How to cut your broadband and mobile bill in the UK (2026): social tariffs, switching and haggling

Quick answer

First, find out whether you are still in contract. If you’re out of contract you are probably paying more than you need to, so haggle or switch. If anyone in your household gets Universal Credit, Pension Credit or certain other benefits, ask about a social tariff. These currently cost from about £10 to £24 a month, and providers that offer one must let you move onto it free. Switching is now simple: for broadband you only contact the new provider (One Touch Switch), and for mobile you text PAC to 65075 to keep your number.

Step 1: Check whether you’re out of contract

Ofcom rules require your provider to send an end-of-contract notification, normally between 10 and 40 days before your minimum term ends. It must show your contract end date, what you pay now, what you’ll pay afterwards, any notice period, and the provider’s best deals for you, including deals only offered to new customers. If you’re already out of contract, you should also get an annual best tariff reminder.

If you can’t find the notice:

• Mobile: text INFO to 85075. It’s free, and you’ll get a reply saying whether you’re in contract and whether an early termination charge applies.
• Broadband: log in to your account or app and look for the “contract end date”, or ask the provider.
• Search your email inbox for “contract end” or “best tariff” from your provider.

Write the end date in your calendar. The best time to haggle is in the last few weeks before it.

Step 2: See if you qualify for a social tariff

Social tariffs are cheaper broadband and mobile packages for households on low incomes. According to Ofcom’s list (last updated 2 October 2026):

• Anyone in a household claiming Universal Credit can get any of the listed tariffs.
• All major providers also accept people on Pension Credit, Employment and Support Allowance, Jobseeker’s Allowance and Income Support. Some also accept Personal Independence Payment and Attendance Allowance.
• The person receiving the benefit usually has to be the main account holder.
• Prices on the list run from about £10 to £24 a month. Providers include BT, EE, O2, Sky, Virgin Media, Vodafone, Hyperoptic, VOXI, SMARTY and YouFibre.

The key rights are these. If your current provider has a social tariff, you can move onto it at any time, free of charge, even mid-contract. Social tariffs cost nothing to leave, and their price doesn’t rise mid-contract. If your provider doesn’t offer one, ask whether it will let you leave without a penalty so you can switch to a provider that does. Some will.

Speeds and prices vary by provider and area, so check Ofcom’s current list and the provider’s own eligibility page before you apply.

Step 3: Understand mid-contract price rises

Since 17 January 2025, Ofcom has banned new phone, broadband and pay TV contracts from including price rises linked to inflation or set as a percentage. Any rise built into a new contract must now be stated in pounds and pence when you sign up. For example, the contract might say “your bill goes up by £2 a month each April”.

Two points are worth knowing:

• The rule doesn’t cap prices. Providers can still raise them mid-contract, but you must be told the exact amount upfront. Read that line before you sign and add the rises into your total cost.
• Contracts signed before 17 January 2025 may still have inflation-linked or percentage rises.

If your provider raises the price by an amount that wasn’t set out in your contract, Citizens Advice says it should give you at least 30 days’ notice, and you can usually cancel within that time without paying a fee. Check your terms and the wording of the notice letter.

Step 4: Broadband switching with One Touch Switch

Since September 2024, One Touch Switch has been how most home broadband and landline switches work, including moves between networks such as Openreach-based providers and Virgin Media. Here’s how it works:

1. Choose your new deal and contact only the new provider.
2. Your current provider must give you key switching information, such as any early termination charges and how the switch affects other services (a bundled landline or TV, for example).
3. Confirm with the new provider and it handles the rest.
4. You don’t pay notice-period charges on the old service after the switch date. Providers must compensate you if the switch goes wrong or you’re left without service for more than one working day.

Mobile broadband (4G/5G home routers) may not be covered, so check with the provider. If your Wi-Fi is weak rather than slow at the line, a new router or mesh system might help more than a new contract. Our guide to whether mesh Wi-Fi is worth it explains how to tell, or browse mesh Wi-Fi systems.

Step 5: Mobile switching with Text-to-Switch

Mobile switching is free and quick:

You want to…	Text	To
Check if you’re in contract	INFO	85075
Leave and keep your number	PAC	65075
Leave and get a new number	STAC	75075

Your provider must reply within a minute with the code and key details such as any early termination charge (and credit balance on pay-as-you-go). The code is valid for 30 days. Give it to your new provider, which must complete the switch within one working day. Your old provider can’t charge notice-period fees after the switch date. If you have several numbers on one account, such as a family plan, request codes online or by phone instead.

SIM-only vs handset contract: do the maths

A handset contract combines the cost of the phone and your airtime, which makes the real price hard to see. Work it out like this:

Total handset contract cost = upfront fee + (monthly price × months) + any pounds-and-pence rises stated in the contract.

Total SIM-only route = price of the phone bought outright (new, refurbished or a phone you already have) + (SIM-only monthly price × the same months).

Here is an example with made-up figures to show the method:

	Handset contract	Buy phone + SIM-only
Upfront	£30	£400 for the phone
Monthly	£35 × 24	£10 × 24
Built-in rises	£2/month after 12 months = £24	Often none on 30-day SIM-only, but check
Total over 2 years	£894	£640

Use real quotes in place of these figures. SIM-only often works out cheaper, especially if you keep your current phone. A handset contract can still make sense if spreading the cost matters to you and the total stays close. Also:

• Phones sold in the UK since December 2021 must be unlocked, so a new phone should work on any network. Older phones may still be locked, so check before you switch.
• A refurbished phone can lower the cost of the SIM-only route a lot. Read our refurbished vs new grades explained guide first, or browse unlocked SIM-free phones.
• When your handset contract ends, either haggle the price down or move to SIM-only. Otherwise you may keep paying for a phone you’ve already paid off.

A step-by-step haggling script

Phone the provider in the last few weeks of your contract. Have your end-of-contract notice and one or two real competitor prices ready.

1. Open politely: “Hi, my contract ends on [date]. I’m looking at my options and I’d like to know the best price you can offer to keep me.”
2. Give a specific price: “I’ve been quoted [£X a month] for [speed or data] with [provider]. Can you match or beat that?”
3. If they say no: “Could you put me through to the team that handles cancellations or leaving?” Retention teams usually have the most room to offer discounts.
4. Check the details: “What is the monthly price, how long is the contract, and what are the price rises in pounds and pence? Are there any setup or router fees?”
5. Don’t accept straight away: “Thanks, I’ll think about it.”
6. Get it in writing: ask for the offer by email or text before you agree to anything.
7. Be ready to leave: if the offer isn’t good enough, switch. One Touch Switch and Text-to-Switch make it easy.

Be honest and don’t quote prices you haven’t actually seen. It’s also worth checking whether you still need every add-on. A TV pack or landline you never use is an easy saving.

Black Friday tips for SIM and broadband deals

Black Friday is on 27 November 2026 and Cyber Monday on 30 November. Plenty of broadband and SIM-only offers appear in the run-up. To get a good one:

• Compare the total cost, not the headline price. Add up the monthly price × months, plus upfront fees and stated rises. Count gift cards or “free months” only if you’re sure you’ll get them.
• Check when your current contract ends. A great deal doesn’t help if you pay early termination charges to take it.
• Short SIM-only contracts (30-day or 12-month) keep you flexible to switch again next year.
• Check speeds at your address. Broadband prices often depend on where you live, so put in your postcode.
• See our Black Friday deals and Black Friday budget plan for gadgets to buy alongside.

Sources

• Ofcom: Social tariffs – cheaper broadband and phone packages
• Ofcom: Simpler broadband switching is here (One Touch Switch)
• Ofcom: Switching mobile phone provider
• Ofcom: Ofcom bans mid-contract price rises linked to inflation
• Ofcom: Telecoms price rises – what are your rights?
• Ofcom: Companies must tell customers about their best deals
• Ofcom: Mobile companies now banned from selling locked handsets
• Citizens Advice: Cancelling a phone, TV, internet or mobile contract