Support for the people of Medway

We’re pleased to see pledges have been made by various UK telecoms providers to help those who are struggling most with their broadband and mobile bills.

People bearing the brunt of the cost-of-living crisis often face the dreadful choice between heating or eating. For many, paying to get online is no longer even a possibility.

The UK’s biggest broadband and mobile operators have agreed to a raft of new commitments to further help customers with the rising cost of living following a government-led summit at No 10 Downing Street.

These include measures such as allowing customers struggling with bills to move to cheaper packages without charge or penalty, or agreeing manageable payment plans, and options to improve existing low cost offers and increasing promotion of existing deals.

The measures, put forward by the government in consultation with the industry, will ensure people struggling with bills due to the economic aftermath of the pandemic and war in Ukraine can continue to make calls, send texts and get online.

Bosses representing the vast majority of the UK telecoms market - including BT Group, Openreach, Virgin Media O2, Vodafone, Three, TalkTalk and Sky - signed up to the pledges at an event chaired by Digital Secretary Nadine Dorries and Cost of Living Business Tsar David Buttress today.

The commitments, which take effect immediately, are:

  • All providers commit to supporting their customers who may be struggling with the cost-of-living and to treat them with compassion, understanding and as individuals.
  • All providers commit to supporting customers struggling with their bills and to offer ways to keep them connected, such as allowing them to move to cheaper packages without charge or penalty, or agreeing manageable payment plans.
  • All operators commit to continue to protect the connectivity of their customers known to be vulnerable as a priority.
  • Providers - supported by Government - commit to take steps to raise awareness of low cost products to those claiming Universal Credit.
  • Mobile providers commit to considering more ways to help their customers, including exploring tariffs, options to improve existing low cost offers, and increasing promotion of existing deals.

The government has already taken action to help those on benefits access cheaper deals by negotiating social tariffs for those on Universal Credit which are now available across 99 per cent of the UK, but this latest intervention means anyone struggling to pay their broadband or mobile bill as a result of global price rises can expect support from their provider if they ask for it.

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