AN easy broadband trick could help you to slash your bill ahead of a huge 7.9% rise – but you’ll have to be quick.

Households on Pension Credit, Universal Credit and other benefits could be missing out huge broadband savings.

Households on certain benefits could help you to slash your broadband bill

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Households on certain benefits could help you to slash your broadband billCredit: Alamy

In fact, those on benefits can save hundreds of pounds per year on their broadband bills if they take out social broadband tariffs.

But just 5.1% of eligible households are using them, according to Independent Age.

You could get a social tariff for as little as £12.50 a month with Virgin Media and Community Fibre.

The average broadband bill costs £26.90 a month in the UK, or £322.280 a year, according to USwitch – and it’s set to go up even further.

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This is because broadband bills are set to rise by up to 7.9% from March 31.

The new rate will kick in from your next bill after that date, so it’s best to check if you can get a cheaper deal as soon as possible.

According to figures from USwitch, the average broadband customer is set to pay an additional £27.19 per year.

This means it’s even more important to make sure you’re getting the best possible deal on your broadband.

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The increase will affect customers even if they’re signed up to a contract with a fixed price.

This is because many firms have mid-contract price rises written into their terms and conditions.

In the future, providers could be banned from linking price rises to runaway inflation figures under new proposals from Ofcom.

The regulator said mobile and broadband customers were being hit with mid-contract rises which they found difficult to understand.

Instead, providers are encouraged to explicitly spell out the exact amount in pounds and pence.

BT has already confirmed it will be doing this from the summer.

The Sun has put together a guide to what each provider is doing and how to avoid it.

If you think you could be entitled to a social tariff, Ofcom has a list on its website of all the providers that offer them.

You’ll have to check each telecom provider to see how to apply – you’ll often have to do this online or over the phone.

Be aware that some suppliers may charge you a penalty if you leave a tariff mid-contract.

Always remember that the exact amount you’ll save by switching will depend on how much you were paying for your broadband before.

Here’s a full list of firms offering social tariffs and their eligibility requirements.

How to avoid the price hike

The simplest way to save more of your hard-earned cash is by switching your supplier when your contract expires.

If you’re outside the minimum term of your contract then you won’t need to pay a cancellation fee – and you might be able to find a cheaper deal elsewhere.

If you’re still in your contract period, you might be charged an exit fee.

But don’t just switch contracts because the price is cheaper than what you’re currently paying.

Take a look at how much speed you need for broadband or how many minutes and texts, as well as how much data you’re using on your mobile, to find out which deal is best for you.

Use comparison websites, such as MoneySupermarket and USwitch, to compare the best tariffs and phone prices.

If you’re happy with your provider then it might be worth using your research to haggle a better deal too.

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.

For more ways to cut your phone bill, we’ve got eight tips for slashing costs.

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Meanwhile, here is the full list of household bills set to rise by up to £370 in 2024 – and how to avoid paying more.

Plus, millions of people will see tax changes in 2024 that affect both their income and savings.

Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected].

Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories.

This post first appeared on thesun.co.uk

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