- Check below to see if your current provider already offers a social tariff or use our broadband comparison tool to see how they stack up against standard deals.
- The standard deals will generally have cheaper headline prices due to newbies' sign-up incentives. So they usually win for regular switchers. Yet if you want to stick with a provider for more than a year or so, then social tariffs are likely to be the cheapest route.
TalkTalk broadband (no line) - six months free
New & existing customers | Broadband customer service: 5.8/10
FREE average 38Mb speed broadband only (no line) for six months
Who can get it? Technically not a social tariff, it's for jobseekers on universal credit who don't have an internet connection. Eligibility is determined by Jobcentre staff.
Apply via Jobcentre
Vodafone Essentials broadband & line
New & existing customers | Broadband customer service: 6.1/10
£20/month (£9.99 upfront) for average 73Mb speed
Who can get it? To qualify, you need to be receiving one of the following: jobseeker's allowance or universal credit, employment and support allowance, disability allowance, pension credit or personal independence payment.
Things to look out for:Vodafone will carry out a credit check as part of the application process and reassess if you're still eligible every 12 months.
Apply: Vodafone Essentials
BT Home Essentials broadband & line
New & existing customers | Broadband customer service: 6.6/10
Home essentials (for those with no income) - £11.99 upfront then £15/month for up to 36Mb plus unlimited minutes calling plan
Home essentials - £11.99 upfront then £20/month for up to 36Mb
Home essentials - £11.99 upfront then £23/month for up to 67Mb
Who can get it? To qualify, you need to be receiving one of the following: universal credit, income-related employment and support allowance, pension credit (guarantee credit element), income support or income-based jobseeker's allowance.
Things to look out for:As part of the application process, BT will carry out a credit check and you may have to pay a security deposit which is refundable. Also, after 12 months, BT will run another eligibility check to see if you still qualify for Home Essentials.
Apply: BT Home Essentials
Virgin Media Essential broadband (no line)
New & existing customers | Broadband customer service: 5/10
£12.50/month for average 15Mb speed broadband only (no line)
£20/month for average 54Mb speed broadband only (no line)
Who can get it? To qualify, you need to be receiving universal credit and living in an area Virgin covers (60% of the country).
Apply: Virgin Media Essential broadband
Sky Basics broadband & line
New & existing customers | Broadband customer service: 3.9/10
£20/month for average 36Mb speed broadband & line over an 18-month term
Once you have Sky Basics, you are also entitled to a free 3GB/month Sim with Sky Mobile
Who can get it? To qualify, you need to be receiving universal credit, pension credit, income-based employment support allowance, income-based jobseeker's allowance or income support. You must also be an existing Sky broadband customer.
Apply: Sky Broadband Basics
Now Basics broadband & line
New & existing customers | Broadband customer service: 5.9/10
£20/month for average 36Mb speed broadband & line
Who can get it? To qualify, you need to be receiving universal credit, pension credit, income-based employment support allowance, income-based jobseeker's allowance or income support.
Apply: Now Broadband BasicsOnly available in limited areas of the country:
KCOM Full Fibre Flex broadband & line
New & existing customers | Broadband customer service: No score - not enough votes
£14.99/month for average 30Mb speed broadband and line
Who can get it? To qualify, you need to be receiving one of the following: universal credit (with zero earnings), jobseeker's allowance, income support, income-related employment and support allowance, pension credit, housing benefit or personal independence payment. You'll also need to be living in an area KCOM covers (Hull, East Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire).
Apply: KCOM Full Fibre Flex
Hyperoptic Fair Fibre Plan broadband optional line
New & existing customers | Broadband customer service: No score - not enough votes
£15/month for average 50Mb speed broadband only (£3/month extra with line)
£20/month for average 150Mb speed broadband only (£3/month extra with line)
Who can get it? To qualify, you'll need to be receiving one of the following: universal credit, income support, pension credit, income-related job seekers allowance (JSA), housing benefit, personal independence payment, attendance allowance, care leavers support or income-related employment and support allowance (ESA). You'll also need to be living in an area Hyperoptic covers.
Apply: Hyperoptic Fair Fibre Plan
Community Fibre broadband (no line)
New customers | Broadband customer service: No score - not enough votes
£12.50/month for average 35Mb speed broadband only (no line) over a 12-month term
Who can get it? Unlike other providers, Community Fibre won't make you prove eligibility so any new customer can get this package. Check your postcode on Community Fibre's website to make sure the service is available in your area. Though do bare in mind, this is a 12-month contract.
Apply: Community Fibre
Truespeed (no line)
New & existing customers | Broadband customer service: No score - not enough votes
£20/month for average 30Mb speed broadband only (no line)
Who can get it? To qualify, you need to be receiving one of the following: Income support, pension credit, housing benefit, income-related job seekers allowance, personal independence payment, attendance allowance, universal credit, care leavers support, income-related employment and support allowance (mostly Bath and other rural areas of Somerset).
Apply: Truespeed
G.Network Essential Fibre broadband (no line)
New & existing customers | Broadband customer service: No score - not enough votes
£15/month for average 50Mb speed broadband only (no line)
Who can get it? To qualify, you'll need to be receiving one of the following: universal credit, income support, pension credit (guarantee credit element), income-related job seekers allowance (JSA) or income-related employment and support allowance (ESA). You'll also need to be living in an area G.Network covers (parts of London).
Apply: G.Network Essential Fibre
Country Connect Broadband (no line)
New & existing customers | Broadband customer service: No score - not enough votes
£15/month for average 25Mb speed broadband only (no line)
Who can get it? To qualify, you need to be receiving one of the following: employment and support allowance, jobseeker's allowance, income support, pension credit (guarantee credit), universal credit (all claimants) and live in an area Country Connect covers (Newport, Wales).
Apply: Country Connect Social Tariff
Lightning Fibre (no line)
New & existing customers | Broadband customer service: No score - not enough votes
£15/month for average 50Mb speed broadband only (no line)
Who can get it? To qualify, you need to be receiving one of the following: employment and support allowance, jobseeker's allowance, income support, universal credit and live in an area Lightning Fibre covers (mostly Eastbourne, Hastings and Bexhill and other parts of East Sussex).
Apply: Lightning FibreOnce you've benchmarked prices, do a normal broadband comparison to see what's best for you.