MILLIONS of TV, broadband and mobile customers will face higher bills from tomorrow.
It’ll be another hit for households who will also face higher energy bills in April.
Bills will rise for millions of customers from tomorrow
Many telecoms providers increase their prices annually based on the rate of inflation plus an extra 3.9%.
The current rate of inflation sits at 10.4%, so most bills will rise by 14.4% – however not all companies follow it exactly.
Most customers will see their bills increase from April 1, though some will have already seen a rise.
While the hike is inevitable, there are ways to cut down on your bills.
We explain what you can do to cut costs amid the pice hikes
How can I cut my bill?
If you think your bills are too high and want to drive them down, the first thing to do is find out what the cheapest deal on the market is.
You can use this rate as a bargaining tool to get a better offer from your provider.
Get in contact with your provider to see if they can match this rate – if not, you might want to switch instead.
Sites like MoneySuperMarket and Uswitch all help you customise your search based on price, speed and provider.
This should make it easier to decide whether to renew your contract or move to another provider.
Switch provider – but be aware of hefty fees
If you’re not happy with the new charge and want to switch, make sure you know if you’re in or out of contract.
This is because if you’re in contract, you could be charged an exit fee and it could be costly.
Mobile phone users are stuck between “exorbitant” mid-contract price rises or high exit fees, according to Which?.
It found that an EE customer would face exit fees of £424.67 to leave a year early and Three’s customer would need to pay £379.46 to leave their contract.
Additionally, using the example of an EE customer who took out a 36-month contract for an iPhone Pro Max with unlimited data, Which? estimated the customer would pay an additional £105 for the handset over the next year due to the price increases.
Three customers face the lowest exit fees of £169.59 for leaving their contract a year early.
It’s always worth asking your provider if they’ll offer you something cheaper anyway so do give them a call even if you’re in contract.
If not, make a note of the date your contract ends and tally up other deals that you could switch to.
You could try and haggle a cheaper deal
If you think your bills are too high and want to reduce them, the first thing to do is find out what the cheapest deal on the market is.
You can use this rate as a bargaining tool to get a better offer from your provider.
Get in contact with your provider to see if they can match this rate – if not, you might want to switch instead.
If you’re unsuccessful at haggling, then you could threaten to leave.
You provider might then feel more inclined to keep you by offering you a better deal.
For more ways to cut your phone bill, we’ve got eight tips for slashing costs.
We’ve got the full list of providers raising rates in April here.
Check if you’re eligible for a social tariff
If your household is on a low income it’s also worth investigating social tariffs.
These broadband packages and discounts have been created for people who are receiving certain benefits.
They’re often available to those on income support, Universal Credit, or disability allowance.
Around 4.2million households are eligible for these cheaper tariffs but only 55,000 are making use of them.
Prices start from £12.50 a month, so ask your provider what’s on offer.
Full list of providers hiking rates
Here’s what providers are doing:
BT, EE and Plusnet
The “majority” of BT, EE and Plusnet customers will see a rise from March 31.
The rise will affect customers even if they are signed up to a contract with a fixed price.
Virgin Media
Impacted customers will see their bills increase from either April 1 or May 1 but Virgin will confirm which date yours will change in an email.
On average, Virgin Media cable customers will receive a price increase of an average of 13.8% – though this will be higher or lower depending on the package.
Virgin confirmed that vulnerable customers, which includes those on the Essential Broadband packages, will not see a price change this year.
Sky
Sky mobile customers will see their bills increase by £1 a month, or an average of 9%.
The hike came into effect from February 14 – this means that if you pay your phone bill on the 20th of every month, you’ll pay the extra amount from February 20.
And millions of broadband and TV customers will also see their bills rise by an average of £67 a year from April.
Shell
Shell customers will see bills go up by 13.5% from April 1.
Those who signed up after should not be affected.
If you’re unhappy with the change, you won’t be able to leave penalty-free.
Three
Three has also confirmed its 14.4% price rise will impact all new and upgrading customers from March 31.
The increase will affect all Three customers who have taken out a contract since November 1.
TalkTalk
Similarly, TalkTalk customers will see their bills go up from April 1 too.
The provider will hike prices by 14.2%.
How much extra you pay depends on what you’re paying now but you could pay an extra £5 a month.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected]
