MILLIONS of households could save up to £570 a year with a cheap broadband tariff.
Those on low incomes can get a special rate – called a social tariff – on their broadband bills.
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Swapping to these deals can save those who are eligible an average of up to £144 a year.
Thousands of people on Universal Credit or other benefits could be missing out on big savings.
Ofcom says only around 55,000 homes out of 4.2million who qualify for the cheaper rate can get the offer.
But provider Community Fibre claims it has a broadband offer for low income households that is the “most affordable on the market”.
It said that unlike other providers, which require you to show your financial situation when applying, you don’t have to do the same when applying for its deal.
It said you could save nearly £600 signing up to the service compared to similar deals on the market that are non-social tariffs.
For example, signing up to the most expensive fibre broadband offer – Virgin Media’s Gig1 Fibre broadband deal – will cost you £60 a month, which is £720 a year.
That’s £570 a month more expensive than Community Fibre’s package is £12.50 a month, and you can sign up for a 12-month contract.
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Its Essential package is also up to £90 cheaper per year than social tariff deals rivals BT, Virgin and Sky are offering.
That’s £2.50 less than BT’s Home Essentials package, which is £15 a month, and £7.50 cheaper than Sky’s Broadband Basics bundle coming in at £20 a month.
It’s also £2.50 less than Virgin Media’s Essential Broadband package at £15 a month.
It means annually you’d save £30 compared to signing up to BT or Virgin Media, and £90 compared to Sky.
However, not everyone will be able to sign up for the deal, even if they are eligible.
That’s because Community Fibre is only available in London.
You can check if you can get the deal by using the broadband provider’s postcode checker service on its website.
You can then sign up for the offer on Community Fibre’s site.
While applying, you don’t have to provide proof that you are on income support.
However, it’s important to consider the quality of service you’ll be getting if you are considering swapping.
Community Fibre’s offer comes with upload speeds of 10 Mbps, while BT and Sky’s packages are roughly 36Mbps, Virgin Media’s is around 15Mbps, according to Ofcom estimates.
Commenting on the deal, Uswitch broadband expert Ernest Doku said: “At £12.50 a month, Community Fibre’s Essential package is slightly cheaper than the social tariffs offered by the main networks and would save at least £30 over its 12-month contract.
“Customers looking to cut costs would also appreciate the free router and installation.
“However, the 10Mbps speeds it offers are also slower than some rivals, notably Hyperoptic, which has a £15-a-month social tariff delivering 50Mbps, availability permitting.”
It comes as new plans will enable struggling broadband and mobile customers to move to cheaper deals without paying big exit fees.
Moving to a better deal when you’re in contract can cost you hundreds – but telecom giants from BT, Sky, Virgin Media O2, TalkTalk and Vodafone said they would scrap these fees.
How can I lower my broadband bill?
If you’re out of your contract term then you can compare deals and switch.
If you’re happy with your supplier then you should try to haggle down your bill – you can save £250 from doing this.
For those not eligible for the social tariffs, we explain a simple check that could save £200 a year on your internet bills.
Plus, here’s how you can switch broadband mid-contract with no fees as providers.
