higher speeds than the big names. Free setup is common, and most plans allow customers to leave without early termination charges. Above all, social tariffs are intended to give eligible households an affordable, stable way to stay connected without unexpected costs.
Who are social tariffs best for?
Social tariffs suit households on qualifying benefits who want dependable broadband at a fair, predictable price. They’re a strong fit for smaller homes that just need essential speeds, and they also make sense for families who value flexibility or expect their circumstances to change. If you live in an altnet area, it’s worth prioritising those options as they can be both faster and cheaper. If you don’t, the nationwide plans from BT, Virgin Media, Vodafone, Sky and NOW keep costs down and remove a lot of the risk around mid-contract price rises and exit fees.