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Sky launches broadband tariff for low income homes

Lana Clements
Written By:
Lana Clements
Posted:
Updated:
12/04/2022

Sky has launched a discounted broadband deal for low income customers after calls from the regulator to support households suffering financial hardship.

 

Sky’s Broadband Basics is available to Sky account customers who are claiming Universal Credit or Pension Credit and costs £20 a month. The deal comes with an 18-month contract, however, customers who leave before the period ends won’t be charged early termination fees.

The package includes Sky Broadband Superfast 35, or if fibre isn’t available, Sky Broadband Essential Plus.

A similar offer is available from Sky-owned NOW Broadband.

BT, Virgin Media O2, G. Network, Community Fibre, Hyoeroptic and KCOM are among the providers already offering so-called social tariffs starting from as little as £10 a month.

The regulator wants all providers offer the deals.

Social tariffs are available to an estimated 4.2 million UK households receiving Universal Credit and offer average broadband savings worth £144 a year.

But Ofcom research found only 55,000 homes have taken advantage of them so far – just 1.2% of those eligible.

Lindsey Fussell, Ofcom’s network and communications group director, said: “We’ve been calling on broadband firms to do more to support customers suffering financial hardship. So we’re pleased Sky has responded with a special discount for people on low incomes. We want to see all providers step up and offer these packages, and promote them more widely.”

Two thirds of low-income households are unaware of cheap social broadband tariffs, comparison site Uswitch recently found.