Vodafone withdrew its £12/month Essentials tariff, raising its entry price to £20. Virgin Media's Essential Broadband at £12.50 is now the lowest verified social tariff on the market — a reminder that these deals and their prices shift, so it's worth checking before you apply.
Social tariffs — discounted broadband for people on Universal Credit and other qualifying benefits — keep changing, and not always for the better. Vodafone has withdrawn its long-running £12/month entry-level tariff; its Essentials plan is now £20/month.
Virgin Media's Essential Broadband, at £12.50/month, is currently the cheapest verified social tariff on the market. BT, Sky, and Community Fibre all still offer their own versions in the same £12.50–£20 range.
The prices move; the eligibility and the point don't: if you're on Universal Credit or another qualifying benefit, you're likely paying more than you need to. Providers can verify your benefit automatically through the DWP — no paperwork required.
Check who's currently cheapest and how to switch on our Get help page.
The government-backed Shared Rural Network has switched on its 140th mobile mast, with 49 now live in Scotland — including a second site on Islay that restores signal from all four networks to an area that previously had none.
The government-backed Shared Rural Network switched on its 50th mobile mast in Scotland on the remote Ardnamurchan peninsula, extending all-four-operator 4G coverage across more than 1,900 square kilometres of rural Scotland — an area larger than Edinburgh and Glasgow combined.
The House of Commons Scottish Affairs Committee is taking public evidence on broadband and mobile coverage in rural and island Scotland. Submissions are a direct way to get lived experience in front of policymakers.
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