Millions of Brits are being urged to check whether they can avoid inflation-related hikes to their broadband bills this April. Estimates suggest that around 11 million UK consumers who are out of their initial contract period, could dodge the hike by switching to a new deal.
This April, broadband and phone customers will be hit with inflation-linked price increases of up to 17.3%. If you're going to be affected by this change, then it's likely that you've already begun to receive letters, texts and emails from your provider about the change and how much extra you'll be expected to pay.
If you have had some of these notifications, then now is the time to take action. If your bills are set to increase this spring and you're out of contract, head to our best broadband deals page today. Here you can find a new deal and lock in a great rate that will save you money.
Can I leave my contract if my price is set to rise?
Sadly, the majority of broadband providers do not give in-contract customers the chance to leave their contract without paying a penalty. However, some providers do offer customers the chance to leave their contract penalty-free within 30 days of receiving their price rise notification.
As a result, it's thought that around seven million Sky and Virgin Media broadband customers could avoid April’s price hikes by switching suppliers. Similarly, Vodafone, TalkTalk and Shell have confirmed that customers signing up for broadband packages in March won’t be impacted by April 2023 price rises.
How can I check whether my broadband costs will increase?
As we mentioned earlier, if your price is set to rise this April, then your provider should have communicated this with you. However, you should also proactively check to see whether you're out of contract. This way, you'll know whether you can switch to a new deal now and avoid the hikes.
If your current deal has ended or is due to end before April, then you can take the time to explore your options by comparing your current deal with the other options out there.
Remember, you can avoid the price rises entirely if you choose to go with a provider such as Vodafone, Virgin Media, Shell and TalkTalk. Alternatively, if you find a suitable deal with one of these providers but decide you'd like to stay with your current ISP, then you can take the information you've gathered back to your current provider and ask for a better deal. There may be some room for negotiation.
How do I find a new broadband deal?
Ready to look for the best deals available on the market today? You'll be pleased to know that the process is simple and can be completed in only a couple of minutes.
If you're out of contract, then you'll likely be able to find a much better (and cheaper) internet deal over on our top broadband deals page. Alternatively, use our widget below to see exactly what's available in your area.
