Social Connectivity

Social Tariffs for Broadband

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted that good quality, reliable broadband nowadays is essential to households. An ever more increasing number of services are available online. Additionally, it is necessary for children and adults alike to access education via the internet as well as for job searching activities and keeping in touch with friends and family. At the same time, the cost of living is increasing also, this includes broadband prices too. 

To enable people in need to access cheaper deals, broadband providers are making discounted broadband packages available which could save eligible households about £150 per year. These discounted deals are also known as Social Tariffs for Broadband.


Check the below information to see the deals on offer and the connected eligibility criteria:

  • TalkTalk - TalkTalk Six Months Free (broadband only)
    • Free for 6 months
    • Average speed: 38 Mb/s
    • New and existing customers
    • Eligibility: Voucher scheme for jobseekers on universal credit who don't have an internet connection. No contract and no credit check are required.
    • Apply via Job Centre Plus
  • BT - BT Home Essentials (broadband and telephone line)
    • £15 per month (£9.99 upfront)
    • Average speed: 36 Mb/s
    • New and existing customers
    • Eligibility: To qualify, you need to be receiving one of the following: universal credit, employment and support allowance, pension credit (guarantee credit element), income support or jobseeker's allowance.
    • Apply via BT


  • Virgin Media O2 - Virgin Media Essential Broadband (broadband only)
    • £12.50 per month
    • Average speed: 15 Mb/s
    • New and existing customers
    • Eligibility: To qualify, you need to be receiving universal credit and living in an area Virgin covers (52% of the country).
    • Apply via Virgin Media


  • Sky - Sky Broadband Basics (broadband plus Pay-As-You-Talk)
    • £20 per month
    • Average speed: 36 Mb/s
    • Existing customers
    • Eligibility: Be a Sky account holder and claim Universal Credit or Pension Credit.
    • Apply via Sky


  • Vodafone - Vodafone Essentials Broadband (broadband only)
    • £12 per month
    • Average speed: 38 Mb/s
    • New and existing customers
    • Eligibility: To qualify, you need to be receiving one of the following: universal credit, jobseeker’s allowance, employment and support allowance, disability allowance, personal independence payment, pension credit.
    • Apply via Vodafone

  • VOXI - VOXI For Now (unlimited data, calls and texts) 
    • £10 per month
    • About 20 Mb/s
    • New and existing customers
    • Eligibility: To qualify, you need to be receiving one of the following: Jobseeker’s Allowance, Universal Credit, Employment and support allowance, Disability allowance, and Personal Independence Payment.
    • Apply via VOXI


For a full list of broadband and phone social tariffs, please visit Ofcom.org.uk.

The information is correct at the time of publishing (Oct 2022). Please visit the relevant provider’s website for the latest deals available.  

Please note, that Kent County Council do not set or negotiate the deals or their requirements/contents – in case of queries, we suggest contacting the providers directly.

Ofcom, the UK’s communication regulator, has urged all broadband firms to support low-income homes by offering discounted packages known as ‘social tariff’ broadband deals. 

55,000 households are on a social tariff as of January 2022. 1.2% of UK households receiving Universal Credit are on a social tariff. 4.2 million households are on universal credit. 84% of benefits claimants are unaware of social tariffs.

Ofcom recently found that only 55,000 out of 4.2 million homes in receipt of Universal Credit are using discounted rates. This means that households on benefits are missing out on an average yearly broadband saving of £144 each.  

Social tariffs can provide a safety net for eligible Kent households who might be struggling to afford their broadband.  

Households experiencing financial hardship are eligible for social tariff broadband deals. See the Social Tariff broadband and telephone packages section to discover if you could take up a discounted broadband deal. 

If you are not eligible for a social tariff, you can still check out the available broadband deals on the market, as switching providers may save you some money. Visit a broadband deal checker to see if there are better deals available in your area: 

You can access broadband deals without having a credit check, follow the link to learn How to get broadband with no credit check. 

Please note, that Kent County Council do not set or negotiate the social tariff deals or their requirements/contents – in case of queries, we suggest contacting the providers directly. 

Choosing the right broadband deal for your household has many different aspects, read this MoneySavingExpert guidance to help you find a suitable deal for your needs.

In case you are not interested in broadband deals, but you would like to access the internet using mobile data, social tariffs for mobile deals don’t apply. However, the London Office of Technology and Innovation (LOTI) states that ‘while telco providers do not offer Social Tariffs, they are running initiatives to tackle digital exclusion. The support they provide is delivered by charities and community organisations, not the telco providers directly, so support access routes are not as straightforward.’  

LOTI published an information sheet about available mobile data support.   

If you require any further support with accessing broadband deals, we recommend you contact a chosen supplier. For other enquiries, please get in touch via digitalinclusion@kent.gov.uk or call 03000 410 950.