Broadband price rises: how to check what you'll pay

If you want to know what your broadband will cost after the next rise, the answer is in two places: your contract start date and the small print about price changes. Find those, and you'll know within ten minutes whether you're stuck with a broadband price rise contract term, free to walk away, or out of contract and quietly paying more than a new customer would.

These rules come from Ofcom, the communications regulator, and they apply across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in the same way. There is no separate version for the devolved nations here.

Find out today whether you're in or out of contract

Most broadband deals lock you in for 12, 18 or 24 months at a discounted rate. When that ends, the price usually jumps to a standard rate, and nobody stops you paying it for years.

Log into your online account and find your contract end date, then write it on the calendar. It is normally shown under "my package", "my contract" or on a recent bill.

If you can't find it:

1. Search your email for the order confirmation from when you joined or last re-contracted.
2. Look at your last three bills for a note about the end of a discount period.
3. Ring your provider and ask two questions: "When does my minimum term end?" and "What is my monthly price now, and what will it be after any planned increase?"
4. Write both answers down with the date you asked.

If your minimum term has already passed, you are out of contract. That usually means no exit fee at all, so you can switch or renegotiate whenever you like.

What Ofcom now requires about a broadband price rise contract term

Ofcom banned mid-contract price rises linked to inflation in new contracts, and from 17 January 2025 any rise written into a contract must be set out in pounds and pence, prominently and clearly at the point of sale, with the date of the change made clear. Ofcom said it acted because inflation-linked terms left customers without enough certainty about what they'd pay and unfairly shifted the risk onto them.

Two things matter for you.

First, the rules cover broadband, landline, mobile and pay TV, including when you take them together as a bundle.

Second, and this is the catch, the rules apply to contracts taken out or renewed from that date. If you signed up before then to a deal using a formula like inflation plus a few per cent, that formula can still apply to you. Re-contracting or switching is what moves you onto the newer, clearer terms.

Citizens Advice welcomed the change but pointed out it "falls short of a full ban on prices rising mid-contract", because providers can still include wording saying prices may vary. So read the price change section of any new deal before you agree to it.

The end-of-contract notice you should have been sent

Since February 2020, Ofcom has required phone, broadband and pay TV providers to tell you when your contract is ending and what you could save on a new deal. The notice must arrive between 10 and 40 days before your contract ends, by text, email or letter.

It should tell you your current price, what happens when the deal ends, notice periods, and the provider's best available deals, including the prices offered to new customers.

If you're already out of contract, you should get a reminder once a year covering the tariff you're on, the best tariff available and how to change or cancel.

Ofcom's own analysis found the notifications led to people taking better deals, with some customers saving an average of more than £110 a year after acting on an alert. Ofcom also noted that customers of some providers ended up paying more on average afterwards, which may be because they upgraded to a faster package, so compare speed as well as price.

What you can do when a rise is announced mid-contract

If your provider raises the price beyond what was agreed when you signed up, Ofcom says it must give you 30 days' notice and let you leave the contract without paying a penalty.

That's the key test. A rise that was clearly set out in pounds and pence when you signed does not usually give you an exit right. A rise that wasn't agreed does.

When a letter or email lands:

• Check the date the new price starts and count back 30 days.
• Compare the new figure with what your paperwork said would happen.
• If it doesn't match, tell your provider in writing that you're exercising your right to leave penalty-free, and keep a copy.
• If you're still paying off a handset or device in a bundle, expect to have to settle that balance in full even if the service exit is free.

If your provider disagrees and you get nowhere, you can complain and then escalate free of charge to an independent Alternative Dispute Resolution scheme. Ofcom currently allows this after eight weeks, dropping to six weeks from 8 April 2026, and sooner if you're given a written "deadlock" or final response letter. The two approved schemes are the Communications Ombudsman and CISAS, and your provider will tell you which one it belongs to.

Social tariffs: who qualifies and how to ask

Social tariffs are cheaper broadband and phone packages for people on certain benefits. Ofcom explains that some providers call them essential or basic broadband, and they are delivered exactly like a normal package, just at a lower price.

If you or someone in your household claims Universal Credit, you can generally move to any of the tariffs on offer. Ofcom says all the major providers also include Pension Credit, Employment and Support Allowance, Jobseeker's Allowance and Income Support, and some include Personal Independence Payment and Attendance Allowance. The person receiving the benefit needs to be the main name on the contract.

Ofcom's page listing current tariffs shows prices in the region of £10 to £24 a month, and many are price-frozen for the length of the contract, which takes the price rise worry away entirely. Ofcom research found more than half of low-income households didn't know these tariffs existed.

Many social tariffs freeze the price for the whole contract.

One reason people miss them: social tariffs generally don't appear on comparison sites, because the prices aren't open to everyone. Check Ofcom's social tariffs page, then ask your provider directly to move you.

Ofcom also notes that social tariffs tend to offer the same speed and reliability as comparable commercial packages, so a low price doesn't mean a poor service.

Broadband, mobile and TV bundles: how to compare like for like

Bundles are where the sums go fuzzy. Before you compare anything, write down four numbers for your current deal: the monthly price today, the monthly price after any scheduled rise, any setup fee spread over the term, and the total you'd pay across the whole contract.

Then do the same for anything you're offered. A £2 a month saving on an 18-month deal with a £29.99 setup fee is not a saving.

Also check:

• The download speed you actually need, not the biggest number offered.
• Whether the TV or mobile part is something you use, or something you're paying for out of habit.
• Whether a device or handset is being paid off inside the bundle, because that changes your right to walk away cleanly.
• What the price change wording says, in pounds and pence.

Set a reminder so the next rise never surprises you

The cheapest habit in broadband is a diary entry. Put a reminder 45 days before your contract ends, so you're ready when the end-of-contract notice arrives rather than a month after.

Add a second reminder each spring, when many providers apply scheduled increases, to open your latest bill and check the figure against what you were promised.

If broadband is one of several bills you're struggling with, speak to StepChange, National Debtline or Citizens Advice. Their advice is free and independent, and providers are often more flexible once you've asked for help.

Questions people ask

Can I leave my broadband without a fee if the price goes up?

Yes, if the increase goes beyond what you agreed when you signed up, because Ofcom requires 30 days' notice and a penalty-free exit in that case. If the rise was clearly set out in pounds and pence at the point of sale, you normally can't leave early without charge.

I'm out of contract. Am I overpaying?

Usually, yes, because out of contract broadband tends to sit at a standard rate rather than a promotional one. Compare the price on your bill with the new-customer price your own provider advertises, then ring and ask them to match it.

Do the new Ofcom rules apply to my existing contract?

Not always. The pounds-and-pence requirement applies to contracts taken out or renewed from 17 January 2025, so an older deal with an inflation-linked formula can still be increased under that formula.

How do I ask for a broadband social tariff?

Check whether your provider offers one on Ofcom's social tariffs page, then apply online or ring and ask to be moved. Have your benefit details ready, and make sure the person claiming the benefit is the main account holder.

What if my provider refuses to fix the problem?

Complain in writing first and keep the reference number. If it isn't resolved after eight weeks, or six weeks from 8 April 2026, or if you get a deadlock letter, take it free of charge to the Communications Ombudsman or CISAS, whichever scheme your provider uses.

What to do next

• Find your contract end date and put it in your phone, then use LiveCheaper's bills and contracts tool so the next price rise doesn't catch you out.
• Photograph your latest broadband bill and run it through the bill scan to see what you're actually paying for.
• If money is tight, check the benefits finder — the same benefits that unlock a social tariff often unlock other help.
• Browse more plain-English guides in Helpful Tips.

Where this comes from

• Ofcom — Ofcom bans mid-contract price rises linked to inflation
• Ofcom — End-of-contract notifications driving better deals for customers
• Ofcom — Social tariffs: cheaper broadband and phone packages
• Ofcom — Quicker complaints resolution for telecoms customers under new Ofcom rules
• Ofcom — Half of low-income households in the dark over broadband social tariffs
• Citizens Advice — reaction to Ofcom's announcement on banning inflation-linked price rises